St Patrick’s Day 2020

Dear Parishioners and all those who logged into our Parish,

greetings and the blessing and peace of God be upon you and in you on this the feast of St Patrick.

I joined Archbishop Eamon Martin via webcam as he celebrated Mass in St Patrick’s Cathedral this morning. It was very surreal but uplifting to know that I was one of many thousands who tuned in. In prayer we are never alone. And thank God for social media – a video of my grandnephew Pat Og (4yrs coming in June) came through – he had a St Patrick’s Day parade of vehicles and toys across his living room. No bands but great noise and commentary and some dancing! A joy to behold. Then I went for a walk and visited the Church of the Immaculate Conception. In these days of self-imposed isolation – which a lot of families are doing – it is important, especially if you live alone, to get some fresh air and away from the same old four walls. Ballygawley was very quiet.

A What’s App yesterday recommended lighting a candle at 7.30pm and saying a prayer – something we can all do, and at the same time.

Keep an eye to the Parish website for information about webcam celebrations of Mass for Saturday 21st/Sunday 22nd here and with our neighbouring Parishes.

I thought, like Sunday past, I would share some thoughts with you on this feast of St Patrick. Intercom, a Catholic Pastoral and Liturgical Resource magazine that I receive monthly gives a thought on the readings:

First Reading: from the Book of Ecclesiasticus 39:6-10.

‘Nations will proclaim his wisdom.’ These words from the reading are true of St Patrick, our national patron. Although Patrick described himself as unlettered, his wisdom consisted in faithfulness to the Gospel.

Responsorial Psalm: 115: 12-19 with the response – How can I repay the Lord for his goodness to me.

Second Reading: from St Paul’s second letter to Timothy 4: 1-8

Again, the second reading sounds like a biography of St Patrick. Ireland has been blessed by steadfast proclamation of the message of Christ, his calling of our forebears to obedience to the Gospel, and his perseverance as an evangelist right to the end.

Gospel: according to Matthew 13: 24-32

The faith was resisted in St Patrick’s time; it is resisted in ours. Jesus has assured us that the good seed of the Word of God will grow alongside the weeds until harvest time, but that God’s plans will not be reversed.

My few words:

The roads, streets and pavements are a lot quieter these past few nights. People seem to be making only necessary essential journeys to relatives and friends, especially to those who are older or live alone.

We are moving into unknown territory, into a future – that maybe in part is of our own making – but of which we know nothing. Those who left our native shores to travel to America or Australia and other far flung places, in past times and in recent times, must have felt a similar apprehension and fear of the unknown. And so must have Patrick, when he was carried off by raiders, kidnapped and taken to a foreign land.

Like many people in Ireland today and across Europe and many parts of the world, Patrick found himself isolated, alone – in these coronavirus days we call is self-isolation, non-social contact, self-distancing. As social being we find this difficult. We are concerned about the wellbeing and mental health of ourselves and those close to us. How will we cope? How will we get through each day?

I read somewhere recently that when Patrick was herding swine he prayed. And part of his prayer was to call to mind the scriptures he had heard and learned at home. This should be of comfort to many parents who having brought their children up in the practice of the faith saw them seemingly drift from that practice. Parents today may be surprised to learn that their beloved son or daughter does keep up a relationship with God through prayer and attends Mass – though not as regularly as they would like.

So, Patrick fell back on the scriptures – his faith and trust in a loving God developed. So much so that after escaping and returning to his native land he returned to Ireland – Come back fair youth and walk among us again – the call of the Irish echoed the call of God to preach the Gospel, the Good News that God loves us. Would any of us want to go back in time to a place or situation that we did not like? – but Patrick came back. The love of God helped him rise above his fears and possible anger at his captors.

A young man I met recently said to me – it’s strange that the gathering for Mass has been stopped and yet in these days we should be praying more. Very true and very perceptive. Maybe this present situation may encourage us to a more personal prayer life. our Churches are open for people to drop in to pray using our own favourite prayers or just talking to God in our own words – an opportunity to think and pray for ourselves. This was the situation Patrick found himself in – away from the familiar he had to reinvent his life and in that he discovered and found peace in a spiritual life.

So let us not be afraid where this 2020 coronavirus situation/journey takes us in life, in faith.

Pray the beautiful prayer of Saint Patrick, known as his “Breastplate” prayer, in which he invited Christ to surround him with love and protection – a prayer that came from his own personal journey into prayer:

Christ with me, Christ before me,

Christ behind me, Christ within me,

Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

Christ at my right, Christ at my left,

Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me,

Christ in every eye that sees me,

Christ in every ear that hears me.

During these days – keep safe – be sensible – take care of each other. May God bless and protect us and let us continue to pray for each other.