The Commemoration of St. Patrick, Missionary to Ireland, +17 March ca. 466

Biography

Patrick, Missionary to Ireland Patrick is one of the best-known of the missionary saints. Born to a Christian family in Britain around the year AD 389 he was captured as a teenager by raiders, taken to Ireland, and forced to serve as a herdsman. After six years, he escaped and found his way to a monastery community in France. Ordained a bishop, it is believed that Patrick made his way back to Ireland in the summer of 433, and there spent the rest of his long life spreading the Gospel and organizing Christian communities. He strongly defended the doctrine of the Holy Trinity in a time when it was not popular to do so. His literary legacy includes his autobiography, Confession, and several prayers and hymns still used in the Church today. At least one tradition states that Patrick died in Ireland on March 17 around the year AD 466. From Treasury of Daily Prayer (Kindle Locations 39624-39626). Concordia Publishing House. Kindle Edition.

Collect of the Day

Let us pray… God of grace and might, we praise You for your servant Patrick, to whom You gave gifts to make the good news known to the people of Ireland. Raise up, we pray, in every country, heralds and evangelists of Your kingdom, so that the world may know the immeasurable riches of our Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Reflection

The Church’s mission is Baptism.  St. Patrick, missionary Bishop, knew that. From his Confession:

In the light, therefore, of our faith in the Trinity I must make this choice, regardless of danger I must make known the gift of God and everlasting consolation, without fear and frankly I must spread everywhere the name of God so that after my decease I may leave a bequest to my brethren and sons whom I have baptized in the Lord—so many thousands of people.

We could call Bishop Patrick, Patrick the Baptizer. His poem, Patrick’s Breastplate (see below) is the basis of the hymn, “I Bind Unto Myself This Day”, a baptism hymn, see Lutheran Service Book, # 604. Baptism is evangelism.  The Lord calls His Body, the Church, to baptize all nations from the Lord’s own mouth, see St. Matthew 28: 19-20. Bp. Patrick did that! Baptism into God is good news for sinners:  washed in the blood of the Lamb.  Baptism is also the return to Baptism for those who have left the Church:  Confession of sin, and Absolution.  Baptism for those in the Church to walk in the Holy Spirit as we are baptized into Christ, see Romans 6: 1, and following. The Church does not primarily need evangelism programs to quickly fill the pews and as I have seen, they do not work.  Spiritual problems cannot be solved by administrative techniques and tactics (ala, Abraham Heschel) but only by spiritual means:  the work of the Holy Spirit teaching us the Word made flesh. The Church has her Lord’s program, better yet, His promises in preaching and teaching the Word, in administering the Sacraments, in praying, singing, learning, following Jesus. He will add to those being saved.  Patrick got out into the Irish lands to preach, teach, and baptize.  We can turn beer green, but the Lord alone takes us, dead to sin, and makes us green:  alive and growing in Him.  Yet, like Kermit the Frog, It’s not easy being green. It’s not easy being a Christian and we have our brothers and sisters in Christ, all the saints, helping us. On St. Patrick’s Day everyone is Irish, it is said.  Given Patrick, everyday on account of Christ, faith and baptism in Him, everyone can be Christian, and that is the green of eternal life.

From Patrick’s Confession: “Whence I, once rustic, exiled, unlearned, who does not know how to provide for the future, this at least I know most certainly that before I was humiliated I was like a stone Lying in the deep mire; and He that is mighty came and in His mercy lifted me up, and raised me aloft, and placed me on the top of the wall. And therefore I ought to cry out aloud and so also render something to the Lord for His great benefits here and in eternity—benefits which the mind of men is unable to appraise.”

Quote

I bind unto myself today The strong name of the Trinity, By invocation of the same The Three in One and One in Three.

I bind this today to me forever By power of faith, Christ’s incarnation; His baptism in Jordan River, His death on cross for my salvation; His bursting from the spicèd tomb, His riding up the heavenly way, His coming at the day of doom I bind unto myself today.

I bind unto myself the power Of the great love of cherubim; The sweet “Well done” in judgment hour, The service of the seraphim, Confessors’ faith, apostles’ word, The patriarchs’ prayers, the prophets’ scrolls, All good deeds done unto the Lord And purity of virgin souls.

 I bind unto myself today The virtues of the star lit heaven, The glorious sun’s life-giving ray, The whiteness of the moon at even, The flashing of the lightning free, The whirling wind’s tempestuous shocks, The stable earth, the deep salt sea Around the old eternal rocks.

 I bind unto myself today The power of God to hold and lead, His eye to watch, His might to stay, His ear to hearken to my need. The wisdom of my God to teach, His hand to guide, His shield to ward; The word of God to give me speech, His heavenly host to be my guard.

Against the demon snares of sin, The vice that gives temptation force, The natural lusts that war within, The hostile men that mar my course; Or few or many, far or nigh, In every place and in all hours, Against their fierce hostility I bind to me these holy powers.

Against all Satan’s spells and wiles, Against false words of heresy, Against the knowledge that defiles, Against the heart’s idolatry, Against the wizard’s evil craft, Against the death wound and the burning, The choking wave, the poisoned shaft,Protect me, Christ, till Thy returning.

Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me. Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger, Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself the name, The strong name of the Trinity, By invocation of the same, The Three in One and One in Three. By whom all nature hath creation, Eternal Father, Spirit, Word: Praise to the Lord of my salvation, Salvation is of Christ the Lord.

—St. Patrick’s Breastplate:  From Treasury of Daily Prayer (Kindle Locations 39624-39626). Concordia Publishing House. Kindle Edition.