Who Was St. Patrick?
by Lucinda Secrest McDowell
Have
you ever ended up in a place you never planned to go
and where you certainly didn't want to stay? Most of us have at one time or another.
It would make sense that at the first chance, we would get outta there and
never return, right? Well, the life of St. Patrick has shown me that usually
we are directed to the place of God's choosing, even through a difficult path....
St.
Patrick,
whose Feast Day is celebrated March 17,
wasn't even born in Ireland....And he certainly didn't drink green beer! But, at age 16
this young man was captured by wild Irishmen who sold him as a slave to a local chieftain.
We can't even imagine the life he lived in 5th century Ireland but you can be sure that times
were wild and Patrick was often lonely. During these years he found solace in God
whom he credited for helping him escape Ireland when he was about 22 years old.
His
new life eventually included ordination as a Bishop in the church,
but Ireland and its people kept tugging on his heart. Finally, Patrick returned to Ireland
as a missionary. Even though he respected nature, he wanted them to know that God was
the only one to worship. He used a shamrock to explain the three persons of the
Trinity - God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit ---- one stem but three leaves.
The
words found on Patrick's breastplate (for even Bishops wore armor in
those days) give me comfort almost every day as I sing them in prayer, asking
God to be with me no matter where I am. Here is one translation, in hymn format:
Christ beside me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, King of my heart,
Christ within me, Christ below me,
Christ above me, never to part.
Christ on my right hand, Christ on my left hand,
Christ all around me, Shield in the strife.
Christ in my sleeping, Christ in my sitting,
Christ in my rising, Light of my life.
Christ be in all hearts thinking about me.
Christ be on all tongues telling of me.
Christ be the vision in eyes that see me,
In ears that hear me Christ ever be.
~St. Patrick's Breastplate~
Patrick
labored in Ireland for thirty years and even though some
say he singlehandedly converted Ireland, Patrick put it this way "I owe it to God's
grace that so many people should through me become Christians." Patrick loved
the Irish and they loved him back and made up many legends about him
so that when he died at age 75, he was named patron saint of Ireland
So,
the land which captured him literally the first time,
ended up capturing his heart, causing him to return for the rest of his days.
Think
about Patrick when you reflect on where
you live and work now. Perhaps it is far from where you call "home" and
you feel alone and foreign among others. Do you suppose that God has allowed
this situation for His purpose? Why not stop wishing you were somewhere else and
ask Him to show you what He would have you do and be during your sojourn?
Others
of us might feel quite comfortable
in where we are now, but there is a tug at our hearts for another land, another vocation,
another call which cannot be ignored. Give that over to God too and He will clearly guide.
And
remember to wear the words of Patrick's breastplate,
for surely Christ is always with you.
"I look behind me and You're there, then up ahead and You're there too ---
Your reassuring presence, coming and going.
This is too much, too wonderful ---I can't take it all in!
If I climb to the sky, You're there!
If I go underground, Your'e there!
If I flew on the morning's wings to the far west horizon,
You'd find me in a minute --- You're already there waiting!"
Psalm 139 (The Message)
copyright 2000 Lucinda Secrest McDowell
