The following article was written by Bob Snelling, a Centurion, and he has given permission to have this posted here.
St. Patrick is a fascinating character, and everyone knows he was a Catholic, but not many people know that the Lord used him to save Christianity. The following article doesn't give the complete story, but it does give a good overview of Patrick's impact. Just remember, the real reason he is celebrated is because he not only impacted the wild Druids and Ireland for God, but that God used him to Christianize Ireland, England, and to reinvigorate Christianity in Europe. Because of his influence in Ireland, the Druids also became accomplished scribes and religious artists (as evidenced by their Celtic crosses, and the book of Kells, among other things). In later years, this was proven to have preserved the sacred writings of Christianity.
Now, on to Mr. Snelling's article:
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My quiet moments during the month of March often cause me to reflect on my days in the state legislature. Each year the pace had become frantic by early March as we were concluding our annual session and aiming for the final, "Sine Die", adjournment for the year. Speaker Tom Murphy, whose surname is the most common in Ireland, labored very diligently every year so that we would finish our work in time for him to travel to Savannah to enjoy the Saint Patrick's Day celebration. We had to finish by the 15th!
Saint Patrick's Day is here once again where memories abound of leprechauns, Irish hats, harps, Celtic music and dancing, and even the green beer of Savannah, GA. Why do we celebrate the man? Who was he? Where did he come from? Questions like these led me to find two good books that shed a great deal of light on their answers; "How the Irish Saved Civilization" by Thomas Cahill, and "St. Patrick of Ireland" by Philip Freeman.
I found both authors to be honest in that they did not inflate Patrick's story beyond the historical evidence that can be found. Patrick left two letters written in his own hand that include a broad look at his life while omitting much detail. Enough is included, however, that a very accurate biographical portrait is revealed.
While the actual year is in doubt, Patrick was born in the latter half of the fourth century in a town near the western coast of Britain. As a young man he enjoyed a life of privilege in a landowning, aristocratic family when a shocking event changed his life forever. While still a teenager he was kidnapped from his own bedroom by a band of barbaric professional slave raiders and transported to Ireland to be sold as a slave. He served a single master for six years working primarily as a shepherd, often alone in the wooded hills and far from regular food and shelter.
Patrick himself wrote that during those long and tiring years he began to pray and, for the first time, slowly adopted the Christian faith of his youth against which he had rebelled while living at home. One night he heard a message from God telling him that his "ship was ready". He escaped and found his way to a port quite a distance away and was offered passage back to Britain where he subsequently was reunited with his family. But Patrick was not settled and began to sense that his purpose was to return to Ireland and share the good news of his newfound Faith.
He responded to that inner calling and returned to Ireland. During his years there he dealt with local kings, Druids, those engaged in a variety of agricultural enterprises, and others. His task among the Irish people involved taking many risks and the very shrewd ability to make deals sometimes to stay alive. But, Patrick did just that. History shows that the pagan Irish became a Christian people as Patrick lived his entire life devoted to the calling he first sensed in the renewed comfort of his home in Britain. It wasn't until centuries later, after the Barbarians moved to control the European continent and ransack Rome, that the Irish, now civilized because of Patrick, found a way to preserve in art and literature many of the cultural and religious artifacts so important to the historical record of western civilization.
Patrick's unswerving commitment to his call certainly deserves celebrating as has been done in one form or another since 1737 in the United States. The holiday is also observed throughout the entire British Commonwealth and beyond. Tradition holds that March 17th is the day Saint Patrick died.
Speaker Thomas B. Murphy, the well-known Irishman now deceased, knew he had a very good reason to finish lawmaking in time to celebrate the life of the Patron Saint of Ireland. And, I'm certain that he would join me as I close in good Irish fashion offering my Irish blessing to you as we once again remember Patrick.
"May love and laughter light your days and warm your heart and home. May good and faithful friends be yours, wherever you may roam. May peace and plenty bless your world with joy that long endures. May all life's passing seasons bring the best to you and yours!" Happy St. Patrick's Day all!
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Yes, Happy St. Patrick's Day!
BookWoman
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