Sunday, March 17, 2019

The Confession of Saint Patrick

A selection of quotes from "The Confession of Saint Patrick" written towards the end of his life


"It is through the power of our faith in the Trinity that I decided to write without fear, even though there are many dangers...so that the knowledge of the Name of God, Who is ever faithful, can be spread far and wide"


"When I came to Ireland I spent each day tending sheep and I prayed many times during the day. Thus I grew more and more in the love of God. As the fear of God increased in me so did my faith, so that in a single day I would pray up to one hundred times" (16)


"Satan tempted me. This temptation was stronger than I ever experienced and I will remember it as long as I am in this body. He fell on me like a huge stone and I couldn't move any part of my body" (20)


"I give constant thanks to God Who has kept me faithful in the day of my trial. To this day I offer my soul to Him as a living sacrifice in Christ the Lord, for He has saved me from all my anguish" (34)

"Why have You poured out so many divine graces upon m so that I can exalt and magnify Your name among the pagans? Not only when things are well, but also when they go badly, so that in evil or good, I always raise up thanks to God" (34)


"Therefore we ought to fish well in accordance with what the Lord says: Follow me and I will make you fishers of men. It is good for us to cast our net, so that a great multitude may be caught by God" (40)


"I am faced with a strong enemy who every day tempts me against true faith and chaste religion. But I have committed the rest of my life to Christ my Lord" (45)


"Whoever wishes can laugh at me and insult me. I will not be silent nor shall I hid the signs and wonders that the Lord has shown me" (45)


"Nor could they find me ministering for the sake of earthly gain. I gave no opportunity for unbelievers to speak badly or criticize me. Did I charge as much as a penny to any of the thousands I baptized? Tell me and I will return it" (50)


"I traveled among you and to many other places as a pilgrim experiencing many dangers. I went to the most outlying parts, beyond which no one lives, and there where no one had ever done so before I baptized and confirmed people" (51)


"If I have ever done anything good for my God whom I love, I ask Him the grace of shedding my blood for those converts and captives for His name's sake" (59)


"Do not credit me with the little I have done...Rather conclude that anything I achieved was a gift of God. This is my confession before I die." (62)

No comments:

Post a Comment