Maewyn’s Day

After Joseph reveals who he is to his brothers, they are filled with fear that Joseph will exact his revenge. After all, they did sell him into slavery. However, in Genesis 50:20, Joseph says to his brothers, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.” And he did. Joseph would save several nations, including the nation of Israel, from starvation. Paul says the same thing to the believers in Rome as they experience persecution. Romans 8:28, “…we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

It is difficult to remember these verses when we find ourselves going through a particularly challenging situation. Instead, we often get frustrated and angry at God. “Why is this happening to me? It’s not fair!” Referring to how they will miss Him after He is gone in John 16, Jesus says to His disciples, “It will be like a woman suffering the pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives way to joy because she has brought a new baby into the world” (John 16:21). He is saying, yes, the pain of childbirth is pain like no other, but soon you will be holding your baby and will forget all the pain endured. Similarly, you might find yourself in really grim circumstances right now, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. The light of the world, and God can use our pain, our experience to be a blessing to others, if we will let Him. 

For instance, this Friday, March 17, we will once again, celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. The day, we like to say, “everyone is Irish.” It is ironic, really, because St. Patrick himself was neither Irish, nor was he technically a saint. Patrick (whose real name was Maewyn Succat) was born in Kilpatrick, Scotland – not Ireland. And although his father was a Christian deacon, it is more than likely he took on the role because of tax incentives. There is no evidence that Patrick came from a particularly religious family. He also never went through the canonization process the church requires to achieve “sainthood.” Not a saint. Not Patrick. Not Irish. Fascinating.   

What is true, however, is that at the age of sixteen, Patrick’s life changed forever as a group of Irish raiders who were attacking his family’s estate took him prisoner. They transported him to Ireland as a slave. During his captivity, Patrick became familiar with the various rituals, customs, and language of the Druids. It was these people he would one day evangelize.

After six years of slavery, Patrick had a dream in which God said to him, “Your ship is ready.” He soon escaped Ireland by ship. God was not done with Patrick, however, shortly after returning home, he experienced another dream in which he received a letter that was labeled the “voice of the Irish.” When he opened it, he heard the voices of all those whom he had met in Ireland begging him to return.

Patrick knew Jesus said to “…love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!...If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that” (Matthew 5:44, 46-47). As such, he returns to Ireland to tell the same people who imprisoned him about Christ. The Irish people were receptive to his teachings, especially in light of the fact that he was able to take several of their Celtic symbols and “Christianize” them. The most well-known of Patrick’s illustrations is the shamrock, a certain type of clover sacred to the Druids, which he used as a symbol of the Trinity. The task was difficult and dangerous, but he persisted and was able to build a strong foundation for Christianity. During Patrick’s thirty years of work in Ireland, he converted over 135,000 people, established 300 churches, and consecrated 350 bishops. God took a very bad thing and used it for good. Patrick died on March 17, 461.

Fifteen hundred-plus years later, we continue to remember Patrick’s work every March 17. This St. Patrick’s Day, may we all be reminded that whatever it is we are currently going through, if we keep the faith, and endure, God will use it powerfully.  

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