St Patrick's Day

Today is St Patrick's Day. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland.



Let us sing a hymn in his honour.

Thus spake the risen Master
In far-off Galilee:
'Go forth, and teach the nations,
And bid them follow me.'
He bade his chosen servants
His saving truth proclaim,
And over each disciple
Invoke the three-fold Name.

Torn from his home in childhood
The yoke young Patrick bore:
His master's sheep he tended
By Antrim's rocky shore.
Then to the captive herd-boy
The heavenly message came:
'Arise, depart, my servant;
Thy guard shall be my Name.'

He crossed the stormy ocean,
He roamed in lands afar,
He vowed his life to Jesus,
He joined the holy war.
Then, while he lay in slumber,
The heavenly call he heard,
'Go forth, and preach in Ireland
The power of Christ the Word.'

Dark was the heathen island,
And groaned beneath the might
Of sorcerers and wizards
Till Patrick brought the light;
He preached the saving gospel,
Unarmed and unafraid:
Among the warrior chieftains
The peace of Christ he made.

He faced the king in Tara:
He faced the Druid band:
He drove the powers of darkness
And witchcraft from the land:
And when his work was ended,
Sat down, no more to roam,
And chose for his successors
Armagh to be their home.

He called his shield and breastplate
The eternal Trinity,
The Father, Son, and Spirit,
One God in Persons Three.
By love the three-fold Godhead
Doth all creation move:
And who this truth declareth
Proclaims that God is love.

And now for holy Patrick
Who, armed with heavenly might,
Led forth the Irish people
From darkness into light;
Be praise to God the Father,
To Jesus Christ his Son,
To God the Holy Spirit,
The Three that are but One. Amen.



Happy St Patrick's Day!