Today, you're probably seeing green and hearing mentions of St. Patrick's Day celebrations on social media … moms tinting pancakes or cookies green, usually reasonable people talking of leprechaun antics, shamrocks, and pots of gold, while many others are wearing green to 'keep from getting pinched.'
But, why? I mean, really, what do leprechauns, green cookies, and not getting pinched have to do with the man and the mission of St. Patrick? I feel we should be asking why we've allowed culture, once again, to highjack history and make us forget why someone or something was important. So, I wanted to know who he was, and here's what I've discovered. Maybe you're curious like I am, or maybe you just like me and want to 'listen' to what I learned. 🙂 Either way, he has a great story and a greater mission!
Patrick was kidnapped from Britain by Irish raiders and taken to Ireland as a prisoner at 16. He was carried 200-miles inland to labor on a farm and to work as a shepherd.
As a child and teen, his Christian faith hadn't been very significant to him. However, through his captivity, he began to seek solace through his childhood religion and developed a relationship with God. After six years, he dreamed God showed him a way to escape Ireland. As he made the arduous 200-mile journey on foot, God guided and provided for Patrick, leading him back home to Britain.
Once back in Britain, Patrick's newly-affirmed relationship with God propelled him to a life in ministry as a priest. In his new vocation, he felt a burden to share God with those who had held him captive in Ireland … talk about turning the other cheek!
Patrick set about 'converting' Ireland from their pagan religions to Christianity and a relationship with God. As you can imagine, this didn't go over well at first. The pagan king and his subjects had no desire to leave their ancestral religions, resulting in many threats and attacks on Patrick's life. BUT, he never relented or retreated from his mission to share Christ. Eventually, the king, and much of Ireland, became a follower of Christ and was baptized.
In that culture, it was customary to both utter and wear prayers. Often, prayers were placed on warriors' shields as they left for battle. The words breastplate or body armor are English translations of the word lorica. Lorica means prayer, but specifically, a prayer of protection. Through the danger and threats on his life, Patrick kept his focus on Christ through prayers. The 'St. Patrick's Breastplate' or 'St. Patrick's Lorica' (read that as prayer) is believed to have been penned by Patrick, the priest who shared Christ with the whole of Ireland. His lorica, his armor, his breastplate, essentially the protection of his heart and life was centered on Christ. How beautiful is that?
Instead of celebrating all things green to keep from getting pinched this year, can we maybe just reflect on and celebrate the missionary and the mission? Let's honor and emulate Patrick's singular pursuit to share Christ with the whole of Ireland and share Christ with someone in our lives today.
St. Patrick's Lorica
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.