Sharing the Blessing of Lent - 3) St. Patrick

St.Patrick is one of the Most Popular Saints in Christianity and he is the reason for the reach of Christianity in Ireland. He was born in the year 387 in Great Britain. When he was around 14, he was kidnapped by Irish Pirates and sold as a slave in Ireland to tend the sheep. He used to roam around the forests and mountains and mind the herd. It was by then out of fear and longing for hope , he turned to Christianity himself.

He used to pray for day and night together at all seasons too. He never gave up and he used to say, the weather don’t frighten me when I pray as the Lord is with me. It was by then he got a vision of the Lord asking him to step out of Ireland by the coast and he obliged. He was rescued by a group of merchants and he was safely brought home.

He then grew even more righteous. He saw a vision of a man coming straight to him with many letters and when he came near, he handed one to him. It said, “The Voice of the Irish” and he swore he could hear voices shouting at him in Irish language, “We appeal to you , holy servant boy, to come and Walk among us.”

He realized that God had chosen him to take the Gospel to Ireland which was a pagan nation. He then turned his studies to Priesthood and was ordained by St.Germanus and then later ordained as a Bishop and was sent to Ireland. Initially he faced many issues and he was almost killed by the tribal people there. He prayed and prayed and brought about the conversion of a chief of a tribe in Ireland. There started his mission. He walked Ireland and spread the word of God as far as he could and brought about reformation in the minds of thousands of people. Word of God reached many hopeless individuals and brought about a faithful flock.

He never got any money for himself and lived in dire poverty. Though illness fawned on him he never gave up and kept on travelling till Ireland was filled with the word of God. He later retired to Saul where he built his first church at Ireland. He breathed his last there in 461.

He often used a three leaf plant Shamrock to explain people about trinity and he used to have the leaves always at hand. The Shamrock is now used as a central symbol for Patrick’s Day.

Feast Day – March 17

Patron of Ireland.

St.Patrick’s Prayer

This was written by St.Patrick himself in 433 for getting hope and strength when he was preaching the Irish king Leoghaire and his subjects to convert to Christianity from paganism.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation.

I arise today
Through the strength of Christ's birth with His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion with His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection with His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.

I arise today
Through the strength of the love of cherubim,
In the obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In the predictions of prophets,
In the preaching of apostles,
In the faith of confessors,
In the innocence of holy virgins,
In the deeds of righteous men.

I arise today, through
The strength of heaven,
The light of the sun,
The radiance of the moon,
The splendor of fire,
The speed of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of the sea,
The stability of the earth,
The firmness of rock.

I arise today, through
God's strength to pilot me,
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's host to save me
From snares of devils,
From temptation of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
afar and near.

I summon today
All these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel and merciless power
that may oppose my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul;
Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me an abundance of reward.

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 down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man 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.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation.