To Free the Slaves...

His name wasn't Patty. Nor did he seek to turn rivers green. What we forget about this day is that it's not a call to drink green beer and celebrate leprechauns. In reality, it's a day to share the risen Christ, because that's what Patrick did.

St. Patrick was not Irish, but British, captured at age 16 and taken to be a slave in Ireland. After six years, he escaped his master and ran to a port, two hundred miles away. There, he convinced the ship's captain to take him home. After several adventures, some of which may be legendary, Patrick returned home to Britain and began to study Christianity.

In the midst of his conversion, he had a strong call to return to Ireland to preach the good news. As he had been a shepherd boy during his years of slavery, now he sensed a call to be a spiritual shepherd, to help the Irish come to know Jesus. Likely, it would have been the last place he wanted to go. It makes me think of Chuck Colson, who after serving time in prison for his part in Watergate, received a call from God to minister to prisoners, to go back to prison. He didn't want to. That was the last place he wanted to do, and yet that was God's call to him. So it was with Patrick. God called him back to the place of his slavery, and so he went to free those who were slaves to sin, to offer Christ to those in spiritual bondage. He was not always welcomed by the locals, but he continued to remain faithful to the calling God had placed on his life.

Like Jesus, Patrick would use the everyday things around him to explain this faith. One of those was the shamrock, which he used to describe the doctrine of the Trinity: one God in three persons, just as the shamrock is one plant with three "leaves." It was also said that he wore a breastplate with a particular prayer on it, a prayer of protection which later became a well-known hymn. In reality, the words for this prayer probably come from a couple of centuries later than Patrick's time. Nevertheless, they are ancient Irish words, and as such are an appropriate prayer for this day.

I arise today 

Through the strength of heaven; 

Light of the sun, 

Splendor of fire, 

Swiftness of wind, 

Depth of the sea, 

Stability of earth, 

Firmness of rock. 

I arise today 

Through God's strength to pilot me; 

God's might to uphold me, 

God's wisdom to guide me, 

God's hand to guard me. 

Afar and anear, 

Alone or in a multitude. 

Christ shield me today 

Against wounding: 

Christ with me,

Christ before me, 

Christ behind me, 

Christ on my right, 

Christ on my left, 

Christ beneath me, 

Christ above me, 

Christ in me. 

I arise today 

Through the mighty strength 

Of the Lord of Creation.

What we really know about Patrick is sketchy at best, but this day was chosen to remember him because it is the day of his death. It's a bit strange to me that we remember and celebrate this man by inventing drinking games and honoring brokenness. That was not his life. He gave his life to the cause of the Gospel. Wouldn't it rather be a better tribute to this man of faith to shine the light of Jesus into the dark and broken world? What if we, too, took on the passion and call of St. Patrick today as we moved about in our world? There are plenty of places today to share the good news, through word and deed. Why don't we honor Patrick and the savior he loved by sharing that faith in some way today?