You know the green beer, green rivers, corned beef, cheap hats, and the fear of being pinched. But do you know about the man behind the holiday? Although his life story is blurry and questionable, there are pieces of gold hidden if we search hard enough. Deep in the pot, there are life lessons from St. Patrick.
I get it all. I lived in Chicago for 6 years—it’s bigger than the 4th of July there. We Americans love to take an obscure holiday originating in another country and run with it (Cinco de Mayo anyone?)
But what about the real person? Maybe you’ve heard a version of his prayer (which I’ll include at the bottom.) Or you’ve heard a legend about shamrocks or snakes.
But at the core—he was missionary. Isn’t that funny? We’re eating lucky charms and pretending to be leprechauns because of a missionary?
I’m fascinated by this man who gave his life to serve others and am encouraged by what he can teach me:
1. Life is Full of Lowlights
Hindsight is full of highlights. When we look back, we see a highlight reel, remembering the memorable.
With St. Patrick, we remember the legends (I mean legend, because the factual nature of these stories is highly questionable):
- He traveled through Ireland helping people to find God.
- He drove out snakes.
- He taught people about the trinity using SHAMROCKS (?!)
- He raised people from the dead (this was something he claimed himself.)
But the reality? Before he was a patron saint, he was a teenager captured and pulled drug into slavery where he spent six years. He almost starved to death and then escaped before being captured again. After he escaped for good, he went back to Ireland to be a missionary, which is how gained his legendary status.
Last year, we took a quick trip to Paso Robles. What do I remember? Playing with kids in the pool, eating at a fun restaurant/brewery with the family, and my kids pushing around each other in a cheap hotel rolling chair while telling me it was better than Disneyland (my wallet rejoiced.)
But here’s what I glaze over: we visited a fruit farm on a boiling hot day and our car’s battery died. Miles away from anything. We were melting in the Central California sun. Some of us were crying as we waited for help. The car problems cut our vacation short and added a load of stress and frustration.
But, I barely remember it now. I remember the good stuff.
This reality gives me hope. It inspires me. Days and weeks are full of lowlights—this is a truth of humanity. But, if we persevere, the good stuff will rise to the top.
Maybe we can relax a little more and breath deeper and stop stressing so much, knowing that this too will pass.
2. There is a Great Power in Admitting You Don’t Have the Power
One of my favorite parts of St. Patrick’s prayer is the continual emphasis that arising happens not by his own strength, but by the strength of God. This reminds of the first two steps of AA:
- I am powerless…
- I came to believe only a power greater than myself could restore my sanity…
This goes against the behaviors many of us learned or have modeled.
- You’ve got what it takes.
- You can do it, just work harder.
- Appear to have it all together.
- Pull yourself up by your bootstraps.
What if living a life of sanity and being emotionally healthy starts by admitting that you don’t always have it all together? That your strength is not limitless.
One reason I continue to be a disciple of Jesus is the beauty of surrendering my need to have it all together. Through spiritual practices, I admit my lack of strength and ask for a supernatural, spiritual undergirding for the day.
3. Sometimes, Getting Up is the Hardest Battle
I arise…
Some days I don’t want to rise. I don’t have a hard time getting out of bed (but I know friends with depression who struggle with this.)
I’m talking about the broader sense—I don’t want to do anything of significance.
- I’ve got a project due, but I want to read trade rumors about the Cubs.
- Taxes are due in a few weeks, but I’d rather pretend they are not.
- There is an email I haven’t responded to because it will require conflict, and I don’t like conflict. Or emails.
- I want to write but I want to sleep in.
Sometimes the inspiration is gone, and the motivation took a vacation. Everything feels daunting.
Maybe the key is focusing on the first step.
Just get up.
Just type one sentence.
Just put on the running shoes.
4. The Choice to Avoid or Face
Forget the shamrocks and the lucky charms and the snakes. The craziest thing about St. Patrick is this:
He went back to the place where he was enslaved.
Can you imagine this? The very place you had lived in isolation, ripped from your family at age 16. The place of pain and hurt. You want to return there?
It’s a choice we all have. (Maybe not this dramatically, but still.) Do we avoid the pain and difficulty, or do we face it? Do we rise and take one step?
What are you currently avoiding? What is the place of pain or conflict that you would rather run away from? Is there something you are too scared to approach? Do you feel a sense of calling to something, but prefer to ignore this voice?
May you follow the lead of St. Patrick and embrace the difficult things of life.
May you have the power to admit you don’t have the power.
May you pray for the strength to take one step.
St. Patrick’s Breastplate (or Lorica)
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.
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