When I was a kid I remembered St. Patrick's Day as the day they dyed the Chicago River green.
When I was in college it was the day the pubs turned the beer green.
But now as a man in our time of turmoil, I recall St. Patrick as a model for our times...
Born in Britain at the end of the fourth century, St. Patrick lived during the last days of the Roman Empire.
At age sixteen, invading pirates took Patrick captive and sold him into slavery in Ireland.
After six years, he escaped and returned to his homeland.
Though home, Patrick’s experience as a slave had made its mark... taking him from the nominal Christianity of his childhood to a profound, living faith.
As Patrick describes it, he was “struck to the heart”... and became convinced it was his duty to return to the land of his captivity and bring the Irish to Christ.
Returning to Ireland, Patrick felt inadequate because his prior enslavement cut short his education.
But before long his upright character and earnest approach gave him favor with others.
As the Celtic people turned to Christ, Ireland became a place of refuge from the barbarians sweeping across the crumbling empire.
And through the relative calm of this place, the best of history was preserved for a brighter day.
Uncertainty about the future still afflicted the people.
Yet with faith, hope and charity, Patrick continued to point them to the triune God... which led to transformed lives and the promise of a better tomorrow.
As our generation faces its own fears, we too must fix our hope on Jesus and find our stability in Him as Lord over all.
And we need to carry on with whatever circumstances God brings us with courage, faith, and humility -- believing He continues to rule advance His kingdom.
I bind unto myself today,
The strong Name of the Trinity.
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.
~ St. Patrick (ca. 377)