Patrick, Apostle
to Ireland
St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated this week, so I thought I
would share a brief summary of his history. Many think of St. Patrick’s Day as
a day to wear green, celebrate Irish heritage, and have parties. However, there
is a rich story behind the holiday.
The man known as “Patrick of Ireland,” “Saint Patrick,”
and “Apostle of Ireland” was English by birth (living from late fourth century
into the middle of the fifth century) but was captured by pirates and sold into
slavery in Ireland when he was a teenager. After a handful of years, Patrick
escaped from his captors and went back to his home country. Patrick had been
raised by a Christian family and later studied for the ministry, rose to
leadership in the church, and even returned to Ireland to spread the Gospel of
Christ as a missionary (thus the word “apostle”). Just think, Patrick returned
to the people who had kidnapped, abused, and enslaved him. Can you imagine
returning to the place of your worst nightmare? I don’t know about you, but I
may have vowed to never enter Ireland again. And yet, Patrick went back to that
pagan society with the Gospel of peace.
I think Patrick’s story beautifully illustrates
Scriptures such as Ephesians 4:32, “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted,
forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you,” and Colossians
3:12-13, “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender
mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another,
and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as
Christ forgave you, so you also must do.”
All of us who bear the holy name of Jesus Christ are to
be those who extend the forgiveness of Christ to others, even our enemies, just
as we have received the love and grace of Christ ourselves. This St. Patrick’s
Day think about the Gospel, evangelism at home and abroad, forgiveness, and
grace. Patrick has shown us what it means to “live a life worthy of the calling
we have received in Christ.” Now, let us do the same.