St. Patrick is most known for illustrating the meaning of the Holy Trinity - the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit - by sharing with the masses that the shamrock is one leaf with three parts, just as God is one entity with three persons.
Aside from this and St. Patrick's Day itself, St. Patrick's legacy is sustained by his famous prayer of protection or breastplate prayer. The prayer is long, but the encouragement still speaks the same message to this day. Here is a small excerpt of the 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 Patrick's Day: Table of Contents
Spiritual Meaning of St Patrick's Day
The Irish see that St. Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland. The celebrations should be about being thankful for him and thankful that his missions helped bring about the message of the Good News. Moreover, it is being thankful that God gave His only Son to die for us so that we could live. Therefore, it is always a celebration when the gospel is preached to the lost.
In Mark 16:15, Jesus appears to the 11 disciples and commands them to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation.”
Are you thankful that someone obeyed God and preached the gospel to you? I am. Without God, my life would be totally different. Imagine what life would be like for you. Even more, imagine what the country of Ireland would be like if the gospel was never reached there. So, when you celebrate St. Patrick's Day, remember what it is all about: the gospel.
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him (Colossians 3:15-17).
Origin of St. Patrick's Day
St. Patrick was born in the late 4th century, taken as a teenager while his home was being robbed and was shipped from Britain to Ireland. He was intentionally isolated for six years as a shepherd. During this time, he experienced a revelation from God. This urged him to break free from captivity and journey back to his homeland. Following this divine intervention, he found himself in a Gaul monastery, dedicating time to studying and enriching his Christian convictions.
In a transformative moment on his spiritual journey, St. Patrick experienced a significant dream. Within this vision, he witnessed the people of Ireland summoning him back. This compelling dream stirred his resolve to return to the land where he had once been enslaved, driven by a mission to impart the teachings of Christianity to the Irish population.
St. Patrick's Day Symbols
Meaning of the Shamrock
Legend has it that St. Patrick used the shamrock to explain the concept of the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) to the Irish people during his mission in the 5th century. The three leaves of the shamrock were said to represent these three aspects of the Trinity, which are all one.
Today, the shamrock is a widely recognized symbol of Ireland and is often worn or displayed on St. Patrick's Day as a symbol of Irish heritage and culture. It is also considered a symbol of luck, and finding a four-leafed clover (a rare variation of the shamrock) is said to bring good luck.
Legend of Snakes
St. Patrick driving the snakes out of Ireland is a well-known story associated with the saint. According to tradition, St. Patrick, who is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland in the 5th century, stood on a hilltop (often believed to be Croagh Patrick) and used the power of his faith to drive all the snakes from Ireland into the sea, banishing them forever.
It's important to note that this story is likely symbolic rather than literal. The tale is often interpreted as an allegory for St. Patrick's role in Christianizing Ireland, "driving out" the pagan beliefs symbolized by the snakes.
Celtic Cross
In the context of St. Patrick, the Celtic cross represents the fusion of Christian faith with Celtic heritage and culture. Because St. Patrick is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland in the 5th century, and the Celtic cross is believed to have originated in the early Celtic Christian church in the British Isles, it is seen as a way to incorporate existing Celtic symbols and traditions into the new Christian faith.
The Celtic cross, with its combination of a cross and a circle, symbolizes the cross (representing the crucifixion of Jesus) merged with the sun, an object of veneration in many ancient cultures including the Celts. This fusion of Christian and pagan symbolism reflects the syncretic nature of early Celtic Christianity, which incorporated elements of both Celtic polytheism and Christian monotheism.
Wearing the Color Green
Wearing green on St. Patrick's Day is a tradition that is believed to have originated as early as the 17th century. Green is associated with Ireland's nickname, "The Emerald Isle," as well as with the green hills and fields of the country's landscape. The color is also linked to the shamrock, which is traditionally worn on St. Patrick's Day.
St. Patrick's Day Modern Meaning
St. Patrick’s Day should be a day to focus on the message St. Patrick was convicted to spread, that of Christ Himself. So, as you read his prayer, you see that the central focus is about Jesus Christ. But, never just rely on prayer alone. The Word of God is the only weapon that can defeat the lies of the enemy. In Matthew 4, Jesus was taken into the wilderness for 40 days and nights. He had no food or water. But what He had was the Word of God itself.
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:1-4).
Oftentimes, when we don’t focus on God, we feel abandoned and alone. I am sure St. Patrick had those feelings during his time of isolation. I am also sure that some of those emotions overcame moments where doubt and fear became the focus. When we make our situations bigger than God, we are maximizing the fear of the enemy rather than maximizing God in the situation.
Even David in the Bible wondered why he was out in the pasture for so long. He did not understand the purpose of being set aside, alone, and isolated. But all along, God had a plan and used that experience for the future of Israel.
Now then, you are to tell My servant David that this is what the LORD of Hosts says:” I took you from the pasture, from following the flock, to be the ruler over My people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make for you a name like the greatest in the land” (2 Samuel 7:8-9).
You are never ever alone. In all situations where you feel isolated and doubtful, understand that your peace is with God alone. “You will keep the mind that is dependent on You in perfect peace, for it is trusting in You” (Isaiah 26:3).
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Rebecca Mashburn (Gordon) has a wonderful husband named Joseph. She has a blog, Trust. Lean, Seek and is working on becoming what God is calling her to. She has a bachelor's in psychology and hopes to one day pursue a degree in biblical counseling. Rebecca loves to be in nature, especially in springtime, and she loves to travel. She has a loving family and hopes one day to have children of her own.
