“Before I was humiliated I was like a stone that lies in deep mud, and he who is mighty came and in his compassion raised me up and exalted me very high and placed me on the top of the wall.”

I am Patrick, yes a sinner and indeed untaught; yet I am established here in Ireland where I profess myself bishop. I am certain in my heart that ‘all that I am,’ I have received from God. So I live among barbarous tribes, a stranger and exile for the love of God.

I am certain in my heart that all that I am, I have received from God.

He [God] watched over me before I knew him, and before I learned sense or even distinguished between good and evil, and he protected me, and consoled me as a father would his son.

I prayed in the woods and on the mountain, even before dawn. I felt no hurt from the snow or ice or rain.

I am Patrick, a sinner, most uncultivated and least of all the faithful and despised in the eyes of many.

For after chastisement from God, and recognizing him, our way to repay him is to exalt him and confess his wonders before every nation under heaven.

I pray to God to give me perseverance and to deign that I be a faithful witness to Him to the end of my life for my God.

Sufficient to say, greed is a deadly deed. You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.

No one should ever say that it was my ignorance if I did or showed forth anything however small according to God’s good pleasure; but let this be your conclusion and let it so be thought, that – as is the perfect truth – it was the gift of God.

Never trust a dog to watch your food.

He who believes shall be saved, but he who does not believe shall be damned. God has spoken.

That which I have set out in Latin is not my words but the words of God and of apostles and prophets, who of course have never lied. He who believes shall be saved, but he who does not believe shall be damned. God has spoken.

Daily I expect to be murdered or betrayed or reduced to slavery if the occasion arises. But I fear nothing, because of the promises of heaven.

If I be worthy, I live for my God to teach the heathen, even though they may despise me.

May the strength of God pilot us, may the wisdom of God instruct us, may the hand of God protect us, may the word of God direct us. Be always ours this day and for evermore.

So I live among barbarous tribes, a stranger and exile for the love of God.

The feeling of compassion is the beginning of humanity.

Compassion is an unstable emotion. It needs to be translated into action, or it withers.

There is so much we can do to render service, to make a difference in the world – no matter how large or small our circle of influence.

The ways are two: love and want of love. That is all.

We don’t make ourselves compassionate; we are born compassionate.

By practicing meditation we establish love, compassion, sympathetic joy & equanimity as our home.

Once we are honest about our feelings, we can invite ourselves to consider alternative modes of viewing our pain and can see that releasing our grip on anger and resentment can actually be an act of self-compassion.

We have the power to improve our work lives immeasurably through awareness, compassion, patience & ingenuity.