Spirit Inspire: St. Patrick-An Ireland Revivalist | Digitalk World

St. Patrick was born in Britain to a Wealthy Parents of Roman citizenship in the Late 4th Century , he Was Kidnapped at a tender age of 16 years and taken to Ireland as a Slave where he spent six Years there as an Herdsman, that's when he became so Passionate and Aglow for the Gospel. It is said that saint Patrick prayed this prayer every morning.

“I bind myself today to the strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same, the Three-in-One,
And One-in-Three.
I bind this day to me forever, by the power of faith,
Christ’s Incarnation;
His baptism in the river Jordan;
His death on the cross for my salvation;
His bursting forth from the spiced tomb;
His riding up the heavenly way;
His coming at the day of doom.
I bind myself unto the power of the great love of the
Cherubim; The sweet, ‘Well done,’ in judgment hour;
The service of the Seraphim;
Confessor’s faith, Apostle’s word;
The Patriarch’s prayers, the Prophet’s scrolls;
All good deeds done unto the Lord.
I bind myself today to the virtues of the starlit heaven;
The glorious sun’s life-giving ray;
The whiteness of the moon at even;
The flashing of the lightning free;
The whirling wind’s tempestuous shocks;
I bind myself today to the power of God to hold and lead;
His eye to watch; His might to stay.
The wisdom of my God to teach;
His hand to guide; His shield to ward;The Word of God to give me speech;
His heavenly host to be my guard, against the demon
snares of sin;
The natural lusts that war within;
The hostile men that mar my course:
Few or many, far or nigh;
In every place and in all hours;
Against their fierce hostility.
I bind to me these Holy powers against all Satan’s spells
and wiles; against false words of heresy:
Against the knowledge that defiles:
Against the heart’s idolatry;
Against the wizard’s evil craft;
Against the death-wound and the burning;
The choking wave and the poisoned shaft;
Protect me, Christ, ‘til thy returning.
Christ be with me, Christ within me;
Christ beside me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ to win me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me;
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger;
Christ in hearts of all that love me;
Christ in the mouth of friend and stranger.
I bind unto myself the strong name of the Trinity;
By invocation of the same, The Three-in-One,
And One-in-Three;
Of whom all nature hath creation. Eternal Father, Word
and Spirit.

Praise to the Lord of my salvation."

As the son of a Roman citizen, and a British noble, Patrick was bound to have had some education. According to the custom of British citizens of the Roman Empire, Patrick was given three names, rendered in Latin as Patricius, Magonus, Sacatus. Patricius meaning, ‘noble’, and Sacatus, a Celtic word meaning, ‘valiant in war’. The fact that St. Patrick worked great and wonderful miracles is beyond question, and those miracles won him enthusiastic admiration and enduring love of the people. De Vere wrote long ago of Patrick:

“Beholding not alone his wondrous works, But, wondrous more, the sweetness of his strength, And how he neither shrank from flood nor fire, And how he couched him on the wintry rocks, And how he sang great hymns to One who heard, And how he cared for poor men and the sick, And for the souls, invisible to men.”

Miracle from Birth

Miracles happened over the birth of Patrick. As no priest was to be found, the infant was taken to the blind hermit, Gornias, to be baptized. A difficulty arose because there was no water to perform the ceremony. Gornias however, by faith, took the baby’s hand and with it traced the sign of the cross upon the earth, and as a result, water gushed forth. Bathing his own eyes the hermit saw, and he then baptized Patrick. From his childhood he had been able to understand the things of God. Patrick, in his Book of Epistles,said, “And God had pity on my youth and ignorance, and He took care of me before I knew Him, and before I could distinguish between good and evil. And He strengthened me and comforted me as a father does his son.”

Once when Patrick was minding sheep with his little sister, Lupita, she tripped and fell, striking her head against a stone. Her brother was some distance away, but when here turned and found her laying unconscious, he prayed over her and raised her up. The wound was instantly healed and the girl recovered. The scar remained visible, as a proof of the miracle. The children returned home together as if nothing had happened.

On one occasion when the Britons had a meeting, his foster- parents took him along with them. While they were there his foster-father suddenly collapsed and died. At first a great hush fell upon the assembly and then the man’s relatives began to weep and his wife cried, and calling to Patrick she said, “My boy, why have you allowed the man who has been so kind to you to die?” Patrick had been playing with the other children and had not noticed the distress of the people. But seeing what had happened he ran to his foster-father and putting his arm around the dead man’s neck, he said affectionately, “Get up and let us go home.” The man arose and returned home with his wife and boys.

Experienced  Slavery

He was taken by ship to Ireland, somewhere along the coast of Antrim and sold to a petty king, Milcho. He was put in charge of a herd of swine and spent most time out in the fields. But it was there that God was made real to him, and as he said later, his eyes were opened to see his unbelief, and he was truly converted. All the scripture which he learned as a child flooded his mind and heart and he decided that somehow he would become a servant of God. Milcho was so impressed with Patrick that he asked him to teach his children to read. But Milcho was a druid and opposed to Christianity, which was spreading across Ireland. Patrick had many conversations with the angel of Ireland, named Victor.

Patrick Journey Home with Angel

One night after six years, he heard the voice of the angel, Victor, who was standing near. He said, “Soon you will return to your country.” A while later, Victor spoke to him again, “Your ship is ready.” Patrick managed to escape, and trusting God, he made his way to the coast. After a few days he found a ship ready to sail, and was taken on board. Eventually Patrick, after months of journeying, arrived home. His parents had died but his relatives welcomed him. One night he was awakened by the angel, Victor, whom he had known in Ireland. He was standing by Patrick’s bed holding many letters in his hand. Victor selected one and handed it to Patrick. It read, “The Voice of the Irish.” Then he heard many voices calling to him to come back to Ireland and bring the message of the Gospel. Although the angel, Victor said, “Go to Ireland, for you shall be an Apostle of its people,” Patrick determined to go Rome to lay his case before the Bishop. However, he met Germanus first and was ordained by him. There is some confusion as to whether Patrick actually went to see Bishop Celestine in Rome or not. But the angel came to him while he was with Germanus and said, “You are commanded by God to go to Ireland, to strengthen their faith and belief, and that you may bring the Irish by the net of the Gospel to the harbor of life.” And so Patrick bade farewell to Germanus who gave him a blessing and sent one of his servants, a minister Segetius, to help and testify for him.

Finally Patrick returned to Ireland in A.D. 432. The ministry to the Irish began, not without opposition from the druids and wizards who tried desperately to keep Patrick away from the kings. Patrick believed that if the kings could be won for God then the people would follow.

Patrick lit Fire

When the sun had set, Patrick prepared to begin the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ. It was the first time the Paschal fire was lit, never to be extinguished in the land. Hardly were the Christian torches seen to blaze, when the attention of the high king was drawn to the scene. The whole of Mag Breg (the Beautiful Plain), was illuminated by the fires, while Tara was still in darkness. Angrily, the king called his attendants and told them to find out who had dared to light the fires and break the law he had made for the occasion of the festivals of Beltane and Samhain. The druids told King Laeghaire that there was no need to send messengers to Slane for they knew what the fires were. “We see the fire,” they said, “And we know that unless it is quenched on the night in which it is made, it will neverbe quenched for ever. The man who kindled it will vanquish the kings and lords of Ireland unless he is forbidden.” “This shall not be!” cried the king, “But we will go down and kill this man who made the fires.” Meanwhile on the Hill of Slane, Patrick had begun with the others the celebration of the Easter festival, singing and worshiping God. It was late when nine chariots bearing the king and queen with two chief druids, and a number of nobles came thundering toward Slane. 

The wizards began to fear that the king might fail by taking a hasty action. As they drew toward the Christians, the druid wizards spoke to King Laeghaire, “You should be careful,” they cautioned the king, “Not to go down to the place where the fire was made and give any respect to the man who kindled the fire. Stay outside and have him brought out to you, so that he will know that you are the king, and he is the subject.” The king was flattered and agreed. They drove to the place called, “The Graves of Fiacc’s Men,” and they un-yoked the horses. The king and his nobles sat in solemn state, and the warriors stood with their shields erect in front of them. In the light of the fires they looked very fierce. The king forbade anyone to rise to greet Patrick or any of his company (contrary to the custom of the Irish). A messenger was sent to fetch Patrick. 

Soon a bright procession appeared descending the hill. As Patrick advanced, all eyes were fixed on him. Calmly he sang as he approached the king, “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will call upon the Name of the Lord our God.”As Patrick’s clear strong voice resounded, a feeling of awe filled the minds of the warriors. One man, Erc, the son of Deg, rose to greet Patrick. By grace, in a moment he believed in God and Patrick blessed him. Later on he was baptized and eventually became the first Bishop of Slane. Patrick prophesied to him, “Your city on earth will be high and noble.”

After a formal greeting between Laeghaire and Patrick, the wizard Lochru attached him angrily with contention and shouting. He became malicious and hostile and even violent, blaspheming the Holy Trinity. Patrick’s anger was roused and he called upon God, “O Lord, Who can do all things and on Whose power everything depends. You have sent us here to preach Your Name to the heathen. Now let this ungodly man, who blasphemes Your Name, be lifted up and let him die.” No sooner had Patrick finished speaking than a supernatural force raised the wizard in the air. He fell heavily down, his head striking a stone. And so he died in the presence of those assembled. 

The heathen, seeing their own subdued and realizing that Patrick had more power than the druids, were greatly affected. But the king was enraged at the fate of Lochru, on whom he had depended. He then wanted to take the life of Patrick. “Slay this man,” he cried to his guards. But Patrick stood firmly in his place. With flashing eyes and resonant voice he said, “Let God arise and His enemies be scattered. Let them that hate Him, flee from before His face! As smoke vanished, so let them vanish away: as wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.”

In Summary

Great was the anger of King Laeghaire when he saw he was deprived of his second druid wizard. He would have liked to kill Patrick himself but he was prevented by the Spirit of God. “Unless you believe now, you will die quickly,” Patrick said to the king. King Laeghaire was seized with fear and went aside to his council-chamber and said to his officers, “In my opinion it is better to serve Patrick’s God than for me to die presently.” And so the king once more bowed before Patrick. Many thousands that day were baptized as a result. Patrick went in peace to the king’s court and was met with hostility. He stood firm in the power of God as he had done the day previously, and as a result King Laeghaire gave protection to the Christians in his own kingdom, although he was never truly converted himself.

Patrick returned to Saul, to Dichu’s Barn, on Strangford Lough, where he had made his first celebration in Ireland. He gave thanks to God, received Holy Communion from Bishop Tassach and then prayed with the brethren and gave up his spirit to God. It is said that for the twelve nights of his funeral rights,

an angelic radiance was seen around his body. Before he died, on 17th march, 471 A.D. Patrick made this confession:

“If I ever accomplished anything good for the sake of
my God, Whom I love, I ask Him to grant that I can
shed my blood with the strangers and captives for His
Name’s sake. If I, Patrick the sinner, have done any
small thing according to the will of God, I attribute
it to the gift of God alone. And this is my confession 

before I die.”

Excerpt From "Celtic Flames"

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