“I would like the angels of Heaven to be among us.
I would like an abundance of peace.
I would like full vessels of charity.
I would like rich treasures of mercy.
I would like cheerfulness to preside over all.
I would like Jesus to be present.”
Brigid of Ireland (c. 450-525) is believed to have been the daughter of a pagan Scottish king and a Christian Pictish slave known for her generous spirit and compassionate heart for the poor. She founded the double monastery in Kildare for monks and nuns where the perpetual fire burns as a symbol of hospitality, constant devotion to God and the poor. Excerpt recounted in Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals, 129-130.