Sunday Afternoon Tea - What we can learn from the life of St. Patrick

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 when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man 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.

 

The above words are a section from a prayer called St. Patrick's Breastplate, which has long been attributed to Patrick.  As I have learned more about his story through the years, it sad that in society today, St. Patrick's Day is known more for partying and the drinking of beer than for the man who we celebrate on the day he passed on to Heaven.

I knew a little about St. Patrick so for a long time I've celebrated by making colcannon with dinner.  I must admit that it didn't sound all that good so it took awhile to decide to make it but since then, I've made it almost every year for St. Patrick's Day and sometimes as a side dish for the rest of the year. 

However, what I love most about St. Patrick's Day is the man, himself.  His story is one we should celebrate, whether it is with a cup of Irish tea or... if you imbibe in such things... a pint of Guinness.  Not to mention, it has a message that all Christians can learn from hundreds of years later.

For one thing, Patrick's story is truth that is stranger than fiction.  For a condensed version, imagine being kidnapped in Britain as a teenager and sold into slavery.  What we would call today being a victim of human trafficking.  Then, after many years as a slave in Ireland, he has a dream telling him how to escape.

In the dream, he was shown a ship that would take him home but it was over 200 miles away.  Patrick escapes and makes the trek to Wexford where there was a ship waiting as he saw in his dream.  He did make it to England but was recaptured and taken back to Ireland where he escaped once more.

In his, Confessio, he tells of a dream where he is being called back to Ireland by people begging him to return. He knew he was being called back to the land where he had lived as a slave.  I would have to know beyond a shadow of a doubt it was God behind that dream to return!  He didn't leave immediately, instead he received further education which he believed helped him to accomplish what God was calling him to do.

When he did return, his story is partly known by what he wrote in his Confessio and partly told by others.  Some of it is the stuff of legend.  For instance, there were no snakes in Ireland already so he did not cast them away.  While some believe the reports of the miracles he did are also legend, we know as Christians that they were also entirely possible.

Patrick can be credited with being the instrument God used to lead a pagan people to Christ, which would be pretty amazing in itself.  However, he also was the father of the Celtic saints that came after him and ministered in Scotland, Ireland, and parts of England until Roman Catholicism began to take over.

I think the most important lesson we can learn from Patrick is to persist in the face of suffering and setbacks.  Patrick wrote that instead of turning away from his faith as a young person, he embraced it further to get through the days of slavery.  That faith would remain with him when he was finally free and it would be that faith that would take him back to Ireland, this time as a missionary to the pagan world who could speak their language.

Patrick lived in a world that I am still learning about and that is very different than my own world.  However, it was exactly like today where one could either give up and get bitter, turning one's back on God because of the hardship... or, come to realize that the experiences God allowed in one's life was to prepare them for His purpose.

So, on St. Patrick's Day I will make colcannon and probably Irish soda bread to serve with a protein and veggies to round out the carbs.  Something Patrick certainly didn't worry about.  

I also have downloaded Rebecca Friedlander's beautiful film called Celtic Pilgrimage, which is free on Amazon Video to those who have Amazon Prime.  It is also available to rent or purchase but I will also provide a link to her website.  I have watched this at least three or four times and enjoy learning about those that came after Patrick.

Mentioned in this Blog Post

Celtic Pilgrimage is free with Prime membership and can be rented or purchased on Amazon Video... here.

Rebecca Friedlander's website where one can purchase a DVD of this movie or The Thin Places (which has a lot of the same film with other interviews, etc.).  It can be found... here.

NOTE:  If you subscribe to this blog through email, I'm sorry it was probably late this week.  I wasn't feeling well today and could not finish before the deadline.