Did you know that St. Patrick was a missionary?

Do you celebrate St. Patrick’s day? There is an air of mystery about him. I feel that way about many of the saints of the early church. Thinking about the 5th century, I have to wonder what is fact and what is fiction.

A few facts to ponder as we celebrate. We associate St. Patrick with Ireland, but he wasn’t Irish. He was born in what we know as England, and at 16 was kidnapped and taken to Ireland. He was forced to work as a shepard, and spent many hours in contemplation and prayer. If you only have sheep to talk with, that seems like a good way to spend your time.

When he makes it back to England, he goes through religious formation and becomes a missionary. He is sent to….Ireland. God has a funny sense of humor. I imagine that he could not have been too thrilled, but if it’s your mission from God, you go.

Have you ever been to Ireland? It is very green and filled with clover and shamrocks. St. Patrick used the shamrock as a symbol for the church. The three leaves symbolize the Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Smart to use something would recognize to relate to the people and the church. A prayer that I pray each March is St. Patrick’s breastplate (below). It reminds me the God is all around me and I can call on Him.

I equate being a missionary to being brave. It takes a lot of courage (and faith) to walk into a hostile environment and make a difference. Ireland is different because of St. Patrick’s influence. It’s a big job to be a missionary, yet we are all called to be missionaries to the world around us. At the end of every mass, the priest tells us to “Go forth and spread the good news.” Isn’t that a missionary call?

It’s time for us to be brave. Today on St. Patrick’s feast day, let’s literally take a page from St. Patrick’s book, pray the prayer below and ponder what it means. That’s the challenge. How can you be a missionary in your home, family, workplace, and the world?