Happy St. Patrick's Day ... Now, Who Is He, Again?

GRATEFUL GIRL'S THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
St. Patrick. What a character.

It's funny, really, how in the midst all the revelry and merriment that has become synonymous with the feast day of St. Patrick (to be clear, March 17, 461 was the day he died), I'm betting a majority of the day's celebrants don't have much of a clue about the life and times of St. Patrick.

​PK's here to help.

An Brit of Italian lineage, he spent several years in Ireland because marauders kidnapped and took him there by force when he was a teenager. He escaped and went back to his homeland of England, only to return to Ireland as a Catholic priest many moons later. He is largely credited with converting the Emerald Isle to Christianity and his use of the shamrock in explaining the Holy Trinity is well-known in the Christian community and even beyond it.

Legend has it that St. Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland, as well. As a side note, me Irish Mum and my Italian Pop both claim St. Patrick's heritage. Hmm; seems Mother England's nary been a consideration ... at least in my world.  

Either way, now you can go about your 'wearin' o' the green' knowing at least a little bit more about the man who inspired the trend ... Happy St. Patrick's Day from one very proud Italian-Irish Catholic AMERICAN. ;-)

Verse Before the Gospel Jn 3:16 God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son; so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life. Gospel Mt 21:33-43, 45-46 ...Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes?' Therefore, I say to you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit."