I see a lot of you are wearing green today! I know that's because it's St. Patrick's Day.
I want to tell you the story of St. Patrick. I think one of his favorite Bible verses must have been: "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them everything I have commanded you; and lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28.19-20).
A long time ago Patrick lived in England. When he was a boy some very bad people came and destroyed his town and captured him. They took him back to Ireland and made him work as a slave. A slave is someone who has to work for nothing. When Patrick grew up he ran away from the people that had captured him and came home.
Patrick wanted to be a pastor so he studied and prayed until he was ready. But he didn't go to an ordinary church. Patrick became a missionary, and he went to Ireland... back to the people that were so mean to him. Patrick helped them to believe in Jesus, and that changed their lives. They became very good people.
God sent His Son Jesus to save us even when we were sinners. When I think of Patrick, I think of how God wants us to be kind even to mean people and to tell them about Jesus. Amen.
