I just finished reading the book, St. Patrick of Ireland, by Philip Freeman (Simon & Schuster), and I highly recommend it to you. This
biography of the man known in history as St. Patrick is well written,
well-documented, and tells an inspiring story of one of the greatest
Christian missionaries in world history. The book is based primarily on the letters of St. Patrick, Letters to the Soldiers of Coroticus and Confession. These
letters, combined with excellent research by Professor Freeman, give us
a reliable picture of the man and the times in which he lived. The story separates fact from legend, yet the picture it paints is no less inspiring and exciting.
I
don’t want to ruin the story for you, but just imagine a 15 year old
boy born into nobility in Roman England just prior to the turn of the
4th century AD who is seized by Irish raiders in the dead of night and
forced into slavery in a brutal, pagan land with little hope of escape. It is a story of a world turned upside down, a story of re-energized faith in God, and a story of dedication to the will of God.
It was a hard and brutal world into which Patricius (Patrick) was born, even though he was the son of nobility. Slavery was present everywhere – in England, in Ireland, and throughout the world. It was considered to be a “natural state,” even by church leaders.
Patrick, however, had, for his day, a bright future in front of him. Listen to this description by Patrick himself from one of his letters…
“My Father was Calpornius, a deacon of the Church, and my grandfather was Potitus, a priest. His home was the village of Banna Venta Berniae, but he also had a country estate nearby.”
He would be well-educated in learning and would live a privileged life. But that was not God’s plan for Patrick.
As early as 55 B.C. Roman warriors crossed the English Channel in an attempt to subdue the Celtic tribes who then ruled England. Although
that attempt failed, in 43 A.D. Roman legions cross the Channel again
and this time the effort was successful, although the conquest of
England, Wales, and Scotland was not completed until 84 A.D. It was into this Roman England that Patrick was born.
But he was thrust from this world of peace and privilege into a life of slavery in Ireland. While
such an event might have led you and me to be bitter and angry at God,
Patrick looked around him and saw the devastation that a life without
faith in Jesus created. He was not angry, but instead he took pity on his captors and drew closer to God.
His
incredible escape from slavery and his even more incredible call to
return to Ireland as a missionary is a story that will captivate and
amaze you. This imperfect vessel of clay was used by God to do great things for the people of Ireland and for the world. It’s
not an exaggeration to say that the world is a better place today and
that tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands, took the path to
heaven thanks to Patricius of Ireland.
You
know the legends and the stories, but I encourage you to take a couple
of enjoyable hours to read the facts about the amazing life of Patricius
of Ireland. It’s a story that will inspire, amaze, and encourage you. Wherever
the Gospel is told, and whoever God is pleased to choose as His
instrument in sharing the Gospel, it is always a story worth reading. It’s a great story of love and compassion and grace. It is story that gives hope and life to those who embrace it.
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