by Adair Ellis
I chose to write my blog during the week of St. Patrick’s Day, because I need a little pick me up during the gloomy weather and mood of Lent.
It’s nice to have a splash of spring and Irish green, as well as the festive beer drinking, pots of gold, and parades that take place in streets around the world. However, I think few rarely remember that life was hard for Patrick. Because of a challenging youth, he started listening to God and converted to Christianity, and later in life, converted others.
The Confession of St. Patrick states that at the age of just sixteen Patrick was captured by a group of Irish pirates. The raiders brought Patrick to Ireland where he was enslaved and held captive for six years. Patrick writes in The Confession that the time he spent in captivity was critical to his spiritual development. He explains that the Lord had mercy on his youth and ignorance, and afforded him the opportunity to be forgiven of his sins and converted to Christianity. While in captivity, Saint Patrick worked as a shepherd and strengthened his relationship with God through prayer eventually leading him to convert to Christianity.
He escapes his master and sails back to his native home of Britain. Amazingly and very bravely, he decides to return to Ireland to begin the challenge of teaching and then converting others to Christianity. I believe that most people are not up for a challenge to return to a place where you are mistreated and not welcomed, and then try to do something good and rewarding for those that mistreated you. His work reminds me of the most well known CHRISTian. Then I remind myself that 40 days of a modern Lent is nothing to dread or complain about. St. Patrick would have considered our Lenten times a “pot of gold at the end of a rainbow”!
Adair is a member of St. James’ Vestry and is the liaison for the Parish Life committee.
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