St. Patrick

saint

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!!

“May your troubles be less. And your blessing be more. And nothing but happiness, come through your door.” – Irish blessing

No matter their heritage, most people claim to be slightly Irish on St. Patrick’s Day. Many associate this day with the color green, shamrocks, green beer, corned beef and cabbage, leprechauns, the saying “Kiss me I’m Irish,” etc.

Whether you are Irish or not, March 17th celebrates St. Patrick, the primary patron saint of Ireland. He was a fifth-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. He is known for writing the prayer “The Breastplate of St. Patrick.”

St. Patrick is credited with bringing Christianity to parts of Ireland and was likely somewhat responsible for the Christianization of the Picts and Anglo-Saxons. St. Patrick often used shamrocks to describe the Holy Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Entire kingdoms converted to Christianity after hearing his message.

St. Patrick’s Day was originally celebrated in Ireland with religious services and feasts in honor of St. Patrick. When Irish immigrants brought the traditions to the United States, the day eventually became a secular celebration of Irish culture.

Like all saints, St. Patrick centered his life in Christ. Everything he did was done out of a belief in the message of Jesus Christ. St. Patrick’s life became a living gospel.

 

How to live like St. Patrick?

Living like a saint may be easier said than done, but trying to embody several characteristics of the saints is a great way to start. Saints lead by example in how they love and believe in God. We should follow their lead and start to become the example we see in them.

According to Pope Francis, being a saint doesn’t necessarily require spending long hours in prayer, but rather living “a life open to God in good times and bad.”

We are all called to live like Christ did with a life centered in love. To focus on being the best, most compassionate Christian we can be. We can be humble and work to serve God to the best of our ability. We can make a positive difference in others’ lives.

Each of us has a unique calling from God to live with purpose and love. When we look to the lives of the saints we realize that despite their flaws they, too, were able to continue to serve Him. We can and should do the same. We encourage you to study the lives of the saints to see which traits you would like to embody to live a more purpose-filled, fulfilling life.

St. Valentine

saint valentine

saint valentineAlthough Valentine’s Day is most popularly known as a day for roses, chocolates, romance, and wining and dining, it is also known as the Feast of St. Valentine.

St. Valentine is the patron saint of lovers, epileptics and beekeepers. He is one of only two saints – Valentine and Patrick – who have their feast days listed as holidays on ordinary calendars.

Though this saint’s name has become synonymous with love and affection, little is known about him, except that he was a Roman priest and martyr (a person considered to have died because of their testimony for Jesus or faith in Jesus).

“Although we may not understand why a priest is the patron saint of lovers, it’s easy to know why we have a saint especially assigned to the virtue of love. Love is an essential ingredient for life.” (365 Saints by Woodeene Koenig-Bricker)

What is a saint?

Some might ask what makes a saint, a Saint. According to Christian teachings, a saint (broadly speaking) is anyone who follows Jesus and lives their life according to His teaching. Saints with a capital ‘S’ are those who led lives of holiness and heroic virtue while on earth and are now officially declared and recognized by the Catholic and Orthodox traditions.

“Heroic” virtue refers to a saint’s ability to overcome sinful tendencies and temptations. They weren’t immune to sin, and many of them had to struggle for years to conquer their sinful passions. Saints weren’t perfect. They made mistakes just like everyone else. But what sets them apart with the title “saint” is that they did not stay down when they fell. By God’s grace, these holy men and women stood up, brushed off the dirt and kept moving forward.*

The remarkable thing about a lot of Saints is they were regular, everyday people. And they experienced life’s ups and downs just like the rest of us. However, they listened to God’s calling for their life. They made it their purpose to live an honorable and holy life.

So, as we enjoy this beautiful Valentine’s Day holiday, don’t forget the roots of the holiday from St. Valentine. Consider how you can also demonstrate your love for those around you, just as Jesus shows his love for each one of us.

* https://aleteia.org/2021/04/27/what-is-a-saint-in-the-catholic-church/