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One year when the drought was very bad here in Florida, the African iris plants in our yard bloomed like never before. We had more flowers than we had ever seen outside our front door. This surprised me because it was so hot and dry. I didn’t expect the plants to bloom with such profusion. When I mentioned this to my brother, he suggested that the adverse conditions motivated more blooms and hence more seeds because the plant was trying to make sure it did not die out. It was making a bigger investment in the future because of the current perilous conditions. The drought was bringing out the strength of the plant.

This happens in life, too. We know the expression, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” I spoke with someone today who is retired and she shared about her upbringing and earlier years. Her parents beat her and she was abused. She was married to an alcoholic who also abused her. She had a very difficult life on many fronts. In spite of this she raised four good children. She was widowed and is now happily married. She consciously chose to raise her children with love and no violence or abuse. She said that she made mistakes raising her kids but they were not treated in any way like she was. “I love my kids,” she said. Then she told me that her struggles and the difficulties she faced made her a better person and made her stronger.

In this Lenten season we remember the story of Jesus in the wilderness for 40 days. That time of hardship, challenge, and difficulty was intended to make him stronger.

We all face difficulties in life. We may reflect on the question, “Why is this happening to me?” “Why do I have to go through this?” It’s natural to ask those questions. But if we are interested in growing spiritually, we will go on to ask and wonder, “What can I learn from this?’’ “How can I become a better person because of this?” “How can I use this experience to help others or for the good of the world?” “How am I becoming stronger because of this?”

To be strong, a muscle has to be used. For us to be spiritually strong, we must be challenged and use our faith to inform our living. Perhaps a temptation we face is apathy or ease. Maybe we shy away from challenging ourselves to more closely follow Jesus and give ourselves for the life of the world.

Prayer: The journey through this life involves many challenges and problems and struggles. We pray for all who are in the midst of difficulties including ourselves. May the hardships we face help us to grow stronger in our faith. May our challenges lead us to trust in the power of divine love. May our troubles lead us into closer community with others. And may those times of stress and struggle help us to more deeply appreciate the goodness and joy of life. We pray in the spirit of the one who knew first hand the heartache of this life, Christ Jesus. Amen.

Today is St. Patrick’s Day. A day known for parades, celebrations at Irish pubs, the wearing of green, and the eating of corned beef and cabbage. St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. Interestingly, however, he was not Irish by birth. He is thought to have been born in Great Britain about 387 C.E. and was a Roman citizen.

Patrick got to Ireland because he was captured by pirates and sold into slavery. He was forced to work as a shepherd. After 6 years in slavery, he escaped. After returning home to Great Britain, he converted to Christianity. While his parents were Christians, he had not been brought up with much religious indoctrination. After becoming Christian, Patrick studied and trained to become a priest.

After having escaped from slavery in Ireland, you would think that the last place he would ever want to go would be back to Ireland. But after he became a priest, he felt led to go back to Ireland to bring the people the gospel of Jesus Christ. And that is what he did. He went back to the land of his servitude. He offered to the people who had held him in slavery the life-giving faith of Jesus Christ. He went to Ireland, to his way of thinking, to rescue the Irish from paganism and save them through faith in Jesus Christ.

While Patrick attracted many people to the Christian faith in Ireland, he was attacked by the authorities. He was threatened. His life was at risk.

In the life of Patrick as we know it, we can see that he truly did try to love his enemy. He went back to Ireland out of love to share the Good News of Christianity. He worked for the good of the very people who had held him as a slave. In this, he truly embodies the gospel.

In Patrick, we also see how he took to heart the gospel teaching of Jesus that to save your life you must lose it. Patrick risked his life to help the people of Ireland. He endured hardship and vilification. He gave his life for the good of others.

For his time and in his way, we can see that Patrick was a person of great faith. He truly sought to embody the way of Jesus. He was committed to shining the light of Christ. He let Christ live in him. On this his saint day, perhaps a more fitting tribute than wearing green and eating corned beef would be to recommit ourselves to truly following the way of Jesus as Patrick did. May we, too, seek to love our enemies and give our lives to the wellbeing of the world.

A prayer attributed to St. Patrick:

Christ beside me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ within me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me.