This day used to only make me nervous because if you didn't wear green, you got pinched. My family didn't celebrate "being Irish" so there wasn't a fuss at home. No green cupcakes or green beer. We did have the traditional corned beef and cabbage, but no Irish soda bread. Potatoes, too of course. The whole house smelled like corned beef. And guess what? My house is heading in that direction soon. I would feel like the truest party pooper if I didn't honor this saint's day by steaming up the house with simmering spiced beef. One thing about St. patrick that is i think true is that his hagiography doesn't include a lot of suffering. He wasn't a martyr and he didn't heal lepers. This may account for part of his worldwide appeal. He was a persuasive and charismatic leader i think. He is credited with ridding Ireland of snakes. He brought Christianity to the Emerald isle, to people who took to it like a duck to water. I wish that I could meet the man and see what aspect of Christianity he most fervently cherished and reflected to the people then. I think I'll read up on him more today. Here, a part of St. Patrick's "Breastplate" Prayer:
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,Christ on my right, Christ on my left,Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,Christ in every eye that sees me,Christ in every ear that hears me.
Thank you, St. Patrick and thank you God for this great saint.
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