More than the Luck of the Irish


Today many of us will take time with friends to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. We will wear green, look for leprechauns, eating Irish food and drinking many Irish drinks. In short we will be having a party whether we are Irish or not.

Today may be a good day to talk about why we celebrate certain people in the church and why some are saints. Saints demonstrate to us how to be a follower of Christ. They are not perfect but their trust in God led many of them to be able to perform miracles and to spread the Good New of Jesus Christ far and wide.

St. Patrick is one such person. He was a 5th century Christian missionary Bishop. He was once a slave in Ireland and he returned to Ireland as a missionary Bishop. He is credited with helping to convert the island of Ireland to Christianity, for more details https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick. There are many stories about St. Patrick’s ministry in Ireland.

Personally, I believe the most important gift he gave to Christians is the reminder that God is always present with us. Below is a prayer attributed to St. Patrick.

As I arise today, may the strength of God pilot me,
the power of God uphold me, the wisdom of God guide me.
May the eye of God look before me, the ear of God hear me,
the word of God speak for me. May the hand of God protect me, the way of God lie before me, the shield of God defend me, the host of God save me.

May Christ shield me today. Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit,
Christ when I stand, Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
Amen.

Or
  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.
 (from St. Patrick's Breastplate) 

Conversation Starter:
  • What does is mean to be a saint?
  • What can we learn from St. Patrick’s life and ministry?
  • How can we apply what we know from St. Patrick to our lives?
  • Can the prayer we learned be a comfort and reminder to us?
  • To learn more about the men and women honored in the Episcopal Church, please go to http://prayer.forwardmovement.org/the_calendar.php?k=3y. The stories are amazing.

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