Christ In All Things: The Faith Of Saint Patrick
Sermon
Holidays Are Holy Days
Sermons For Special Sundays
On this Saint Patrick's Day I'd like to begin the sermon with an Irish greeting: "Cead Mile Failta" (pronounced keed mila felt-ya). That's my best Irish for "A hundred thousand welcomes," which, they tell me at the Keltic Kitchen, is the appropriate way to greet any large assembly (whether there happen to be 100,000 people or not). As you might have guessed, I'm not Irish myself. Still, on Saint Patrick's Day, many of us like to be at least a little bit "Irish." I once read a newspaper article listing ten things anyone could do to be authentically Irish on Saint Patrick's Day. The article went something like this:
a1.
Drink a pot of tea.
a2.
... Start Ulysses by James Joyce (notice it suggests we "start Ulysses," but doesn't require that we finish it).
a3.
(Go to your local video store and rent) The Field, ... In the Name of the Father, (or The Secret of Roan Inish or perhaps The Quiet Man).
a4.
Walk in the rain.
a5.
Tell/listen to a long story.
a6.
Listen to the Pogues, early U-2, The Oyster Band, and The Saw Doctors (for those of us not in "Generation X," those are Irish rock bands).
a7.
Respect the spirits, faeries and the leprechauns that populate the earth.
a8.
Drink another pot of tea.
a9.
Wear green (in the 1790's Irishmen were imprisoned by the British for wearing green).
10.
Laugh heartily, philosophize gently, and carry on bravely in the face of adversity.1
To that list of wonderful things we can all do today to be more "Irish," I would add one more: "Listen to a sermon about Saint Patrick!" That's what we're going to do today! Who was Saint Patrick? I mean, really. What did he stand for? I think the life of Saint Patrick has a lot to teach us: about overcoming tragedy, about listening to God, about humility, about self-sacrifice, about finding Christ in all things. These are all good things to remember, especially during Lent. Let me then share with you the story of Saint Patrick, as I learned it.
Patrick was born, not in Ireland, but in Britain, in the early years of the Church, around 390 A.D. Britain was then considered the outermost colony of the Roman Empire, at the edge of the civilized world. Remember Hadrian's Wall, built to keep those "barbarian" Scotsmen out? Patrick himself was of noble birth. His father was a public official. His family had a villa, land, servants, and slaves and Patrick enjoyed an easy life.
That is, until he was sixteen years old, when his part of the countryside was attacked by Irish raiders. These fierce warriors sailed across the Irish Sea in animal-skin boats. When they landed they burned villages, plundered estates, and captured slaves. Along with thousands of his countrymen, Patrick was taken back to Ireland. For the next six years he was a slave, mostly herding pigs.
Now, Patrick had not been raised in an especially religious household, but during this period of suffering his faith grew stronger. In his autobiography, titled Confession, which he wrote late in life, he reported that he prayed "100 times a day, as many at night." Patrick continues, "Even when I was staying out in the woods or on the mountain ... used to feel no ill effect...." Patrick was developing a relationship with God through prayer, a relationship that would last the rest of his life.
At many points in his life, Patrick had visions. In his autobiography he writes that many messages came to him in dreams. For example, after he had been a slave for six years, one night in his sleep he heard a voice saying, "You have been right to fast because you will soon return to your home." Soon afterward Patrick received another message in a dream which said, "Look, your ship is ready."
Believing in God's promise, Patrick resolved to escape. He walked 200 miles to the coast, a runaway slave in danger at every moment of being recaptured and killed. But God kept Patrick safe and he did indeed find a ship: a very strange ship. It was departing Ireland for Britain with a cargo of dogs! The captain originally refused to have anything to do with this tattered fugitive. But the young man prayed and the captain changed his mind. But what a voyage! Escaping Ireland on a ship full of dogs!
It was an unusual homecoming. The ship struck land on a desolate part of the coast. Patrick and the crew, plus the dogs, wandered for 28 days without seeing people, finding a village, or getting a decent meal.
Patrick survived the ordeal with his faith strengthened. Now 22, he decided to become a priest. He studied, was ordained, and returned to his family in Britain where he lived in peace and happiness for about twenty years.
Then he had another one of his dreams. In the dream a man, representing the voice of the Irish, spoke to him, saying, "We pray thee, holy youth, come and walk among us once again." Patrick interpreted the dream as a call to service. He set about getting assigned to be a missionary to Ireland.
Now Patrick, mind you, was not a self-promoting sort of person. His autobiography shows us how little he thought of himself. He refers to himself as "Patrick, a sinner, most unlearned, the least of all the faithful ... utterly despised by many." Apparently his superiors weren't that impressed with Patrick either, because the assignment to preach to the Irish went to someone else. Only after the first candidate died was Patrick sent to Ireland as his superiors' second choice.
It was no small task. The Celtic people who lived in Ireland were fierce, pagan warriors. There were numerous local chieftains and a class of Druid priests that were threatened by change. Patrick returned to Ireland, where he had been a slave, at the risk of his life. At any moment the kings, the Druids, or the common people could have risen up and had him killed. Patrick writes, "Every day I expected either violent death or to be defrauded or to be reduced to slavery." But he also writes, "If I should be worthy, I am ready to give even my life unhesitatingly and most joyfully for his name's sake."
Patrick did suffer. There were years of tiring work, frequent threats to his life, hunger, persecution, and even a period of imprisonment, his legs in irons. Yet patient Patrick stuck with the task.
Danger from his enemies was not his only problem. The greatest disappointment of Patrick's life was his betrayal by a friend. It seems that when Patrick was fifteen, he committed a youthful sin (he doesn't say what) for which he was repentant. Some ten or fifteen years later, before taking holy orders, he confessed that sin to his superior, another priest. Thirty years after that that same man, whom Patrick called "his dearest friend," made Patrick's confession public! Patrick was humiliated, tried, and removed from office as Bishop of Ireland. This betrayal by his friend was even worse than being a slave. But Patrick rallied and appealed his case to Rome, where the ancient sin was forgiven and his bishopric restored.
In the last thirty years of his life, Patrick Christianized most of Ireland. He himself baptized tens of thousands of people. Before his time, there were few Christians in Ireland. They were outnumbered and threatened. Since Patrick, Ireland has become one of the bulwarks of the faith. Ireland was a light to the church in the Dark Ages. British Christians used to send their sons to Ireland to get a good foundation for the Christian life. Even today, 95 percent of the population of Ireland is Roman Catholic. The Irish still have one of the highest records of church attendance of anywhere in the world. All this because a humble British Christian named Patrick accepted God's calling to bring the gospel to the same people who had made him a slave!
How could we sum up the life of Saint Patrick? There are many admirable characteristics to this man. He didn't give up in the face of suffering, danger, or betrayal. He was faithful in prayer. He responded to the guidance of God. He was humble and sincere and willing to sacrifice himself for others. He was able to forgive even when harmed.
But most of all, he was able to find Christ in all things. That's what his wonderful prayer, "Saint Patrick's Breastplate" is about, Christ in all things: "Christ, be 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," and so on. Patrick found something of Christ in everything, even in his suffering.
Patrick didn't have a faith that asked God to protect him from suffering. He went through too much in his life to hope for that. He was just looking for the presence of Christ in all things, including in suffering. Certainly Patrick could have affirmed the words of the Apostle Paul: "Suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us" (Romans 5:3-5 RSV).
"Go Neirigh An Bothar Libh, Slan Agus Vannacht" (pronounced ga nearig an bothar live, slan agus vannech). That's Irish for "May the road rise to greet you, and may God bless you." May something of Saint Patrick -- his faith, his courage, his ability to find Christ in all things -- go with you on your life's "journey." Who knows what we might do with our lives if we had that kind of faith?
____________
1.aAdapted from Union News, Springfield, Massachusetts, March 16, 1994.
a1.
Drink a pot of tea.
a2.
... Start Ulysses by James Joyce (notice it suggests we "start Ulysses," but doesn't require that we finish it).
a3.
(Go to your local video store and rent) The Field, ... In the Name of the Father, (or The Secret of Roan Inish or perhaps The Quiet Man).
a4.
Walk in the rain.
a5.
Tell/listen to a long story.
a6.
Listen to the Pogues, early U-2, The Oyster Band, and The Saw Doctors (for those of us not in "Generation X," those are Irish rock bands).
a7.
Respect the spirits, faeries and the leprechauns that populate the earth.
a8.
Drink another pot of tea.
a9.
Wear green (in the 1790's Irishmen were imprisoned by the British for wearing green).
10.
Laugh heartily, philosophize gently, and carry on bravely in the face of adversity.1
To that list of wonderful things we can all do today to be more "Irish," I would add one more: "Listen to a sermon about Saint Patrick!" That's what we're going to do today! Who was Saint Patrick? I mean, really. What did he stand for? I think the life of Saint Patrick has a lot to teach us: about overcoming tragedy, about listening to God, about humility, about self-sacrifice, about finding Christ in all things. These are all good things to remember, especially during Lent. Let me then share with you the story of Saint Patrick, as I learned it.
Patrick was born, not in Ireland, but in Britain, in the early years of the Church, around 390 A.D. Britain was then considered the outermost colony of the Roman Empire, at the edge of the civilized world. Remember Hadrian's Wall, built to keep those "barbarian" Scotsmen out? Patrick himself was of noble birth. His father was a public official. His family had a villa, land, servants, and slaves and Patrick enjoyed an easy life.
That is, until he was sixteen years old, when his part of the countryside was attacked by Irish raiders. These fierce warriors sailed across the Irish Sea in animal-skin boats. When they landed they burned villages, plundered estates, and captured slaves. Along with thousands of his countrymen, Patrick was taken back to Ireland. For the next six years he was a slave, mostly herding pigs.
Now, Patrick had not been raised in an especially religious household, but during this period of suffering his faith grew stronger. In his autobiography, titled Confession, which he wrote late in life, he reported that he prayed "100 times a day, as many at night." Patrick continues, "Even when I was staying out in the woods or on the mountain ... used to feel no ill effect...." Patrick was developing a relationship with God through prayer, a relationship that would last the rest of his life.
At many points in his life, Patrick had visions. In his autobiography he writes that many messages came to him in dreams. For example, after he had been a slave for six years, one night in his sleep he heard a voice saying, "You have been right to fast because you will soon return to your home." Soon afterward Patrick received another message in a dream which said, "Look, your ship is ready."
Believing in God's promise, Patrick resolved to escape. He walked 200 miles to the coast, a runaway slave in danger at every moment of being recaptured and killed. But God kept Patrick safe and he did indeed find a ship: a very strange ship. It was departing Ireland for Britain with a cargo of dogs! The captain originally refused to have anything to do with this tattered fugitive. But the young man prayed and the captain changed his mind. But what a voyage! Escaping Ireland on a ship full of dogs!
It was an unusual homecoming. The ship struck land on a desolate part of the coast. Patrick and the crew, plus the dogs, wandered for 28 days without seeing people, finding a village, or getting a decent meal.
Patrick survived the ordeal with his faith strengthened. Now 22, he decided to become a priest. He studied, was ordained, and returned to his family in Britain where he lived in peace and happiness for about twenty years.
Then he had another one of his dreams. In the dream a man, representing the voice of the Irish, spoke to him, saying, "We pray thee, holy youth, come and walk among us once again." Patrick interpreted the dream as a call to service. He set about getting assigned to be a missionary to Ireland.
Now Patrick, mind you, was not a self-promoting sort of person. His autobiography shows us how little he thought of himself. He refers to himself as "Patrick, a sinner, most unlearned, the least of all the faithful ... utterly despised by many." Apparently his superiors weren't that impressed with Patrick either, because the assignment to preach to the Irish went to someone else. Only after the first candidate died was Patrick sent to Ireland as his superiors' second choice.
It was no small task. The Celtic people who lived in Ireland were fierce, pagan warriors. There were numerous local chieftains and a class of Druid priests that were threatened by change. Patrick returned to Ireland, where he had been a slave, at the risk of his life. At any moment the kings, the Druids, or the common people could have risen up and had him killed. Patrick writes, "Every day I expected either violent death or to be defrauded or to be reduced to slavery." But he also writes, "If I should be worthy, I am ready to give even my life unhesitatingly and most joyfully for his name's sake."
Patrick did suffer. There were years of tiring work, frequent threats to his life, hunger, persecution, and even a period of imprisonment, his legs in irons. Yet patient Patrick stuck with the task.
Danger from his enemies was not his only problem. The greatest disappointment of Patrick's life was his betrayal by a friend. It seems that when Patrick was fifteen, he committed a youthful sin (he doesn't say what) for which he was repentant. Some ten or fifteen years later, before taking holy orders, he confessed that sin to his superior, another priest. Thirty years after that that same man, whom Patrick called "his dearest friend," made Patrick's confession public! Patrick was humiliated, tried, and removed from office as Bishop of Ireland. This betrayal by his friend was even worse than being a slave. But Patrick rallied and appealed his case to Rome, where the ancient sin was forgiven and his bishopric restored.
In the last thirty years of his life, Patrick Christianized most of Ireland. He himself baptized tens of thousands of people. Before his time, there were few Christians in Ireland. They were outnumbered and threatened. Since Patrick, Ireland has become one of the bulwarks of the faith. Ireland was a light to the church in the Dark Ages. British Christians used to send their sons to Ireland to get a good foundation for the Christian life. Even today, 95 percent of the population of Ireland is Roman Catholic. The Irish still have one of the highest records of church attendance of anywhere in the world. All this because a humble British Christian named Patrick accepted God's calling to bring the gospel to the same people who had made him a slave!
How could we sum up the life of Saint Patrick? There are many admirable characteristics to this man. He didn't give up in the face of suffering, danger, or betrayal. He was faithful in prayer. He responded to the guidance of God. He was humble and sincere and willing to sacrifice himself for others. He was able to forgive even when harmed.
But most of all, he was able to find Christ in all things. That's what his wonderful prayer, "Saint Patrick's Breastplate" is about, Christ in all things: "Christ, be 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," and so on. Patrick found something of Christ in everything, even in his suffering.
Patrick didn't have a faith that asked God to protect him from suffering. He went through too much in his life to hope for that. He was just looking for the presence of Christ in all things, including in suffering. Certainly Patrick could have affirmed the words of the Apostle Paul: "Suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us" (Romans 5:3-5 RSV).
"Go Neirigh An Bothar Libh, Slan Agus Vannacht" (pronounced ga nearig an bothar live, slan agus vannech). That's Irish for "May the road rise to greet you, and may God bless you." May something of Saint Patrick -- his faith, his courage, his ability to find Christ in all things -- go with you on your life's "journey." Who knows what we might do with our lives if we had that kind of faith?
____________
1.aAdapted from Union News, Springfield, Massachusetts, March 16, 1994.
