The Call of Saint Patrick

Most people have heard of Saint Patrick. Maybe some of us even celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day by wearing green so they don’t get pinched, but do we really think about where the holiday came from and why we celebrate it? It didn’t begin with parades and little men wearing green hats searching for gold at the end of a rainbow. It began with an ordinary man who decided to follow God’s calling for his life.

Saint Patrick was born and raised in Britain until he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and sold into slavery in Ireland when he was 16. He was forced to become a shepherd and was treated very poorly by his owner. He became a Christian when he was in Ireland and finally escaped slavery when he wa 22 years old. He went home to Britain, but returned to Ireland later in his life as a missionary after being called by God. God gave him a passion for the people of Ireland, and he started many churches there.

Saint Patrick was the first to bring Christianity to Ireland. Even though he had suffered greatly during his time in slavery there, and many people (both British and Irish) criticized him for his ministry, he didn’t let fear keep him from being who God called him to be. In the Bible God says “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand” ( Isaiah 41: 10). The world we live in tells us to run from the pain of our past and to let our fears of people keep us from being free to be ourselves and do what God is calling us to do, but God tells us that we don’t have to be afraid. Just like Saint Patrick, we all have suffered and heard other people tell us who we are and what we can and can not do. However, that does not define us. We can choose to follow God instead of the world around us and be who we were made to be. It’s never too late. God is always willing to forgive us. In one of my favorite songs called “More Beautiful You”, by Jonny Diaz, it says:

“So turn around your not to far

To back away and be who you are

To change your path go another way

It’s not to late, you can be saved.”

I know that being yourself can be very scary because it means that you’re going to look different from the other people around you, but in the long run it will be worse if you let fear hold you back. Each person has a special purpose and calling for their life that is important for them to fulfill. Imagine if Saint Patrick had let fear keep him from doing what God called him to do. Thousands of people in Ireland might have never even heard about Christ. Just like he called Saint Patrick, God is calling you to step out in faith and be who you were made to be, but it’s your choice if you’re going to listen.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about The C.A.N Sisters’ Ministry, leave a comment below, check out our website, or email us at

cansistersministry@gmail.com.