by Shane Tucker

So much is made of St. Patrick’s Day around the World. So much splendor, celebration and . . hype. It’s usually a brilliant day - exuding a real sense of communal spirit with many items of memorabilia stating, ‘Irish for a Day’ or ‘Irish-wannabe’. Having lived in Ireland for close to a decade now, I’m sure many people around the world who care anything about the day would be utterly discouraged and shocked to realize that St. Patrick’s Day isn’t celebrated anywhere nearly as enthusiastically here as in the US. Yep, it’s true! From where I sit, America does have the edge on the St. Patrick’s Day market. In the last place I lived on American soil (Chicago), they go as far as to dye the river green through the middle of the city. If that were done here in Ireland it would be seen as being ‘corny’ or kitsch. With that said, this tiny island on the edge of Europe has begun to ‘big up’ festive celebrations (supposedly) in honor of their patron saint.

St. Patrick is possibly one of the best known extra-biblical saints within the Christian community and second only to good 'ol St. Nick (Santa Claus) in the general public’s knowledge. Although the day is supposedly held in honor of him, I suspect it’s now just another reason to party and a general excuse for revelry for most. That, unfortunately, is to be somewhat expected outside of the Church, but sadly Christians (by and large) have also forgotten why we celebrate the mythic man known as Patrick. We’d do well in our contemporary cultural climate to reflect on why this one man is remembered so fondly and has managed to retain the imagination of people the world around. If you’d like to do some reflecting on Patrick’s life you can read an autobiography which is one of Europe’s oldest surviving manuscripts from the 5th century A.D. His ‘Confession’ is very valuable historically in that it is an introspective account of one man’s thought processes and some cultural characteristics of that period. It is additionally valuable because it gives insight into an early Christian’s faith journey and his relationship to the Trinity of Christian experience. There is a second surviving document that Patrick wrote referred to as the ‘Letter to Coroticus’ in which he chastises a ruler back in what is now England for abducting and killing some people he led to Christ. Both are worth a read!

If we were to get back to celebrating the original intent of the day in question, it would lead us to a very different motivation (and possibly practice for some) for our festivities. In essence, what we’re celebrating on St. Patrick’s Day is the coming of Christ to the Irish. Patrick is identified as the one who first shared about Jesus Christ with the Irish, but most scholars believe this not to be true. It is usually documented that a previous ‘bishop’ was sent to the Irish who is known as Palladius. Something occurred which led to Palladius’ disappearance from the historic record just a year after his arrival. This may be linked to the reason Patrick arrived just a short time after. A lesser known tidbit of legend is that a St. Kieran, originally from Clear Island off the coast of West Cork, purportedly preceded both of the aforementioned gentlemen and introduced Christianity to this ever-green island from his monastery near Roscrea, Co. Tipperary at the foot of the Slieve Bloom mountains (where my office is!). That was for free. ;-) Regardless of the actual historical record, St. Patrick has risen to the top as the man who has permeated Irish culture and saturated Irish imagination. The Irish in turn have shared this same admiration for Patrick with the rest of the world - wherever they have gone.

We can learn a lot from Patrick in what he wrote for posterity and in what has been transmitted through generations, spoken and unspoken. Firstly, not enough can be said for following crazy, inspired, God-sized dreams. Patrick was originally brought to Ireland as a sixteen year old slave boy from what is now Northern England and he spent six years tending sheep here before escaping. It was years later that Patrick had a dream of an angel reading him letters from the people of Ireland who were begging him to come back and share Christ with them. Knowing God’s prompting, he returned to the island of his captivity and served God there til his last breath. Second, pain and hardship are seed beds for steely character and personal discipline. During those six years of loneliness in the fields and on mountainsides tending sheep, one can imagine Patrick’s constant pangs of loss and intense yearnings to be reunited with his people and his family. He himself states in the ‘Confession’ that he prayed hundreds of times a day while alone in the wild places where He came to know the God that is I AM. Third, to truly connect (reach) with someone, you must become like them. I don’t mean to patronize someone by acting like them, we must love them so much that we give ourselves over to walk with them and take on living life alongside them. Patrick in those early years learned Irish customs, language and folklore. He learned how people ‘worked’ in Ireland and, in fact, became somewhat Irish himself no doubt. God used that process of assimilation to return it as a gift to the Irish as Patrick communicated to them who this Jesus figure was in ways they could receive.

Fourth, boldness and graciousness go hand-in-hand. From my readings of Patrick and the legends that accompany, you get a sense he was bold, direct and clear about his message while being gentle, gracious and appreciative of his host’s acts of kindness. In this way, immoveable and immediately likable, Patrick won the hearts of the Irish - a warm heart and a firm hand. Fifth, releasing responsibility and empowering others is a key to continuity. Wherever Patrick travelled around this island (I have surely followed some of the same paths he walked) he is known for having brought companions along with him while establishing new communities of faith in the places he visited. The vibe he exuded in his relationships must have been joyful and extremely freeing. People who came into contact with the man, after coming to Christ, must have seen an intense belief in what God was doing and what they could be a part of with the Spirit’s help, exhibited in Patrick. This shows in that many communities sprang up within a few centuries so that Ireland became ‘center stage’ as a place of learning, light and the love of God.

Sixth, vision and passion are the hallmarks of a new era coming into being. These two qualities alone form the basis by which hearts are moved, minds are swayed and new realities birth into existence. I can imagine that because of God’s work in the fabled saint, he was so compelling - not necessarily by word-smithing, but by his unflinching belief in God’s ability - that many hitherto pagan peoples came to entrust themselves to this Jesus whom Patrick shared about in word and deed. Seventh, humility is the fundamental necessity of a lasting life of unimaginable richness. As you read the ‘Confession’, it soon becomes clear that this man, whom many regard with unrestrained ‘otherliness’, was no different than you or I in many respects. He did, however, regard himself as one with nothing to show for his existence except what God had been to and done for him. Some could argue that his protestations were simply false acts of humility, but a studied heart will resonate with Patrick’s own words that there is no comparison with the beauty, truth, goodness, light and love to be known in intimately detailed connection with our Daddy who’s ever available to us. If pride is the seed of human rebellion (sin) against God, then humility (knowing who we are and are not) is its cure.

So, what will you take with you into, through and out of your St. Patrick celebrations this year? Have you come any closer to understanding the man with whom much of the world is acquainted but does not know? Do you see any more clearly from Patrick’s own words the events led him to Ireland, the people that kept him in Ireland and the God that fertilized this land with his obedient life? Whose lives could God fertilize with your life lived in reckless abandon to Him? What wonders would He accomplish in and through you? How would our world be brought that much closer to God’s design for it by you passionately pursuing the One who is passionately pursuing you? Don’t miss this dream unfolding. Live into it friends!