I’ve never heard the story of St. Patrick before, and want to share it with you in preparation for St. Patrick ’s Day next week. Normally all I meditate on over this day is making sure I have something green on, but this year I want to meditate on the life of this man and how his life tells the story of the worth of Jesus above all else.
St. Patrick was actually a missionary slave. He was captured at age 16 and taken to Ireland where he lived as a slave for the next 6 years. While in captivity he grew in his faith. Patrick also learned the Celtic language and about the Celtic religion of Druidism. After 6 years of slavery he heard a voice in his dreams one night that told him ‘You will return to your own country.’ And a few nights later the voice said ‘See, your ship is ready’ so the next morning he got up, walked 200 miles to the ocean and got on a ship that was waiting for him. After his escape he went to France and joined the monastery where he eventually became a bishop. Again he had a vision where a group from Ireland spoke in one voice asking him to ‘Come.’ Against the wishes of his family, because it was well known that escaped slaves were woven into giant wicker baskets and burned over a fire, he returned to the land of his captivity in hopes of bringing the Gospel. Because he learned language and culture while in captivity, he was able to communicate the Gospel in ways that the Irish could connect with. His life was threatened several times and his death was even decreed, but he kept preaching and finally the King gave him an audience in which he shared the good news and performed some miracles. The King and members of his family became Christians – legend has it this is where Patrick used the shamrock to explain the Trinity. By the time of his death Patrick had converted nearly the entire Island and disproved the Druids they had once followed. This is the prayer of St. Patrick
As I arise today,
may the strength of God pilot me,
the power of God uphold me,
the wisdom of God guide me.
May the eye of God look before me,
the ear of God hear me,
the word of God speak for me.
May the hand of God protect me,
the way of God lie before me,
the shield of God defend me,
the host of God save me.
May Christ shield me today.
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,
Christ when I stand,
Christ in the heart
of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth
of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
Amen
This story was taken from Stan Park’s article: God’s Redemptive History.
There are several things I find fascinating and convicting about this story. Patrick was captured at such a young age and spent 6 years as a slave not cursing God but growing in his faith and training himself to hear God’s voice. Then when God miraculously frees him and tells him there is a ship waiting for him Patrick just walks out of captivity and heads toward the ocean… for 200 miles. I’m pretty sure after the first 5 I would have decided I was crazy and that there was no ship. I LOVE the things that faith requires from us! God didn’t teleport Patrick to the ocean or tell him exactly how far he would have to go to find the ship, or give him the ships coordinates – he just told him he would be free and that there would be a ship. And Patrick trusted him – for 200 miles and he was not disappointed. THEN he goes to the monastery works his way up and is eventually a bishop when he senses God calling him to return to the land of his captivity. He knows what is at stake and has every reason to NOT return, and he goes anyway. He is NOT initially well received, he suffers at the hands of the people he is trying to reach but he does not give up. There is even an edict issued for his death, which I presume that the King would know something about, and even still he gains an audience with the King and the whole royal family is converted! I have to believe that has something to do with the tremendous amount of suffering that Patrick was subjected to and yet he did not waver or turn back – that says something about the great worth of Jesus above all worldly things.
P.S. – St. Patrick’s Day is March 17, that is next Monday and it is during holy week this year – how appropriate.
