Monday, March 17 (St. Patrick's Day)

Monday, March 17, 2014

St Mark 3: 7 - 19a

            As the luck of the Irish would have it, I pulled the three leaf

clover with the assignment to offer a reflection on the Gospel portion

which has been marked for the Feast of St. Patrick ! The call to discipleship

which we read about in the Gospel of St. Mark names the individuals

who are invited to share the experience of Jesus' earthly ministry and

to be witnesses to all that he says and does.

            The invitation to be a companion of Jesus is as much of a life

changing moment for those named in the Gospel story as it is, four

centuries later, for Patrick, and, as it is for us. Carried to Ireland in slavery,

Patrick escapes, is nurtured in his Christian faith and then returns to

the place of his captivity to proclaim the Gospel message. Our journey of faith

may not be as arduous, but the call to discipleship is as equally profound. 

            Patrick's perception that Christ is to be found in every

element of life has been claimed by many as a meaningful way in which

to experience the power of the Gospel. The healing power of Jesus

which is a part of today's Gospel reading , is, according to Patrick,

only one facet of the experience of Christ for a person of faith. In the text

of the famous hymn known as St. Patrick's Breastplate, we find the concept

of divine presence in all things, in all places and in all people, presented

in a meaningful and accessible way.

"Christ be with me,

Christ within me,

Christ behind me,

Christ before me,

Christ beside me,

Christ to win me,

Christ to comfort and restore me.

Christ beneath me,

Christ above me,

Christ in quiet,

Christ in danger,

Christ in hearts of all that love me,

Christ in mouth of friend and stranger."

            Being attuned to God's presence in every facet of our lives is both a

challenging and a meaningful personal discipline during the Season of Lent 2014.

The Reverend Canon Christopher B. J. Pratt