Devotion - Thursday, March 17

I wondering "St. Patrick's Day" might be an opportune teaching moment, too good to miss. Many, if not most, of the persons you encounter today are likely to say something about it being St. Patrick's Day.

One of my facebook friends started a long line of "Why do the non-Irish observe St. Patrick's Day?" Thus exposing the confusion in her mind between saints of the Church (and therefore saints for us all) and a cultural or national icon. True, Patty is the saint of the Irish, but he is no less a saint for the rest of us.

We (non-Roman Catholic types) don't typically put much effort into observing any saint. We may refer to Paul as Saint Paul, but typically this is just an assumption that "Saint" is part of his name. Not that his is a "saint" in our religious life.

The teachable moment for today might be to engage those who speak of St Patrick's Day in a bit of conversation about saints. Don't tell them, so much as ask them, "What does it mean, in your life, to identify with a 'saint'?" And see what they tell you.

Saints are those who aid us in our own faith journey. They are the wise who have gone before and set an example. Saints are in heaven, interceding for us. Without saints, our struggle would be greater; our way less clear.

Some of the saints have a day on the Liturgical Calendar. Some have statues in churches or metals worn around necks. Other saints are closer to our hearts; they are the mother, or grandfather, or camp counselor who brought the love of God into our lives at just the right time.

This teachable moment might allow you to help others explore these saints in their life. And whether they are deeply religious or merely cultural observers, your conversation will give them the opportunity to explore all those whom God has placed in their life, bring comfort and hope at just the right time.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day. Perhaps it is only the Irish who need to wear green on this day. Those of us fortunate enough to have a strong relationship with Christ and his Church can wear our crosses and say our prayers of gratitude for those cultural observations which allow us to be reminded of God's grace coming into our lives at just the right time.