St. Patrick and the Songs of Zion

Happy St. Patrick's Day


Psalm 137:3

For there our captors
asked us for songs,
and our tormentors asked for mirth, saying,
“Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

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It's been so lonely without U here
like a bird without a song
Nothing can stop these lonely tears from falling
Tell me baby where did I go wrong

"Nothing Compares 2 U" by Prince covered by Sinead O'Connor

Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland. The man who rid the island of snakes. The man who brought Christianity to the Emerald Isle. Here is something you may not have known about him. He was brought to Ireland as a slave when he was young. He was kept as a slave to an Irish nobleman for several years.

Here's where the story goes sideways. Patrick escaped the nobleman and Ireland. When he escaped he became a Christian. He became so consumed by the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Good News of forgiveness that he went to Ireland to spread the Good News.

He was well received by everyone... well almost everyone. His former master was so ashamed he set his castle aflame and committed suicide in the fire rather than face Patrick and the grace of Jesus Christ. Truly, this man went from keeping slaves to becoming the slave.

Patrick never knew the "songs of Zion" when he was a captive, but when he did, and when he found his mission, he went to his captors and shared his mirth with his tormentors, a far cry from the psalmist.

The Isle was a bird without a song. Patrick provided the song. Tears fell when it was time to mourn, but in the joy of the Good News of Jesus Christ there was joy.

This is the lesson of St. Patrick's Day, a song of Zion, a song of joy, a song of forgiveness. Lonely tears may fall, people will ask where things went wrong, but in forgiveness there is new life. In forgiveness there is new life in Christ.