The Slave Returns

Weekly Message

Sunday, March 15, 2014

The Slave Returns

Monday, March 17, is St. Patrick’s Day. Scarce a one among us is unaware of the patron saint of Ireland. But how many know how he achieved that distinction?

Patrick was not Irish. He lived on the mainland in the fifth century A.D. and was kidnapped by seagoing raiders and forcibly taken to Ireland to serve as a slave. So Patrick was a slave, but his unfortunate position did not necessarily instill a great hatred for his captors. Patrick was a brilliant observer and studied the Irish people and their culture. He became a student of the Irish, as it were.

But still, he was a slave and when he found opportunity to escape, he seized it. In time, though, back in Britain, Patrick heard in a dream, the voices of his former captors calling to him. He determined to return to Ireland and do what he could to assist the people. Among other things, he brought to them the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

In time, Ireland came to love this humble of humblest men. And so it was that the former slave, Padraig, or as per the anglicized version, “Patrick,” became the patron saint of Ireland. And now people around the world celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

This celebration has a more commercial tone in America than it does in Ireland. Here, “St. Paddy’s Day” is for celebrating, carousing and drinking far too much. In Ireland, the people take a more demure approach in observing the day.

St. Patrick died in 461. He was not only the church’s missionary to Ireland, he also served as bishop. Patrick was the first westerner to condemn slavery.

Now here’s my thought on this, followed by a question, a rhetorical one. Patrick didn’t have to return to Ireland. After all, they did hold him in slavery. He could have ignored his dream voices and served the church credibly by remaining in Britain. But instead he chose to put himself in danger for the sake of others. Does that sound familiar?

Who else put himself in danger in order that others might be saved? Jesus did. The first 30 years of his life was spent in relative anonymity. But Jesus knew he was on this earth for a mission from God and he did not falter in taking up the ministry that would eventually see his death, resurrection and ascension.

My question. If you were faced with doing something that went against the grain, even something that could possibly lead to your death, but you knew for a certainty that God was calling you in this matter, what would you do? Would you hop aboard a boat and return to Ireland, as St. Patrick did, or would you simply ignore the calling and continue on as always?

We don’t all get called to such potentially dangerous and life-changing situations. But most of us from time to time hear that tiny, still voice calling us to do something that we might not want to do. For many, the answer can only come through continual and diligent prayer.

So this St. Patrick’s Day, try and set aside a moment to reflect upon the great self-sacrifice of St. Patrick. His life is a model for us and it shows us that there are good people in this world.

Amen.