We have 2 bigger feast days this week; St. Patrick of Ireland and St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus.
St. Patrick has a wonderful life story of being kidnapped and enslaved in Ireland. He escaped only to return after his ordination and as priest and bishop converted a nation! He is seen often with a shamrock and it is said that he used this to help teach the 1 God in 3 Persons! 1 shamrock 3 leaves. I always tell the kids that the rainbow and pot of gold are faith based as well. We find the rainbow as a covenant between God and Noah, and were do we find our “pot of gold”!? The kids say in Heaven with God!
The most commonly known part of the 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.
St. Joseph of course was the foster father of Jesus. While scripture doesn’t record much that he said what is recorded shows us a faithful, strong, hardworking man of God! He always did without question what God asked of him. From the angel telling him to take Mary as his wife, to the Flight into Egypt, to teaching his foster son the carpenters trade and above all to be a faith filled man of God!
Many blessings as we continue to travel along during this Passion-tide!