On Saturday, many folks in Maple Lake will don their green and partake in the Saint Patrick’s Day Celebration. The Irish, those of Irish descent, and the non-Irish alike will celebrate their heritage. The festival will certainly revolve around corned beef and green beer. But the festival is really about Christianity.
As a teenager, Patrick was captured by Irish pirates who enslaved him and forced him to be a herder. After six years, he escaped, reunited with his family, attended seminary, and became a priest and bishop. Imagine having been captured and enslaved by a group of people, only to have the Spirit call you to spread the Gospel among them! That is sacrificial love indeed!
Our lives are not our own. Neither is our faith. Whether it is with family, friends, or complete strangers across the world, Jesus called us to share our faith with others. Sometimes that’s intimidating. We might be concerned about the feedback (or pushback) we will receive. Nevertheless, The Kingdom of God will be all the richer when the love of Christ and the message of his love is shared and embraced by all for whom Christ died.
Lenten Blessings to you!
You remain in my prayers,
Pastor Culynn
P.S. I will be singing “America the Beautiful” at the start of the parade again this year. We’ll be down by The Messenger building, not far from the intersection of Birch and Division.