What can St. Patrick teach you today about being a disciple?
When Patrick was a teenager living in the late 4th century, a band of Celtic pirates from Ireland invaded his Briton village (in the northeast England of today), captured many of the young men and sailed back to Ireland where they were sold into slavery. Patrick was sold to a Celtic chief where he was put to work herding cattle.
Building upon his Christian roots, Patrick’s faith grew during his years of captivity. Over time, God gave Patrick a deep love for his captors and began to feel that they were, in fact, his people.
After 6 years as a slave, the story goes that Patrick had a dream in which God spoke to him, telling him he was going home. He awoke, fled his captors and found his way onto a ship that lead him (eventually) back to his homeland.
24 years later, now an ordained minister, Patrick had another dream. This time God was calling him to return to his Celtic captors to teach them about their Creator God who loved them. He set sail for Ireland with a small group of other missionaries, with a purpose to bring Jesus’ message of love, hope and forgiveness to the Celts. Their mission was to live among the Celtic people and demonstrate that God’s love had the power to completely transform their barbaric, war-faring and destructive ways of living.
Patrick spent the last 29 years of his life loving the very people who had enslaved him years before. It is estimated that through his ministry to the Celtic people, 700 churches were planted and he himself trained up to 1000 ministers who were sent throughout Ireland to share the Gospel with the surrounding Celtic tribes and villages.
Beginning in the heart of one humble man, this God-led Celtic-Christian movement would in fact become a force that would rescue Europe from the Dark Ages.
So what can we learn today from a man that lived more than 1500 years ago?
What did Patrick do that was so transformative?
Are the things that he did also things that we can do today?
I believe the answer is “Yes”, not because Patrick was so great, but because he did things like Jesus did. And Jesus is great.
As we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day today, I invite you to join our family in being inspired and challenged by the true story of a man who passionately followed the example of his saviour, Jesus.
- Who is God calling you to love? They might be an enemy today, but could be your calling for tomorrow. Patrick loved the Celts. They were his captors, who abused and treated him poorly. He had every reason to hate them, but God gave Patrick a love for his enemies.
- What is your cultural context? How much to you know about the people God has put around you? As a slave, Patrick was forced to learn Gaelic and the Celtic customs in order to survive. He had to learn the way they did things and why they did them. By being a student of Celtic culture, Patrick’s ministry took on a highly contextual expression that would look different within each tribe.
- What are things in your local culture that already line up with the Gospel? You don’t have to re-invent the wheel, in fact, just being ready to speak cultural truths that already affirm scripture can go a long way. The Celts LOVED the number « 3 » and used it often in their mythology. Understanding this, Patrick was ready to speak of the Holy Trinity – Father, Son & Holy Spirit – being in relationship together in perfect love.
- Who has God already put around you that share your burden? If God has given us something to put our hands to, He rarely leaves us alone to accomplish it. Who has God called you to partner with to accomplish His will together?
Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone!
With joy,
Joel for the Kennedy Family
