St. Patrick's Day has become transformed into a day for drinking, parades, and obnoxious
displys of everything green. However, the day is meant to be so much more.
On this day, we commemorate St. Patrick. A fifth centruy (387-484 C.E.) British Christian, Patrick was kidnapped at the age of 16 by the pagan Irish. After spending 6 years in captivity, Patrick received a dream in which a voice told him to return to the British mainland. Seeing this as a divine command, Patrick escaped, returning to his home. After studying for many years in the continental monestaries, Patrick was sent by Pope Celestine to return to Ireland to evangelize its peoples. For the next 33 years, Patrick worked amongst the Irish, eventually converting the entire people to Christianity.
Because of Patrick's work amoung the Irish, the Christian faith flourished in Ireland. Many monestaries were established which soon became active and influential centers of learning. In fact, during the breaking apart of Christendom under the invasions of Islam during the Middle Ages, the monestaries in Ireland were virtually the only centers where Christian literature from centuries past was preserved. Without the Irish monestaries, many of the patristic writings that are widely available today might no longer be extant. In this way, modern Christianity owes much of identity and history to St. Patrick's work.
Hopefully, our remembrance of his work and sacrifice for the cause of Christ will be more substantial than waking up with a hangover tomorrow...
Let me leave you with some selections from St. Patrick's writings:
I came to the Irish people to preach the Gospel and endure the taunts of unbelievers,
putting up with reproaches about my earthly pilgrimage, suffering many persecutions, even bondage, and losing my birthright of freedom for the benefit of others. If I am worthy, I am ready also to give up my life, without hesitation and most willingly, for Christ's name. I want to spend myself for that country, even in death, if the Lord should grant me this favor. It is among that people that I want to wait for the promise made by him, who assuredly never tells a lie. He makes this promise in the Gospel: "They shall come from the east and west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." This is our faith: believers are to come from the whole world.
(From the Confession of Saint Patrick)
“I bind to myself today The strong power of the invocation of the Trinity; The faith of the Trinity in unity; The Creator of the elements. “I bind to myself today, The power of the incarnation of Christ With that of His baptism; The power of His crucifixion With that of His burial; The power of the resurrection With (THAT OF) the ascension; The power of His coming To the sentence of judgment... “I bind to myself today, The power of God to guide me, The might of God to uphold me, The wisdom of God to teach me, The eye of God to watch over me, The ear of God to hear me, The Word of God to give me speech, The hand of God to protect me, The way of God to prevent me, The shield of God to shelter me, The host of God to defend me, — Against the snares of demons Against the temptations of vices, Against the lusts of nature, Against everyone who would injure me Whether far or near, Whet her few or with many. “I have set around me all these powers, - Against every hostile, savage power Directed against my body and my soul; Against the incantations of false prophets, Against the black laws of heathenism, Against the false laws of heresy, Against the deceits of idolatry, Against the spells of women, and smiths, and Druids. Against all knowledge that blinds the soul of man. “Christ protect me today, Against poison, against burning, Against drowning, against wound, That I may receive abundant reward. Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ within me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ at my right hand, Christ at my left, Christ in the fort (when I am at home), Christ in the chariot-seat (when I travel), Christ in the ship (when I sail). Of the Lord is salvation; Christ is salvation; With us ever be Thy salvation, 0 Lord! “Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks to me; Christ in every eye that sees ‘me, Christ in every ear that hears me.”
(H. A. Ironside, The Real St. Patrick, Loizeaux Brothers, New York, Pp. 13 - 14)
displys of everything green. However, the day is meant to be so much more.On this day, we commemorate St. Patrick. A fifth centruy (387-484 C.E.) British Christian, Patrick was kidnapped at the age of 16 by the pagan Irish. After spending 6 years in captivity, Patrick received a dream in which a voice told him to return to the British mainland. Seeing this as a divine command, Patrick escaped, returning to his home. After studying for many years in the continental monestaries, Patrick was sent by Pope Celestine to return to Ireland to evangelize its peoples. For the next 33 years, Patrick worked amongst the Irish, eventually converting the entire people to Christianity.
Because of Patrick's work amoung the Irish, the Christian faith flourished in Ireland. Many monestaries were established which soon became active and influential centers of learning. In fact, during the breaking apart of Christendom under the invasions of Islam during the Middle Ages, the monestaries in Ireland were virtually the only centers where Christian literature from centuries past was preserved. Without the Irish monestaries, many of the patristic writings that are widely available today might no longer be extant. In this way, modern Christianity owes much of identity and history to St. Patrick's work.
Hopefully, our remembrance of his work and sacrifice for the cause of Christ will be more substantial than waking up with a hangover tomorrow...
Let me leave you with some selections from St. Patrick's writings:
I came to the Irish people to preach the Gospel and endure the taunts of unbelievers,
putting up with reproaches about my earthly pilgrimage, suffering many persecutions, even bondage, and losing my birthright of freedom for the benefit of others. If I am worthy, I am ready also to give up my life, without hesitation and most willingly, for Christ's name. I want to spend myself for that country, even in death, if the Lord should grant me this favor. It is among that people that I want to wait for the promise made by him, who assuredly never tells a lie. He makes this promise in the Gospel: "They shall come from the east and west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." This is our faith: believers are to come from the whole world.(From the Confession of Saint Patrick)
“I bind to myself today The strong power of the invocation of the Trinity; The faith of the Trinity in unity; The Creator of the elements. “I bind to myself today, The power of the incarnation of Christ With that of His baptism; The power of His crucifixion With that of His burial; The power of the resurrection With (THAT OF) the ascension; The power of His coming To the sentence of judgment... “I bind to myself today, The power of God to guide me, The might of God to uphold me, The wisdom of God to teach me, The eye of God to watch over me, The ear of God to hear me, The Word of God to give me speech, The hand of God to protect me, The way of God to prevent me, The shield of God to shelter me, The host of God to defend me, — Against the snares of demons Against the temptations of vices, Against the lusts of nature, Against everyone who would injure me Whether far or near, Whet her few or with many. “I have set around me all these powers, - Against every hostile, savage power Directed against my body and my soul; Against the incantations of false prophets, Against the black laws of heathenism, Against the false laws of heresy, Against the deceits of idolatry, Against the spells of women, and smiths, and Druids. Against all knowledge that blinds the soul of man. “Christ protect me today, Against poison, against burning, Against drowning, against wound, That I may receive abundant reward. Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ within me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ at my right hand, Christ at my left, Christ in the fort (when I am at home), Christ in the chariot-seat (when I travel), Christ in the ship (when I sail). Of the Lord is salvation; Christ is salvation; With us ever be Thy salvation, 0 Lord! “Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks to me; Christ in every eye that sees ‘me, Christ in every ear that hears me.”
(H. A. Ironside, The Real St. Patrick, Loizeaux Brothers, New York, Pp. 13 - 14)
5 comments:
Fantastic! Another great posting and, as always, very apropos. Thank you for a blog intended for the common thinker, devoid of filth.
Here, here. I second that!
Thank you for your kind remarks.
IRISH NUMBER ONE! IRISH NUMBER ONE! BLLAAAAGGGHHHHHHLLLLLLMMMNN.
True genius sees with the eyes of a child and thinks with the brain of a genie
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