St. Patrick

Happy St. Patrick's Day.

St. Patrick's Day this year is a little extra fun for me because in August I got to go to Dublin.  Dublin was a neat town with neat sites to see like castles and pubs on nearly every square inch, 751 of them to be exact, with live music and lamb stew.  But I'll tell you the thing I enjoyed most about Ireland was its friendly people.

On St. Patrick's Day we remember a man who did more to affect the people of Ireland than anyone else in history.

In the late 4th century (the 300's for those who don't think in century numbers) Patrick was a 16 year old son of a wealthy Welshman, or more properly Briton at that time.  When Patrick was 16 Irish raiders kidnapped him and brought him back to Ireland as a slave.  Patrick was in Ireland for six years as a slave shepherd.  It was during this time as a boy left all alone with the sheep that he built a relationship with Jesus.  In his solace he found the Good Shepherd.  Then one day he, lead by a vision, walked to the coast and boarded a ship of escape back home.

After several years Patrick got another message from God telling him to return to Ireland as a missionary.  So Patrick spent eighteen years in preparation, which made him an old man for his time by completion of training, and became a priest.  

Patrick returned then to Ireland, to the place of his kidnappers and enslavers, not with a sword but with good news.  

The nation of Ireland was soon filled with churches planted by Patrick but the Church in Rome wasn't completely happy.  See, Patrick was the type of man that read the book of Galatians so when he went to Ireland he didn't go to make them like the Catholics in Rome.  Patrick went to make them Christian and not any less Irish.  Patrick dressed like an Irishman and let them do the same.  Patrick became so much like an Irishman that when billions around the world think of the island they think of Patrick.

St. Patrick died on March 17 in roughly 461 A.D.  He is remembered today very poorly but he should be remembered well.  He should be remembered as a man that loved his enemies, as a man that loved God's design for different cultures and peoples, as a man that was bold and effective in proclaiming Jesus, and as a man that affects the people of Ireland nearly 1,600 years later.

I'll leave you with a prayer attributed to St. Patrick (though the authorship isn't clear) that is known as St. Patrick's Morning Prayer.  Pray this prayer as a way to celebrate this holiday today.

"I arise today

Through the strength of 

Heaven;

Light of the sun,

Splendor of fire,

Speed of lightning,

Swiftness of the wind,

Depth of the sea,

Stability of the earth,

Firmness of the rock.

I arise today

Through God's strength to 

pilot me;

God's might to uphold me,

God's wisdom to guide me,

God's eye to look before me,

God's ear to hear me,

God's word to speak to me,

God's hand to guard me,

God's way to lie before me,

God's shield to protect me,

God's host to save me

Afar and anear,

Alone or in a multitude.

Christ shield me today

Against wounding

Christ with me, Christ before me,

Christ behind me, Christ in me,

Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

Christ on my right, Christ on my left,

Christ when I lie down,

Christ when I sit down,

Christ in the heart of

everyone who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of 

everyone who speaks of me,

Christ in the eye that sees me,

Christ in the ear that hears me.

I arise today

Through the mighty strength

Of the Lord of creation."