“How did so great and salutary a gift come to me, the gift of knowing and loving God, though at the cost of homeland and family?” Saint Patrick wrote these words in what is called The Confession of Saint Patrick. His feast day is celebrated throughout the world with parades, green rivers, green beer, and corned beef. Everyone becomes Irish for the day, even though Saint Patrick wasn’t a native Irishman himself!
We are most likely familiar with his story, or at least elements of it—he was a bishop, drove the snakes out of Ireland, etc. But besides all of that, he was also a profound witness of forgiveness.
Saint Patrick was born in Britain, perhaps Scotland, to a noble family in the late fourth century. At age sixteen he was kidnapped, along with his father's slaves, and brought to Ireland. In Ireland, he was forced to work as a shepherd—his life taking an unforeseen turn from nobleman to slave in a different land. His family heritage was Catholic, and he was suddenly thrust into a pagan land. The druid priests influenced every aspect of the life he encountered in Ireland—from medicine to politics. Everything was different. He went from rich to poor. He experienced dramatic culture shock. He was ripped from his family and isolated from all he knew and loved. It doesn’t take much imagination to think of what his life was like as a slave.
After six years of being a slave, he escaped, reunited with his family, and ended up in France. He had grown closer to his faith during his time of enslavement and decided to study for the priesthood.
Now physically free from slavery, he sought to be spiritually free. He learned how to forgive with holy boldness, and Saint Patrick chose to forgive those who kidnapped and enslaved him. His bold forgiveness inspired a holy daring to go back to those same people who had disrupted his life with trauma, pain, and confusion.
Forgiveness is an act of the virtue of mercy, and Saint Patrick’s life is a profound testimony of that.
His enslavers did not ask for forgiveness—he forgave anyway. They did not ask him to come and spread the Gospel—he evangelized anyway. He returned to Ireland around the age of forty-eight.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells ust, “Christ has willed that in her prayer and life and action, his whole Church should be the sign and instrument of the forgiveness and reconciliation that he acquired for us at the price of his blood” (CCC §1442, emphasis mine). Saint Patrick was certainly a sign and instrument of forgiveness in his life and action. This could only have happened, though, through his prayer.
He forgave like Christ. His forgiveness then brought the face of Mercy through his own priesthood to those who enslaved him.
It is worth praying Saint Patrick’s prayer (also known as “Saint Patrick’s Breastplate”) through this lens of forgiveness. His breastplate is written in the same style the druidic priests wrote their incantations for protection on journeys. This tells us he was familiar enough with druidic practices, and sought to bring Christ even into the midst of these.
Think of a situation or person who you struggle to forgive, and pray with Saint Patrick:*
I arise today, through
God's strength to pilot me,
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's host to save me
From snares of devils,
From temptation of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
afar and near [ . . . ]
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.
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation. Amen.
Saint Patrick, pray that we, too, may forgive with holy boldness and have courage to bring Christ’s mercy in the midst of these, too, who have hurt us. Saint Patrick, pray for us.
*The full Breastplate of Saint Patrick can be found here.
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