Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

I always enjoy St. Patrick's Day. I try to eat my share of corn beef and cabbage. I listen to Irish music and enjoy reading the history of Ireland. St. Patrick is also a remarkable figure. We actually do not know a great deal about Patrick. Most of the reliable information comes from his own Confession. Beyond that his story has become shrouded in legend and myth. You can check out http://www.timothypauljones.com/2014/03/12/church-history-who-was-the-real-st-patrick/?utm_content=buffercf3a4&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer or http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2014/03/17/happy-saint-patrick-2/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+between2worlds+%28Between+Two+Worlds%29&utm_content=FaceBook to separate the fact from fiction. 

What we do know is that Patrick was a missionary. He was not the first missionary to Ireland, but he was the most successful. He understood Irish culture and knew the language better than previous missionaries. Patrick trained indigenous pastors and teachers. He also kept cultural elements that were not detrimental to the Gospel. Many traditional Irish symbols and concepts were essentially baptized to further the spread of the church. 

So, there are two things that I keep in mind about St. Patrick's Day. First, it is a day to celebrate a missionary. I pray that our current missionaries are as successful as Patrick and we should certainly appreciate their service now. 

Second, it is an immigrant holiday. In Ireland the day has primarily been a religious holiday. The crazy shenanigans were created in the United States. The first St. Patrick's Day parade in New York actually occurred before the establishment of the United States! It was a celebration of Irish immigrants. St. Patrick's Day is a celebration of Irish culture and the impact of Irish immigrants on the US. The first generation of Irish immigrants were integral in building the colonies. However, successive generations fleeing famine in Ireland were met with disdain and hatred. Poor peasants seeking a new life wore clothing styles a century old and spoke a strange combination of Gaelic and archaic English. Signs were placed around major cities declaring no work or vacancies for Irish. New York and Boston eventually closed their ports to Irish ships. Politicians decried the crime brought with these immigrants and newspapers declared that the Irish should go back to Europe. But the Irish did not go home. Instead they stayed and did the jobs that no one else wanted. They worked the mines, built the railroads, and fueled the industrial machine until the next wave of immigrants arrived. Irish Americans now comprise the second largest ethnic group in the US. Several presidents of both parties have Irish ancestors. It is the story of America. Immigrants building and blending into the country while contributing something unique to the American culture. As a descendant of Irish, Scot, and German immigrants I find that worth celebrating.