Saint Patrick--Hero of the Faith

by Annie Yorty ©2022

Leprechauns. Rainbows. Pots of gold. The color green. What does all this Irish lore have to do with Saint Patrick? In truth, not a lot. But Saint Patrick’s Day, the holiday of merrymaking in many Irish communities, goes deeper than you might imagine. For that reason, I’d like to introduce you to Saint Patrick–hero of the faith.

Was Saint Patrick a Real Person?

As a child, I never knew much about Saint Patrick. A largely ignored holiday in my community of German heritage, Saint Patrick’s Day glided by on the calendar without so much as a green sock to commemorate the day. At the time, I wasn’t even sure Saint Patrick was a real person. But as a homeschool mom and lifelong learner, I investigated the legend and learned that this patron saint of Ireland was indeed real. In fact, though Patrick experienced shocking twists and turns in his life, he demonstrated remarkable forgiveness to oppressors and obedience to God. But he wasn’t even Irish!

Patrick’s Story

How did a boy growing up in the Roman colony of Britain during the fourth century become Saint Patrick–hero of the faith–and the patron saint of Ireland? When he was just sixteen, marauders from the northern, untamed part of the British Isles raided his village. As a result, young Patrick was kidnapped and sold into slavery in Ireland.

Patrick spent the next six years as a slave tending sheep. With long, lonely hours to himself, he meditated on God. Like the shepherd boy, David, in the Bible, Patrick grew close to God and trusted Him because of his work with sheep, observations of nature, and extended times of prayer.

A Dream from God

After enduring the oppression of slavery for six years, Patrick received a dream from God. The dream showed a ship docked in a faraway harbor waiting to take Patrick away from his captors. Soon after the dream, Patrick escaped and walked all the way to the harbor, where there was, miraculously, a waiting ship.

Though the trip was fraught with difficulties, Patrick eventually returned to his home. Back in Britain, Patrick studied God’s word and became a priest.

Then God sent him another dream. One that would test his devotion to God. In the dream, a man gave Patrick a letter from the people of Ireland. In the letter the people asked Patrick to go back to Ireland. Imagine the thought of returning to the ones who oppressed you. The very people who stole your youth and forced you into slave labor.

What would you do?

I don’t know exactly how Patrick first reacted to this dream. Maybe he recoiled at the thought of seeing those odious people again. Maybe he questioned God’s message. Or possibly he cowered in fear, doubting God’s goodness. Isn’t that how we sometimes respond to God?

Whatever his initial reaction, Patrick ultimately decided to obey God and head back to Ireland. What a mighty work God must have accomplished in Patrick’s heart to induce such irrational forgiveness leading to radical obedience.

Radical Forgiveness

Is God calling you to forgive like Patrick? If you’re shaking your head in disbelief, I have good news. God doesn’t expect you to come up with such unusual forgiveness from your own resources. We can imitate the example of Jesus’ forgiveness only by the supernatural power of His Holy Spirit living within us.

For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power (1 Corinthians 4:20 NLT).

I know from personal experience this statement is much easier to say that do. I struggle to restore the relationship with the friend who betrayed me. To let go of past hurts caused by a family member. To be loving toward my husband after a quick-tempered outburst (not that it happens often, mind you 😊). But I am learning to draw on resources of grace that abound when I stay near to God and remember the forgiveness that He freely gave to me.

Saint Patrick, our hero of the faith, lived in Ireland for the rest of his life, teaching pagans about God. God performed miracles through Patrick, and many people began a relationship with Christ. Because Patrick forgave his transgressors, God showed great love and mercy through him that rippled through many generations in Ireland.