SAINT PATRICK’S DAY This coming Monday will be Saint Patrick’s Day. To many this is a day to pretend to be Irish, wear green, a three leaf clover, and drink green beer. After doing a little research about the man, I’m not so sure he would approve of all the parties given in his name. Saint Patrick was born most likely between 384 AD and 388 AD in Scotland to the Kilpatrick family who held an administrative position of the Roman Empire in Britain or Britannia as it was then called. As a boy of about 14 years old, he was captured by an Irish raiding party and taken to Ireland as a slave to tend sheep. He spent much time in prayer during these years in spite of his pagan captors. After six years of captivity he was, in a vision, told to escape and that a ship would take him home. Patrick followed his vision and after a two hundred mile walk arrived at a port and persuaded a ship’s captain to allow him passage back to his home. Saint Patrick spent several years in study under the teaching of the Bishop of Auxerre, and in 433 AD was called, in a vision, to return to Ireland as a missionary where he ministered for the next 30 to 40 years establishing about three hundred churches. Many legends were born about the man over the next few hundred years. The legend of Saint Patrick driving the snakes out of Ireland after being attack by them, for example, seems to have a combination of origins. The fact that Ireland has no snakes, a desired connection of the narrative of Paul’s dealing with a snake in Malta (Acts 28:1-6), and the connection of Saint Patrick driving the pagan or satanic worship practices out of Ireland all seem to have some connection to this legend. Other legends about Saint Patrick also seem to have this eclectic composition. When I think of Saint Patrick, I am amazed at all that one person accomplished. We must remember that Patrick was not lifting up himself but the teachings, power, wisdom, love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ through the indwelling of His Holy Spirit. Saint Patrick was simply following Christ’s instruction to go into all the world and spread the good news of Jesus Christ. (Matthew 28:18-20) You and I can do the same thing; we live in a world that has lost its vision, direction, hope, joy, and divine love. But the message of hope in Jesus Christ can drive out the ‘snakes” in our lives and replace it with Christ’s peace, grace, forgiveness and divine direction for our lives. And remember when the “evil snakes” of life try to overwhelm you, we can do all things though Jesus Christ. Philippians 4:13 Dr. Dale Cummins
Posted on: Tue, 11 Mar 2014 22:33:23 +0000
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