Happy St. Patrick's Day!

This morning I read the story of St. Patrick from Bob Hartman's Early Saints of God. It's a very well written book for children. A bit old for Sarah still (who got antsy during the introduction and tuned out) but I enjoyed it a lot. In fact, it reminded me of one of the most obvious but amazing facts about St. Patrick, one we tend to forget: Patrick wasn't Irish.

He was, in fact, a Briton, born in what we now know as Wales. He was abducted by Irish raiders and became a slave in Ireland. It was while a slave that he found new freedom in Christ, who answered his anguished prayers and helped him find his way home again. Years later, having become a priest and then a bishop, Patrick returned to the land of his captivity as an evangelist.

My good friend Gail sent me a timely note last night, along with a copy of the wonderful St. Patrick's Breastplate, a beautiful hymn/prayer for protection and and help. I've loved it for a long time, but it never ceases to move me, especially that last stanza:

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 every one who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye of every one that sees me
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today [I bind unto my self this day]
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.

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I also spent part of the day remembering with great fondness how much fun St. Patrick's Day always was when I worked with the Cabrini sisters. Many of the Cabrini sisters are Italian, but some of them are Irish, and at any rate, they always know how to celebrate...not just St. Patrick's, but almost every other occasion, small or large! I can almost taste those yummy pastries the sisters in the Radnor community would bring into the office on March 17 -- I think they were called Irish Potatoes. I actually looked up some recipes online, but apparently there are lots of ways to make them...most of them featuring cream, coconut and cinnamon. Perhaps I wil have to try to make some of these, if not this year, then next. (If anyone out there has a favorite recipe, let me know) Yum!!