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Legendary St. Patrick

         It could safely be said that on St Patrick’s Day, everyone is Catholic.  Of course, that is not really true, just as much of the so-called history about St Patrick is not true.  Much of it is legendary.  If I were simply a historian, I would care.  But there are times not to worry too much about historical accuracy.  When it comes to St Patrick, I say let’s wink and go with it.

       Patrick is likely a historical figure.  Tradition says he is a fifth century Briton and Roman, as he said, who felt called to go to Ireland as a missionary.  At that time, Ireland was a pretty wild place, but Patrick was undaunted.  One source claims that Patrick had a dream and “it seemed ‘all the children of Ireland from their mothers’ wombs were stretching out their hands’ to him.”  He understood the dream as God calling him and he responded as such.

    Patrick enjoyed immense success as a missionary.  This is why many would call him the founder of Irish Christianity.  He organized churches, founded monasteries and set the Church on a firm foundation, such that soon the Irish were sending missionaries to the European continent to do the kind of work Patrick had done among them.  And so, his fame and legend grew. 

    One piece of that legend that is always fun is the three-leaf clover or, as some prefer, the Shamrock.  I know this little grass very well.  We had this all over the farm on which I grew up.  The three-leaf clover is common; it is the normal way to find it in a field.  Occasionally (or rarely, depending on your luck), you could find a four-leaf clover.  I never was very lucky.  I would get on my hands and knees and look closely, but never seemed to spy one.  I had a very good friend who could always find one---or more.  He would walk into the same patch where I was, bend over and within a half-minute or so, find one or even a few.  Somehow they stood out to him.  It still mystifies me, when I think about it.

    Patrick according to legend used the Shamrock to teach new Christians about the doctrine of the Trinity.  That is a fun legend and one to which I can relate.  I have taught early Christianity many times and helping people think about and understand the Trinity is not easy.  Ultimately, the idea of the Christian Trinity is paradoxical---which means holding two things in tension which don’t really belong together.  On one hand, the Trinity aims to affirm the oneness of God.  Christians dearly wanted to believe there was only one God.  And so the stem of the clover symbolized that.  On the other hand, early Christians really felt like Jesus Christ was somehow God, as was the Holy Spirit.  This is where the threeness (or triune God) comes into play.  The clover symbolized that with the three leaves, which simultaneously were one plant---one clover.  It is a wonderful analogy.

    Some sources consider a couple aspects of St Patrick to be close to the truth about him.  One is the fact that he was a man of courage.  That is easy to believe.  In all likelihood, he was captured and imprisoned when he was a youth.  Life was not easy.  He not only made it through life, but he somehow made a difference.  Only folks of courage can do that.  It is surely more than luck.  He stood out.  In this sense he was like the four-leaf clover.  He was clover, but he was distinctive by virtue of his courage.  Mediocre people are never legendary!

    Another feature we can assume about Patrick is his humility.  Sometimes it seems difficult to think a person is humble, if they are successful.  But if you think about it, it is possible.  I think about John Wooden, famous UCLA basketball coach.  He seemed humble to me.  Or Mother (Saint) Theresa also seems to be to be a humble nun doing work in India that no one else wants to do.  Of course, I don’t know Warren Buffet, but he is incredibly rich, and seems humble.  Maybe because this is because he is now old.  All this says is I do think you can be successful and humble.

    Christianity would teach that humility is in order.  Of course, you are called to do works and we hope they become great works for the benefit of God’s kingdom.  But we also remember there is an element of God’s grace in it all.  It is not just your show---your talent or skill.  Patrick was a person, whom I am sure would attribute much of what went well to the grace of God. 

    We do need to perform the work of the Spirit.  There is care, healing and so much more to do.  It can seem overwhelming and even depressing.  But there is also the grace of God.

    Like Patrick, we have been called.  Now let’s do the work.  And pray that God’s grace goes with us and even ahead of us. 

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