Blessed St. Patrick’s Day. The patron saint of Ireland, he is best known as being the pied piper of snakes- driving them all from the Emerald Isles.
But, he was so very much more. He was first and foremost an amazing missionary born in the late 4th century.
He was born into a Roman high society family who lived in England. His grandfather was a priest and his mother was a relative of another later to be saint, Martin of Tours. But Patrick, though surrounded by Christianity, was not really taught the Bible, nor did he become educated.
He was captured by pirates when he was 16 and enslaved for six years in Ireland. But during that time, God touched his heart and he accepted Christ. He stated that prayer was the only thing that helped him survive. In his prayers he kept having visions of the pagans of Ireland as slaves needing to be freed by the blood of Christ.
But when he was freed, he didn’t rush off to save the Irish. He went to a French monastery and studied and prayed and prepared for his God-given mission before spending the next forty years walking Ireland and telling people about his Savior.
Patrick developed the Celtic cross by taking Irish pagan druid symbols and transforming them into the symbol of faith – a symbol now universally associated with the Irish folk themselves.
Today, millions of children and teens are still enslaved throughout the world. Some are forced to be soldiers, others sex toys. Many just endure horrible labor conditions with no regard to their well being. But they are loved by the same God who reached out to Patrick. Pray for them.
Is something enslaving you right now? Let Christ reach in and touch your heart. Then, like the wise Patrick, let Him prepare you in His time with what you need to tell others your story – the story of freedom. Let His love transform your old ways into the ways of the Cross. That is where you can find God today.
St Patrick’s prayer –
I bind unto myself today The strong Name of the Trinity, By invocation of the same, The Three in One and One in Three.
I bind this day to me for ever. By power of faith, Christ’s incarnation; His baptism in the Jordan river; His death on Cross for my salvation; His bursting from the spicèd tomb; His riding up the heavenly way; His coming at the day of doom;* I bind unto myself today.
Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me. Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger, Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
I bind unto myself the Name, The strong Name of the Trinity; By invocation of the same. The Three in One, and One in Three, Of Whom all nature hath creation, Eternal Father, Spirit, Word: Praise to the Lord of my salvation, Salvation is of Christ the Lord.
Where Did You Find God Today? 