Happy St. Patrick’s Day 2017. Today’s the day when the whole world is a little bit Irish.
But this year, rather than getting carried away with the wearing of the green, or drowning of the shamrock with green beer, or indulging in fluorescent green “Irish” food, I thought I would simply take a look at some of the words of the man himself to celebrate his feast day.
St. Patrick – A Simple and Humble Man:
Here is how St. Patrick introduces himself in his Confessio, which was handed down orally in Ireland for centuries, until it was finally committed to manuscript in 807 AD in the Book of Armagh.
“My name is Patrick.
I am a sinner,
a simple country person
and the least of all believers.”
~from St. Patrick’s Confessio
Image Credit
Today we think of a confession as a profession of sin, but in St. Patrick’s Confessio he tells the story of his capture and return to Ireland, praises the greatness of God, and professes the depth of his faith.
“Those who wish may laugh and insult.
But I will not be silent,
nor will I hide the signs and wonders
which the Lord has shown me…”
~ from St. Patrick’s Confessio
When speaking of Ireland St. Patrick said …
“It is there that I wish
to spend my life until I die,
if the Lord should grant it to me.”
~ The Words of St. Patrick about Ireland
from his Confessio.
To this very day, many feel the same affinity as St. Patrick for the land and people of Ireland.
The Breastplate of St. Patrick:
St. Patrick’s Breastplate is a prayer said to have been written by St. Patrick around 433 AD to strengthen his faith and courage as he worked to convert the pagan Irish to Christianity.
This prayer beautifully expresses the depth of our national saint’s spirituality and faith.
Here are my favorite excerpts…..
“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.”
~ from St. Patrick’s Breastplate
“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 St. Patrick’s Breastplate
“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.”
~ from St. Patrick’s Breastplate
Wishing you all a very happy St. Patrick’s Day. May you feel the courage and faith of St. Patrick in all you do today.
Slán agus beannacht,
(Goodbye and blessings)
Irish American Mom
This was lovely for St Patricks Day. Thank you.
Hi Sara – I’m so glad you liked this post for St. Patrick’s Day.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you and many blessings all year through.
Thank you for the Kerry Apple Cake recipe…I made it with applesauce instead of butter and it turned out great.
Happy Days to you!
Kari
Hi Kari – I’m delighted to hear apple sauce was a good substitute for butter. That’s a great tip for a healthier version of this cake. I hope you had a lovely day on Friday, and many blessings to you too.
Take care,
Mairéad
Thank you, Mairead*…your post is wonderful to read.
A woman who lived at the turn of the 20th century, named Mary Banim, wrote about the promise of St. Patrick, to the sons and daughters of Ireland no matter how far away they may be, of his prayers and care. I count on this and am so grateful for this…for us all.
God bless you and your Family!
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
hi Irishnannie – It’s lovely to think St. Patrick is watching over us no matter where we may be. My father has great devotion to St. Patrick and prays to him everyday. I thought this post would be a good way to remember the true message of St. Patrick for the Irish everywhere.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Hi Mairead,
Refreshing to see the lovely post on St. Patrick instead of the usual hullabaloo in other places! It is a holy day, after all, and his writings are so inspiring. Keep up the good work!
Cheers and Shamrocks,
Maureen
Hi Maureen – St. Patrick’s Day was very much a holy day when I was a little girl in Dublin. I thought it would be nice to remember we celebrate this great saint because of his faith and love. Thanks so much for stopping by to check out this post.
Take care,
Mairéad
Many thanks for such a lovely post about St. PAtrick!!!!
Hi Maury – I’m so glad you enjoyed this little collection of quotations from St. Patrick.
All the best,
Mairéad
Dear Mairead,
As always, I want to send people to read your blog because your posts are just the BEST!
Thanks very much for your thoughtful post on St. Patrick with his own words.
Much better to remember him for his faith and love rather than to be associated with green beer.
Hi Kay – Thanks for all your support. I’m glad you enjoyed this post about St. Patrick’s wonderful legacy, which is far more profound than green beer and shenanigans.
Take care,
Mairéad
I’m a little late getting to the St. Patrick’s Day post! 🙂 I like the very first quote you shared best of all, Mairead. God indeed supplies everything we need!
Hi Cheryl – I too love that quotation. God is all around us and supporting us in all we do.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
I found your blog while searching for the name of those lovely yellow flowers which covered the landscape of Ireland when my daughter and I visited Ireland (home of my great grandfather) a couple years ago. I’ve always been called “Maggie” or Margaret, but I LOVE “Mairead”!
Thank you for helping me relive so many of the joys my daughter and I shared in the beautiful Emerald Isle. Cannot wait to visit again (and stay longer!) I also appreciated the memory of those iron gates.
God’s blessings be upon you and your family!
Newly “Mairead”!!
Hi Maggie – I’m delighted you found my little corner of the world wide web through your search for yellow furze. It’s lovely to learn how much you enjoyed your trip to Ireland, the home of your ancestors. I hope you make it back there someday soon.
Blessings to you and yours too,
From one Mairéad to another.