St. Patrick
Have you heard of that celebration in March when everyone is a little Irish? When major cities have parades and people dress in green? That’s right, I’m talking about St. Patrick’s Day. But why is some guy named Patrick remembered once a year on March 17th by almost everyone in the western world?
St. Patrick was born in Roman Britain on or after the year 387 AD, to parents of significant importance to the local Roman authority. When Patrick was sixteen, he was kidnapped and taken as a slave to Ireland. The Irish marauders who captured him, sold him to a druid (Pagan) high priest in the northern section of Ireland. For six years, he toiled under the authority of his master. It is at this time in his life, that Patrick was filled with faith and he prayed to God daily during his captivity. Patrick wrote this, speaking about his time in captivity:
“The Love of God and His fear increased in me more and more, and the faith grew in me, and the spirit was roused, so that, in a single day, I have said as many as a hundred prayers, and in the night nearly the same, so that whilst in the woods and on the mountain, even before the dawn, I was roused to prayer and felt no hurt from it, whether there was snow or ice or rain; nor was there any slothfulness in me, such as I see now, because the spirit was then fervent within me.”
He did not escape from his captor through any kindness or cunning, but from divine guidance. He heard a voice from an angel, telling him a boat was waiting for him in the west. He traveled 200 miles to the southwest coast of Ireland, where he was able to board a boat and return to England. He decided to go into the priesthood, as a result of his faith and the love God showed him while in captivity.
Later in his life, while a companion to St. Germain in Auxarre, France, Patrick had visions which called him back to Ireland, to convert the populace to Christ. The children from Focluth, by the Western sea, cried to him: “O holy youth, come back to Erin (an ancient name for Ireland), and walk once more amongst us.”
Given the authority and encouragement of the pope at the time, St. Celestine I, Patrick began his mission to lead the people of Ireland to Christ. In the year 433AD, Patrick set out to prove God’s power and might against all that opposed His divine will and divine love. This was not done through condemnation, strong words, or any human skill, but through Patrick’s faith that God would bring all people into the Church of Christ.
One of his most noticed miracles happened on the day before Easter, 433.
A royal decree went out, which stated that all fires in the kingdom of Erin had to be put out before a big signal fire was lit at the royal mansion in Tara. Because Patrick desired to show the pagans the power of the one true God, he built a paschal fire on an opposing hill. The pagan priests came to extinguish it, but were unable to disturb it. The priests and pagan followers assaulted Patrick for disobeying the royal decree, but he was unharmed.
The following day, Patrick along with his first followers in Ireland, made a procession to Tara in order to convert the pagans assembled there. Through their incantations, the pagan priests brought a dark cloud over the area.
Patrick challenged the pagans to lift the cloud, but they were unable. Patrick prayed, and the cloud was broken up by sunshine in an instant. One of the pagan priests lifted himself into the air, to show his own power. Patrick knelt, prayed, and the pagan priest fell from the sky. Patrick began to gather followers to him in the royal courts, and his ministry led to the creation of a Christian nation in Ireland.
So, why should we remember this saint for Christ? He converted many to Christ, but how can we use Patrick’s story to strengthen ourselves in our faith and love for God? There are many points to consider:
- Prayer is a powerful tool to get closer to God. Patrick knew when he was in captivity, that he had to depend on God for his wellbeing. When he worked as a slave, he could have been killed in an instant, because he was considered to be less than human. He prayed daily, asking God for His blessings, praising Him for another day alive, and for many other things. Later, when he escaped from slavery, and again when he began his mission in Ireland, he had to pray to God for guidance and for strength.
- Patrick was humble in his faith. Patrick did not go to the royal house and demand all there obey him and become Christ’s followers. He showed his defiance clearly but passively, allowing pagans to try all they could to hurt him, and extinguish his easter fire. Like Christ, he stood and took all the insults and punishments without retaliation. Patrick knelt to pray, in order to vanquish the pagan priest. This shows how humility can conquer the prideful.
- Patrick puts his trust in God. When in captivity, he heard the voice telling him to escape, because a boat was waiting for him. He did not hesitate to turn west and travel 200 miles until he hit water. Later, when he saw visions of the children of Ireland, calling him to tell them about Christ, did he decide to stay in France? Or maybe try to become bishop in England? No, he listened to this message from God, trusted it, and took the opportunity to return to Ireland. When he first arrived in Ireland, he was met by armed druids intent on killing him! Did he turn back to France? No, he trusted in God, God’s divine love and strength, and depended on God for his safety, and ultimately, his success as a messenger of the Gospels to the Irish people is a testament to his trust.
St. Patrick’s legacy lives on in place names and traditions in Ireland, along with our yearly celebration on the day of his death. Remember that St. Patrick is a figure we should work to imitate, because he is just one of many examples of ordinary people that were able to closely emulate our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!
A good prayer to remember is ‘The Breastplate of St. Patrick’. I believe it can be a good prayer before going on a mission trip, before you talk to a good friend or family member about Christ, or maybe just to start your day in prayer! Here is an excerpt that is the most quoted:
“Christ shield me this day: 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 arise, Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me, AMEN.”
Credit for the image goes to Currier and Ives.
