St. Patrick’s Day is here. St. Patrick helped in converting the whole of Ireland to Christianity. But he wasn’t an average saint. He had troubles in his life and his fate used to waver like most of us.
But unlike other saints, we love St. Patrick and make sure that we have a large feast with cabbage and corned beef, along with Irish soda bread, to commemorate this special day. But many of us do not know much about the life of St. Patrick.
St. Patrick was born in a Christian family in Britain but his faith was not really that strong. But then, fortune stepped away from him and at 16, Irish pirates captured him and sold him off to slavery.
Isolated and broken, that was the first time St. Patrick heard the word of God and converted into Christianity. His connection with God grew and he spent most of his life in contemplation and prayers. Then he managed to escape at 21.
Conversion and devotion made him uneasy. He felt that God was calling him in his dream and telling him to go to Ireland to spread Christianity. And thus, his journey began as a Christian missionary spreading the Word of God in Ireland.
There are certain life lessons that we can draw from the story of St. Patrick:
1. Be Free
When St. Patrick was taken as a slave, he was oppressed and clearly not free. But he understood the value of freedom well. Even while being oppressed, he focused on liberating his mind and his soul. He found God who liberated him and through God, he engaged in contemplation and prayer.
He knew that he was the master of his thoughts. You should be aware of your own thoughts and you should understand that freedom lies in your mind. If you feel oppressed then start to seek inside yourself for personal freedom. Connect with your spirit and you will feel free again.
2. Growth
Slavery could have made St. Patrick a negative person who found the wickedness of humanity unending. But every adversity has a silver lining and you just have to look at it that way. St. Patrick experienced slavery but used it to grow and transform himself.
It was a fuel that gave his life a purpose which, unless he was enslaved, would not have grown in him. So, when you are faced with an adverse situation, think upon it and look at the positive side of it. Let it become a personal development for you.
3. Your Passion Is Everything
When St. Patrick escaped from slavery, he went to Britain. He could have stayed there, but he heard his inner calling and went to Ireland to spread the word of God. He knew his mission was dangerous but he did not double down on it.
Of course, we may not be receiving any dramatic message that will define our purpose in the times to come. But we always have our inner voice. Listen to it and it will describe your mission to you. So, contemplate and move forward with your mission. Say YES to that inner voice and stride ahead. You know you can do it.
4. Tolerate
Back then, Ireland was populated with people who, according to Christianity, were pagans and heathens. But when St. Patrick came to Ireland, he did not force them to be converted to Christianity. He examined their entire culture and philosophy and slowly integrated Christianity into it.
This gave rise to a wonderful Celtic spirituality. We have to tolerate others and let them have their beliefs. We are unique and if we want our beliefs to be heard and discussed, we should also allow someone else’s opinion to last.
If you are married to someone who has different beliefs and opinions, it is fine. You do not have to be angry on them. In case of any dispute, allow yourself to walk away. If you are feeling really troubled, then go out for a hike or exercise and calm down.
5. Finding Comfort In Nature
St. Patrick was living a terrible life when he was a slave, but he did not allow it to take over him. He found peace and comfort in the natural world around him. Nature has the power to heal.
It has always been able to heal and renew itself and it can do the same for another person who is one with it. If you want to, you can use the energy of nature to replenish your strength. Just go out for walks or meditate in nature. Let it heal you.
If you are feeling oppressed or find that your troubles are mounting, then take these life lessons from St. Patrick.
They will help you transform every aspect of your life.
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