Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!

Almost all the pictures on Saint Patrick’s Day on Pexels.com involved drink. I’m pleased to find one that didn’t. It’s not that I’m against alcohol, but I don’t approve of drunkenness. And I’d be much happier if more Irish people were like Patrick himself. Throughout my life, the Irish were often seen as being a little backward, short-tempered, and prone to drunkenness. And in the 1970s to late 1990s, we had Irish terrorists. Maybe people thought we supported them or sympathized with them. Few in the Republic of Ireland did, but you’d meet the odd one. Most of us despised terrorists.

I suppose, Saint Patricks Day it is primarily a cultural day. Perhaps that’s the case with many celebrations of patron saint’s days around the world. But I like to think of Patrick himself. He was an amazing man. If I was enslaved by someone across the sea and managed to escape, why would I return? And he returned to Ireland in such a public way, and it wasn’t with an army. His confidence was in the power of the gospel. In this way, he followed the example of the Apostle Paul:

Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

Patrick is cherished by Roman Catholic, Protestant, and newer evangelical churches.

When I was a Roman Catholic we used to sing the “Hail Glorious Saint Patrick” hymn. It felt a little idolatrous to me. Perhaps it was just a sort of a poem of what you might say if you could speak to him. But in the Bible, although there are great heroes, anytime someone venerates anyone in a worshipful way, it’s discouraged. Here are two examples:

Acts 10:25
As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. ²⁶ But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”

Revelation 19:10
At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! 

So, we worship God, but we remember Patrick, and we celebrate the fact that he is so famous around the world. And here are some hymns associated with him, but directed to God.