A BLESSING +
MAY THE LORD RISE TO MEET YOU,
MAY THE WIND BE ALWAYS AT YOUR BACK,
MAY THE SUN SHINE WARM UPON YOUR FACE,
THE RAINS FALL SOFT UPON YOUR FIELDS AND,
UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN,
MAY GOD HOLD YOU IN THE PALM OF HIS HAND.
Patrick (389-461) was an apostle to Ireland.
"Christ be with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me...
Christ in the heart of everyone 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."
He's known more for apocryphal achievement in ridding the Emerald Isle of snakes than for his missionary accomplishments. At 16 Patrick was kidnapped from the coast of Great Britain and taken as a slave to Ireland.
Firm was his faith, however.
Six years after being in captivity he escaped to the Continent.
When he studied to be a priest, dreams urged him back to Ireland in 432 when he was already a bishop.
A victim of injustice, he was able to overcome it all, and be known more for national pride than bringing no condemnation to those who treated him unfairly, like the woman caught in adultery in St. John's Gospel, Chapter 8.
You are more than any labels people give you.
You are a child of God.
You are made in God's wonderful image and likeness.
Now, go savor that for the rest of your days.
Will you?
In the simple closing remarks there is the culmination of all we need to know in life. Now we have to answer "will you?" YES we will.....each and everyday.
ReplyDeleteFather, thanks for sharing.