Bishop and Missionary of Ireland
(390-461)
Feast Day, March 17

For all of the green and orange that will be worn, and for all the media coverage, very, very little will be presented about the faith and essential person of Sucat (Welsh for “War-like”), a Romano-Britisher, who became St. Patrick, the courageous missionary to the Irish.

Patrick, Patron Saint of Ireland and after whom the Anglican Cathedral in Dublin is named, was born on the northwest coast of Britain in about 390. Patrick’s father, Calpornius, was a Deacon in the Church and an official in the late Roman imperial government of Britain. His paternal grandfather was a priest.

When he was sixteen, Patrick was taken prisoner by an invading force of pirating Irish slave-traders who had gone on an economic rampage to seek cheap labor and to effect an immediate redistribution of wealth. For six years, Patrick was a slave tending sheep in Ireland.

He tells us that at the time of his captivity, he “knew not the true God.” He had a rebellious heart toward the things of the Holy Spirit. But amid the hardships and solitude of his lot, his faith in our Lord came alive. The Holy teachings that he knew as a boy took flesh and spirit within him. He wrote, “The love of God and His reverence increased more and more, and my faith grew and my spirit was stirred up…”

Patrick experienced the love of God: in those painful, evil, sad, and lonely days of slavery, he found love and redemption. In the face of hell, he received grace to be tough and resilient in that love. After six years, he heard a voice in his sleep that aroused his hopes of seeing his family and which encouraged him to escape. His two-hundred mile circuitous and secretive march to the sea was successful, and he finally returned to his family.

In 432, after study and preparation, Patrick returned to Ireland as a missionary.

About his ministry in Ireland, Patrick wrote, “Daily I expect either a violent death… or to be reduced to slavery… But, I have cast myself int the hand of the Almighty God… as the Prophet saith, ‘Cast thy care upon the Lord, and He Himself will sustain thee.’”

Patrick has never been canonized. He is accepted as a calendar saint in our “Lesser Feasts and Fasts,” because of his popular esteem by all Christians.

Regardless of partisan attempts to claim him, Patrick does not belong exclusively to any one part of the “One, Holy Catholic, and Apostolic Church” of the Creeds.

Throughout 1600 years, the Christian community originally gathered by St. Patrick has persisted, and Irish Anglicans, who belong to one of the oldest national churches in the world, will be found worshiping in ancient buildings a thousand years old or in modern churches completed no more than a few years ago.

Almighty God, who in thy providence didst choose thy servant Patrick to be the apostle to the Irish people, to bring those who were wandering in darkness and error to the true light and knowledge of thee: Grant us so to walk in that light that we may come at last to the light of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

- Lesser Feasts and Fasts

I was reminded this week of the song by John Lennon that begins with the words “So this is Christmas and what have you done another year over and a new one just begun.” When taken away from the rest of the lyrics the words seem to reflect melancholy without joy or hope. That has never been the basis for Christmas. This season established over 2000 years ago came to be when God became one with his creation. Regrettably the world has a different understanding of the season that has become so commercial and competitive in displays, parties, and gifts creating a greater need for the true meaning of Christmas.

A little over 2000 years ago shepherds were watching their flocks by night. In my mind I can see a young lad who is following in his father’s vocation listening to the sound of the sheep as he sits guard when he sees a light in the distant eastern sky. He stares at the sight as it draws closer and closer. As the brightness increases the young shepherd becomes fearful and rouses his family. As they sit on the ground in fear there in the darkness the source of light comes even closer and brightens the field as it was day. Shading their eyes they recognize what seems to be a person with wings hovering above their location. “Fear not: for behold, I bring to you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people” (Luke 2:9, KJV). It is from that experience that the God of creation connects with the lowly shepherds of Bethlehem. They are outcasts of that society but they were the appointed recipients of God’s message of love.

It is from that moment of heavenly glory long ago that we’re invited to join the shepherds on a quest seeking the glory of the Lord in our lives in 2012. Look into the eyes of children to reconnect with the wonder of Christmas. It was stated by Christ that, “Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3, KJV). It was in that pasture long ago that the shepherds got their first glimpse of God’s glory and heard the blessing of God. It was that vision and the voices of angel choirs that they heard that compelled them to enter into the city of polite society to enter a stable and worship the Savior of the world.

It is our hope and prayer that all who seek joy and peace will find it in the glory of God’s only Son, a babe lying in a manger. Even at his birth He was set apart in lowly station but He was the most precious gift that God could give his creation and each of us. Even from His birth the babe was the future sacrifice of our salvation and entry to eternal life. May you be blessed this Christmas and every day in receiving the good news.

Advent is a liturgical season in the church- a time for preparation. But in the twenty-first century the world has shifted the focus of the preparation from the promise of God to commercial gain. In some ways it is sad to realize that we have become so worldly that we get caught up in the rush of shopping and parties that we have little time for reflection on the promise given to the world.

In traditional understanding the advent wreath is more than a decoration with pretty colored candles. The wreath, made of evergreen is symbolic of the promise of eternal life; connected to the light of the world represented by flickering. It is at this time of year that many struggle with doubts and pain in life.

Scripture tells us that even John the Baptist, who as the messenger of God announced the coming of the Savior of the world, had doubts. The answer to his doubts came in a message that Jesus sent to John in prison. He told John that those who were held captive by disease, illness, a handicap, mental or spiritual infirmity were given new life and freedom through the healing power of God’s Messiah. In other words, He said fear not and doubt not for you have not believed in vain. The freedom prophesied did not come through destructive power over tyranny but through love and belief in the Son of God.

Nice words in the face of evil. The reality of our world is that Satan invades our lives. He and his demons seek to destroy our season of preparation by twisting a conscious mind to commit a heinous act. Hearts are heavy as we all wrestle with dismay and doubt asking why? How can this be in such a wonderful country? Reality has shifted focus from joy to sorrow, outrage and disbelief. No one can ignore the terror and horror of insane actions. One man’s inhumanity to man became so focused this year with the loss of innocence at Sandy Hook elementary school.

Some are asking, where is the promise of God? Where is the celebration in a world wrapped in grief? The answer lies in the beginning of the story of creation. Since the day of creation mankind was given the freedom of choice; even to this day. It is through that freedom that evil men choose to do evil things to destroy love, joy, and laughter dealing with their pain.

In the Advent season we need to hold on to the promise of Jesus as the Messiah that came and will come again. “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only” (Matthew 24:36, KJV). Every action that we see today comes as a result of a human choice or as a response to human choices. Violence, perversion, hatred, murder, and even the slaughter of the blameless are not from God but a choice of an unsettled mind.

On that day when evil rose in to create fear and pain Christ was there to embrace the dying and bring comfort to those overcome by fear and disbelief. Those precious gifts of God need not cause us to fear anymore because we will never know anything but the love of God. I can say that with confidence because God so loved us all, that he gave his Son. God knows our pain and anguish: 2000 years ago he watched evil men kill his son. He has borne our pains so that we have hope today.

Words do not always say enough but there is an image that completes our thoughts today (courtesy of Mike Graston of the Windsor Star):

The most unusual symbol seen in North America is a milk carton used for missing children. The information and picture stand for the hope that lives in someone’s heart that a loved one is not lost.

Man can live without certain things and all too often today we have too much of some things. But the most important thing that man needs to live life is hope. We have seen in history men have survived being a prisoner of war with abuse, minimal food and water yet they survived. Those that perish lose their sense of longing that there is something more to experience and do. Man can live with illness and infirmity because there is hope of recovery. How many of our aged have lost “that lust for life” only to wither and slowly face the end of their lives.

In Proverbs 17:22 it is recorded that “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones” (KJV). As we grow old there are things that inspire us to get up in the morning looking forward to a new day. If we lose independence our desire to live can wither like leaves on a dying tree. It is also written in Proverbs 13:12, “Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life” (KJV).

Children since birth are programmed to live with expectation of something to come. There is an old story that I heard and I do not know the source but it tells of a woman that was laid in her casket with a fork in her hand. She made that final request because that fork stood for when she waited expectantly for desert. She loved deserts and loved to hear her mom say, “Keep your fork.” With those words she knew the best was yet to come. She lived her life using that symbol of the fork as the best is yet to come and in death she held on to her hope that the best was yet to come. What a symbol of hope in life and even was we journey through life to one day face death.

The world will provide struggle and storms that can weary the traveler on the journey. If we focus on the clear sky instead of the storm clouds we can live knowing there is hope in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost. Hold on to your fork!