The fire still burns. Not the Easter fire he defiantly set at Tara. I mean the one that burns in my belly for you to meet the real Patrick.
Last year, I introduced a grateful saint. The year before that, I shared a bittersweet confession about my selfish choice to climb Patrick’s holy mountain alone. Next there were the 5 Reasons Why Saint Patrick Is My Homeboy. Then yet another reason Patrick is a kindred soul
This year I found one more. One more reason to love Patrick.
I might have worshiped the sun.
That’s right. Because this Wisconsin country girl might also have worshipped the sun. I get why the ancients worshiped that spectacular created thing.
I’m sympathetic.
As a self-described “rustic,” Patrick must have and loved those verdant hills and vibrant sunsets.
So as a fellow beauty junkie and sunset-stalker, I latched on to Patrick’s 60th Confession.
Hear him describes the true sun.
Patrick’s Confession #60
The sun, which we see rising for us every day, rises at his command; but it will never rule over the universe, nor will its splendour continue forever. And all those who worship it will come to a bad, miserable penalty. But not we, who believe in and worship the true sun, Christ. He shall never perish. And neither will anyone who does His will—instead he will live forever just as Christ will live forever, who reigns with God the Father almighty and with the Holy Spirit since before the ages began, and now, and for all the ages of ages. Amen.
That’s it. That’s the Patrician connection this year. It’s my tribute to one saint, for all the saints. We feebly stumble, they in glory shine.
Arise in the brilliance of the sun.
Patrick was a man of one book, living for one King. He knew. The world is and its desires are passing away, but whoever does the will of God abides forever (1 John 2:17).
And so Patrick wrote about the day that we shall surely arise in the brilliance of the sun, that is, in the glory of Christ Jesus our Redeemer, as children of the living God and co-heirs with Christ, to be formed in His image, since through Him, with Him, and in Him we shall reign.
Be Thou My Vision
There’s just something about Irish saints who wrote about high kings and heaven and sun. A couple of centuries after Patrick wrote his Confessions, another Irish saint—possibly a saint who’d lost his sight—wrote a poem called Be Thou My Vision.
Do you know this last verse?
High King of heaven, my victory won,
may I reach heaven’s joys,
O bright heaven’s sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
still be my vision, O Ruler of all.
A brilliant and blessed Saint Patrick’s Day. Savor the sun that rises at God’s command. Worship you the true sun who rules all.
But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture.
Malachi 4:2
For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.
Psalm 36:9
