In the modern era of secularization it is easy to forget that St. Patrick’s Day is not just a party day but rather a Feast Day in the Universal Church to celebrate — you guessed it — St. Patrick and all that he has done for the Irish people and the Church at large. So let’s take a moment and reflect on his remarkable life and how he allowed himself to be used as an instrument for God. As we will see, God desired to bring even this tiny island nation located somewhere off the corner of a map into His fold.
Patrick was born in Kilpatrick, Scotland in the late 4th century and was of Romano-Briton ancestry (so perhaps of Welsh or Roman blood). When he was just sixteen years old, he was captured by pirates and taken to Ireland and sold into slavery, as was not uncommon at the time. These six young years of captivity and hardship were pivotal for forming Patrick and preparing him for his life’s mission. He spent much of his time in prayer, devoting himself to God, and learning about the Celtic customs, language and druid religion which was predominant at the time.
After six years in slavery, he escaped his master and traveled to the shore — about a 200-mile journey — and returned by ship to his hometown. No sooner was he home than did he desire to return to Ireland and convert the Irish race to the Catholic religion. He studied under St. Martin of Tours and was ordained a priest by St. Germain. He traveled to Rome and went before Pope St. Celestine I to receive his blessing to be an apostle to Ireland. Shortly thereafter he was ordained bishop by St. Maximus. And at the ripe-old age of 45, he was off to Ireland to conquer the nation.
He was met with both resistance and success, but the big breakthrough came early in 433 AD. Patrick went to Tara — then the center of the kingdom — where the High King Laoghaire ruled, hoping to secure his approval of his mission. Shortly before Easter, the druids celebrated an annual festival of fire and before the festival the king decreed that no fires should be lit until the festival, under penalty of death. But at the Easter Vigil, Patrick went up to the Hill of Slane, near Dublin, and lit the Easter Vigil Pascal fire in plain view of the king. (Hey, it’s the Easter Vigil — what do you expect?) Of course the king was outraged and a confrontation ensued between the druid priests and Patrick, but the druids were not able to extinguish the fire. As the days went on, Patrick was able to win over the king, mostly through the works of miracles, and received permission to convert the Irish people.
From there, Patrick went out to the whole nation, preaching to the people, winning over the chieftains (local rulers), building churches, and ordaining priests. It is remarkable to consider how, in just a single generation, almost all of Ireland was converted to the Holy Faith and the old pagan beliefs were extinguished. God wanted so much for this nation to be His own that He ordained these extraordinary events.
In summary, one has to reflect on the great courage and faith that St. Patrick had in order to confront the king and local rulers with such boldness. He believed in God’s plan and put his full trust in Him and was able to accomplish something that is almost unmatched in history. Second, we should recall that those six arduous years of slavery, in his youth, were necessary to form him. Often we can grow bitter in our trials and tribulations, but St. Patrick shows us how to bear them with trust that God is going to use that for a greater good.
Finally, we must acknowledge that the situation in Ireland today, in regards to the Faith, is regrettable. It has collapsed as quickly as it once spread in St. Patrick’s day — a matter of only a couple of decades. This generation has failed to pass on to its children what it received from its ancestors. It has dropped the ball. It is said that by 2050, because of the migration of people from the third world, Ireland will be minority Irish. The current prime minister is a gay Indian atheist who, last year, made the following outrageous statements: “We live in a country that is a republic and we make our laws here. And while we respect people of faith, we respect religion, religious principles don’t decide why there is law in Ireland; don’t decide what the values of our republic are.” To say that Irish values aren’t informed by the Catholic religion is to deny the very nation’s character and ancestry. This is what happens when you take someone from outside and make him leader of your nation. And now the Irish support gay “marriage” and have just legalized abortion.
But perhaps the current situation of Ireland is found in this final vision that St. Patrick had just before his death, as relayed by the Catholic Encyclopedia:
St. Patrick, having now completed his triumph over Paganism, and gathered Ireland into the fold of Christ, prepared for the summons to his reward. St. Brigid came to him with her chosen virgins, bringing the shroud in which he would be enshrined. It is recorded that when St. Patrick and St. Brigid were united in their last prayer, a special vision was shown to him. He saw the whole of Ireland lit up with the brightest rays of Divine Faith. This continued for centuries, and then clouds gathered around the devoted island, and, little by little, the religious glory faded away, until, in the course of centuries, it was only in the remotest valleys that some glimmer of its light remained. St. Patrick prayed that the light would never be extinguished, and, as he prayed, the angel came to him and said: “Fear not: your apostolate shall never cease.” As he thus prayed, the glimmering light grew in brightness, and ceased not until once more all the hills and valleys of Ireland were lit up in their pristine splendour, and then the angel announced to St. Patrick: “Such shall be the abiding splendour of Divine truth in Ireland.”
On St. Patrick’s Day, let’s take a moment to remember the real man. Even if it’s just five minutes. To know his mindset, we can find it in the prayer for protection that he composed, which we now call St. Patrick’s Breastplate: “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.”
When we think of St. Patrick, do we then think of Our Lord? We should! Because that’s what he would want!
Aren’t you glad that St. Patrick worked so hard so that we could have the Holy Faith?
Christ Be Beside Me
Tune: Bunessan
Text: St. Patrick’s Breastplate (5th century)Christ be beside me
Christ be before me
Christ be behind me
King of my heart.
Christ be within me
Christ be below me
Christ be 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.