Dreams And Prayers

Et iterum post paucos annos in Britanniis eram cum parentibus meis, qui me ut filium susceperunt: et ex fide rogaverunt me, ut vel modo ego, post tantas tribulationes quas pertuli, nunquam ab illis discederem. Et ibi scilict vidi in visu nocte virum venientem quasi de Hiberione cui nomen Victoricius, cum epistolis innumerabilibus: et dedit mihi unam ex illis, et legi principium epistolae continentem: Vox Hiberioneacum. Et dum recitabam principium epistolae, putabam ipso momento, audire vocem ipsorum qui erant juxta silvam Focluti, quae et prope mare Occidentale. Et sic exclamaverunt quasi ex uno ore: Rogamus te, sancte puer, ut venias et adhuc ambules inter nos. Et valde compunctus sum corde, et amplius non potui legere, et sic expergefactus sum. Deo gratias, quia post annos plurimos praestitit illis Dominus secundum clamorem eorum. Et alia nocte, nescio, Deus scit, utrum in me, an juxta me, verbis peritissimis quae ego audivi et non potui intelligere, nisi ad postremum orationis sic affatus est: qui pro te animam suam posuit. Et sic expergefactus sum gaudibundus. Et iterum vidi in me ipsum orantem, et eram quasi intra corpus meum: et audivi super me, hoc est, super interiorem hominem; et ibi foriter orabat gemitibus. Et inter haec stupebam, et admirabar, et cogitabam quis esset qui in me orabat. Sed ad postremum orationis sic effatus est, ut sit spiritus. Et sic experrectus sum, et recordatus sum, Apostolo dicente: Spiritus adjuvat infirmitatem nostrae orationis. Nam quid oremus sicut oportet, nescimus; sed ipse Spiritus postulat pro nobis gemitibus inenarrabilibus, quae verbis exprimi non possunt. Et iterum: Dominus advocatus noster postulat pro nobis. Sanctus Patricius Hibernorum Apostolus, Confessio Source: Migne PL 53.53.806a-807a

A few years later I was again among the Britons with my parents. They welcomed me as a son, and begged me to vow that, after all the tribulations I had endured, I should never leave them again. It was while I was there that I saw, in a vision in the night, a man whose name was Victoricus, coming as from Ireland, with innumerable letters. He gave me one of them, and I read the beginning of the letter: 'The voice of the Irish people.' And while I was reciting the beginning of the letter, I thought I heard at that moment the voice of those who were beside the wood of Voclut, which is near the western sea. And they called out as it were with one voice: 'We beseech you, holy boy, that you come and walk among us again.' I was touched deeply in my heart, and I could read no further, and so I woke. Thanks be to God, after many years the Lord gave them according to their cry. Another night, I do not know, God knows, whether it was within me or beside me, I heard most eloquent words which I did not understand, until at the end of the speech it was said: 'The one who gave His life for you, He it is who speaks in you.' And having awakened, I was joyful. Another time, I saw in myself one who was praying. Indeed it was as if I were inside my body, and I heard it above me, that is, above my inner man, and he prayed strongly, with sighs. I was astonished and amazed, and thought who it could be who prayed in me. But at the end of the prayer was spoken, it was the Spirit. So I awoke, and I remembered the Apostle saying: 'The Spirit helps the weaknesses of our prayer. For we do know what it is we should pray, but the very Spirit pleads for us with unspeakable sighs, which cannot be expressed in words.' 1 And again: 'The Lord is our advocate, and pleads for us.' 2 Saint Patrick Apostle of the Irish, The Confession 1 Rom 8.26 2 cf 1 Jn 2.1