Honoring St. Patrick

(ROCKWALL, TX — March 18, 2019) New leaf green! Some may call it chartreuse, some lime. Then there’s sage and seafoam along with emerald or even olive drab. I hadn’t given much thought to how many shades of green there are until this morning at church. I’m not Irish (I don’t think I am, though the DNA is still in my mouth), but I wore a tiny shamrock on my vest lapel this morning just to show my support for the special day honoring St. Patrick. I’m told he used the little 3-leafed plant to explain the Trinity to those with whom he shared the Gospel.

The luck of the Irish wasn’t his. He wasn’t Irish. The good luck was with the Irish. Patrick was an English young fellow captured by pirates and taken to Ireland where he spent many years as a captive. After escaping, returning to England, the Lord impressed him to put action into his new-found faith, returning to Ireland and share Christ with those who had never heard that good word.

I’m not sure when the leprechauns came in, but along with the corned beef and cabbage they have become part of the tradition associated with March 17^th, the historical date of the death of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.

I’m teaching from Hebrews chapter 11 this week, named the Hall of Faith in Scripture due to the long list of names. Each of the men & women mentioned are characters in the Bible who because of their faith in God through disasters, sorrows, beatings, loss & even death are examples to those of us who read about them. I was going to write the words, “their great faith”, but decided it was the object of their faith that was great. That object would be the same God that led Patrick back to Ireland to share the good news of eternal life through Jesus Christ.

I could write my own chapter 11. I have so many folks that have invested themselves and have spoken truth into my life, revealing the object of their faith to me personally. So today as I put my little shamrock back in its box, ready for 2020’s March 17^th, I’m thanking Him for the faithful SAINTS in my life…a Saint Pauline, Saint Grace, Saint Evelyn, Saint Tom, Saint Anne, Saint Betty, Saint Ollie…though they are dead yet they speak…a good word.

Are there faithful saints in your life?

Write your own chapter. It will be a good word.

By Paula Lively. Paula is a Volunteer Chaplain at Broadmoor Medical Lodge in Rockwall. She is a VERY retired RN who loves serving the residents at Broadmoor. She and her husband, Fred, have lived in Rockwall for 15 years.

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