Saint Patrick

An older gentlemen slowly kneels down and tightly clasps his hands together to pray, whispering quietly as his son stands off far to the side. The burning candles flicker in the dark musty room and the light dances across his son's face. Uninterested, the small boy stands alone, he decision not join his father illustrates his failure to recognize the importance of prayer. Who knew this little boy would become so invested in his faith and eventually bear the name Saint Patrick, Apostle of Ireland? The world welcomed Saint Patrick sometime between c.418 and 422, who was raised in Bannaventa Burniae by his mother and his father, Calpurnius."At the age of 16, while staying on his father's country estate (probably near Ravenglass), he was seized by Irish raiders and sold as a slave in Ireland" (Bieler L.). After nearly  nearly "six years' servitude as a shepherd, [he was] encouraged by a voice in his sleep" to escape Ireland (Bieler L.) He returned to his home but was once again called by that very same voice to Ireland. So he spent the rest of his life preaching Christianity and converting the Irish people. During his teenage years he endeavored on a life-changing journey that altogether brought him closer to God. Saint Patrick of Ireland conquered many challenges, was a hard worker, and valued spiritual union with his Lord.

Nothing ever gets done without a little hard work and Saint Patrick is no exception. Most of his life, he devoted to converting the Irish people, "His mission concentrated on the West and North of Ireland [where he] toured the country extensively and made numerous converts" (Bieler L.). It was no challenge for Patrick to vocalize his beliefs-the real work was converting the Irish people to Christianity. Fortunately, his devotion to God fueled his drive to carry out good will, and all his hard work paid off because many Irish folks gravitated towards him and adopted his religion. It is astounding that he had both the strength and will power to travel across Ireland because it had been an extreme challenge to take on such a long journey and failure was not an option. Although it was risky, he continued to journey across an island where the temperature could plummet to negative fifteen degrees Celsius or colder. He was relentless and refused to give up. It's true that this time was very precious, because in reality, the hands of time cannot be reversed."Patrick began religious training, a course of study that lasted more than 15 years" (Who Was St. Patrick?). Throughout school he worked diligently and put forth his best effort to gain his priest hood. Obtaining the honor of priesthood truly meant nothing to Patrick because his determination was to serve God. Saint Patrick was a man who did not fear a little hard work. Many of his greatest feats required a lot of time and effort to achieve, but he still succeeded in the end.

People are faced with challenges and obstacles on a daily basis. Many people cower and wilt when he or she is faced with adversity. Saint Patrick refused to allow hardships to discourage him from strengthening his relationship with God and he used those hardships to serve the people of Ireland at all costs. "[Saint Patrick] states that [after] certain "senior" clergymen learned of the sin he committed.he was criticized and another priest was appointed bishop of Ireland, a position that Patrick would nevertheless, eventually assume" (Saint Patrick). During his life as a priest he was ridiculed and made fun of because of his previous sin. His sin was so unbearable that his fellow priest barely managed to forgive him. When other priests got wind of deceit, he was ashamed and it was hard for him to talk to anyone. Everyone believed that Patrick was good for nothing and didn't deserve to lead a holy life. Even though he was hindered and plagued with heavy criticism, he still came out victorious.  "He defied the pagan priests.by kindling the Easter fire. This challenge to paganism created at first indignation, and subsequently respect [in the high king's court]" (New Catholic Encyclopedia). During his missionary work he focused on the people of Ireland. The faith of the Irish people was minimal until Patrick developed a brilliant plan. This public spectacle attracted tons of attention to Christianity because Saint Patrick defied the priests and even the high king. Oddly enough the priests were never angry, instead of recognizing it as a threat they accepted his declaration of faith and developed a new-found respect for Christianity. Through his epic journey Saint Patrick passed many challenges and through these feats he found strength to overcome any obstacle no matter the size.

It is important that Saint Patrick grew closer to God because it shows that he revered him as his savior and salvation. In his early years he had gone to church but didn't have much of a connection to God and chose not to live a righteous life. "His captivity had become a means of spiritual conversion. A desire to preach the Christian faith to the Irish grew within him to the certainty of vocation" (Bieler L.). Before his abduction Patrick had not chosen to follow his Christian beliefs. He did not find it vital to live a holy life but while he was a slave his necessity for God was realized. It is said that from then on he prayed over 100 times per day and began to build a bond in which he entirely and utterly trusted God. Not only did he pray constantly but he started to incorporate God in his everyday life. With no one to lean on and nothing to look forward to, he soon applied prayer to every aspect of his life. His faith grew through his prayer where he was able to speak with God on a personal level, those who had faith could share his feelings. Patrick's beliefs quickly changed as soon as he recognized religion as imperative to everyday life. "Christ with me, Christ in me, Christ in every mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me" (Scott P. Richert). It is very clear that through this prayer, Saint Patrick illustrated his faith in God. The prayer is proof of his belief that God was all around him and will always wait for everyone to accept Him. Even though not everyone is Christian, he still strongly believed that everyone is given a chance to renew his or her faith. That's why Patrick had faith the Lord waits and that patience also showed that he respects an individual's decision. In the end no one can force another to believe in God, therefore it is our own duty to seek Him out. Life always throws you curve balls but Saint Patrick managed to overcome them with the help of his gifts; his extraordinary ability to overcome obstacles and his unity with God. While a slave he poured most of his energy into prayer which strengthened his faith in God. Later on, this same dedication flourished and lead him to reach many monumental achievements.

Today his spirit lives on because many recognize his contributions to society that are still impactful. Saint Patrick inspires both me and other Christians everywhere because of his lifelong commitment to God and his contributions to the religion. I think his unwavering faith is a trait every hero should possess. "Why is faith important? [Because] faith is the victory that overcomes the world, the flesh and the devil" (1 John 5:4). "Faith is the only way we are able to stand, the only way we are able to live and the only way we are able to love" (2 Cor.1:24; Gal. 5:6). By nature we are all sinners and thus the most important lesson we must learn is to have complete faith in God. Understanding Saint Patrick's life and input in the Christian community and Ireland encouraged others to strengthen their faith by loving the Lord through resilience.