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SOMETHING TO THINK AND PRAY ABOUT THIS WEEK
The Mission of St Patrick
Many legends, stories and traditions have grown up over the centuries regarding Ireland’s most famous saint. It is necessary, therefore, to separate the man from the myth by returning to St Patrick’s own writings, including what has become known as his Confession.
In a simple written account, Patrick’s trust in God and his gratitude towards him who had achieved so much through such a weak instrument, shine out. This in no way detracts from the unique light his Confession casts on this humble missionary of Christ who brought his Gospel of love to the Irish people. A great missionary looked back on his life and saw the labyrinthine pattern of God’s wonderful design.
As he reviews his life journey, which he admits was full of faults and shortcomings, and in the apparently haphazard events of his life, so inexplicable when they occurred, he now sees the hand of God at work in which his hidden plan for the salvation of the Irish is realised. No extraordinary wonders marked his progress throughout Ireland, nevertheless, he touched the hearts of young people who flocked to him and committed their lives to following Christ in the priesthood and religious life.
The essential knowledge about a saint lies not so much in dates and places, but rather in his holiness, his values, what inspired him and his spiritual wrestlings. On these points we are well informed. Patrick sets the record straight regarding his mission and underscores the role God had in it. Often misunderstood in the past, Patrick hoped that his readers would finally grasp how he regarded his long, arduous but ultimately successful mission. His story is one of God’s grace that leads to wonder and thanksgiving.
Maurice Hogan SSC, in the Preface to Aidan J. Larkin, The Spiritual Journey of Saint Patrick
We remember at this time...
St. Patrick was kidnapped as a child and sold as a slave to another nation. The horror of the kidnapping and enslavement of people has happened throughout the world down through the centuries and it’s still happening today.
It’s inconceivable for us to think that God could bring good out of the kidnapping and enslavement of a child, but He did.
God had a plan for St. Patrick’s life that would lead to the conversion of a nation and many others worldwide.
We pray for those suffering today – whether through human trafficking, slavery, or other forms of injustice – that they may find hope in St. Patrick’s story. May they know the love of God, that He is with them in the pain and the suffering, and that He has a plan for their life and for each of our lives. Amen!
Sacred Space – Daily Prayer for 25 Years
Sacred Space began in 1999 and has offered new content every day since then. You can learn more about Sacred Space on our About page, or if you are a regular, you can share your Sacred Space Story on our Feedback page. For our 25th anniversary, we are featuring stories from people for whom Sacred Space has played a special part in their lives. Please consider sharing your Sacred Space Story.
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