Saint Patrick

Because the 17th day of March falls on a Saturday this year, this whole weekend is being treated like a multi-day Saint Patrick's Day celebration.  Lots of people dress in green to either signify their own Irish heritage or just to represent Ireland.  Well what does Saint Patrick have to do with Ireland?  He's Irish, right?  WRONG!

As it turns out, Saint Patrick was a Roman citizen who was captured and enslaved by the Irish.  His entire childhood was taken away from him by these savages living on the fringe of the mighty, and presumably civilized, Roman Empire.  He did eventually escape but later on decided to return.  When word got around that he was returning, the Irish were understandably terrified.  They had every reason to expect that a Roman citizen enslaved and mistreated by them for many years would only return for two reasons:
1) Revenge against his tormentors
2) Conquest of an outlying, but also very familiar, territory to add to the Empire

But their fears were unfounded.  Saint Patrick took the high road and did not come to make a personal statement by imposing himself upon a hopelessly overmatched defense force.  Instead of seeking revenge or conquest, he came humbly and in peace to witness to the Irish.  He came to spread the good news and bring the Light of Christ to them, even going as far as to use a shamrock to attempt to explain the Holy Trinity to these pagans of the Emerald Isle.  Had he come on a military campaign, he may have won all kinds of accolades in his day but we would not remember him now because he would have been just like countless other Roman soldiers who overran outlying territories when given half the chance.  But because he came in humility to spread the Gospel, he not only became a saint but also a larger-than-life legend who has transcended both the faithful and secular worlds.

Luke 18: 9-14