A Touch of Green on Forgiveness Sunday

Image by Kerstin Riemer from Pixabay

Today there are many celebrations!

It is Forgiveness Sunday and tomorrow is the first day of Great Lent (Orthodox Style).

Pascha (Easter) comes late this year. (May 5th)

Today is also St. Owen’s Day (March 17/4)!

On the new style calendar, today is also St. Patrick of Ireland. (The equivalent Julian calendar date for March 17th is 13 days later – on March 30th)

Here are some fascinating historical documents about St. Patrick, written by the 7th century monk Muirchú from the Royal Irish Academy.

Icons of St. Patrick often show him holding a three-leafed shamrock growing on a single stem, he used this to illustrate the Holy Trinity – our One God in Three Persons.

St. Patrick wrote many hymns. Here is an excerpt from a beautiful, longer hymn, the Lorica (Breastplate) of St. Patrick. “I bind unto myself today, the Strong Name of the Trinity! By Invocation of the same, the Three in One, and One in Three!”   ~ St. Patrick

Abbreviated Lorica Hymn of St. Patrick’s Prayer, recorded and sung below, by our Youth Choir in 2019.

As today is Forgiveness Sunday, I’ll conclude with sincerely asking your forgiveness… For any offense I may have given to any of my readers/subscribers, at any time.

God Forgives!

May our Lenten Journey ahead, be Peaceful and Fruitful!

Another (very short) recording of St. Patrick’s Prayer sung outside, by my GG’s a few years ago. The precious robin chirping at the end… was totally unrehearsed!

Bee That As It May

Image by Erik Karits from Pixabay

For me, writing is usually a joy. But during these troubled times it’s a simple fact that on a global scale, this war physically and spiritually affects everyone – everywhere.

It’s been some time now, that I’ve not been able to write for sheer pleasure, but instead, write solely to help me make sense of the world.

Along with countless other people here in North America, the far-reaching ripples of war have profoundly, painfully, and spiritually impacted my personal life… the least of which, leaves me completely uninspired to write much of anything.

But yesterday something extraordinary happened, something that rekindled a bright little light in my heart! And amazingly, the seemingly smallness of this event is what actually makes it Truly Great.

Playing outside, enjoying nature, my grandchildren encountered a bumblebee in distress. Usually a distressed bee when carefully cupped in (un-allergic) hands, and carried to a quiet place to rest – recovers. It can also be revived if needed with a bit of sugar water. After letting the bee rest awhile, most of the time it’s able to fly away and continue its search for flowers.

But, the bumblebee didn’t make it, and one grandchild said with the simplistic wisdom of an ancient sage, “We tried to help, but it was just its time.”

They buried the bumblebee beneath some ferns in their tiny, treasured Fairy Garden. Digging their fingers into the soil, they gently placed the bee into a shallow well, and tenderly tucked vibrant green moss over it. They thanked the bumblebee for all its hard work, and while brushing the bits of dirt off their hands, they considered how many thousands of flowers and all the places that bumblebee must have visited during its life. They pondered how precious and busy ALL bees are. They deliberated on what great examples bees are to us. “Because bees just do what they need to do- for the good of the hive.” Regardless of what’s happening outside the hive.

Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings! Their wise words, a sudden source for a new story – bubbled up from within, just aching to be shared! It’s the first one that’s come to me in a long, long, time. It sprang up from the simple Faith of children, along with their refreshing pureness of Hope, and Love of God’s creatures.

God’s Gift of Nature is a Healing, Secret Gospel and to everything there is a season! May I keep noticing the sweet “little” things that the Good Lord sends to help nourish the rekindled warmth in my writer’s heart!

Interview with a young Bee Whisperer: “To help exhausted bees, I use 1 tsp. of water and 1 tsp. of sugar. Scoop mixed sugar water into a large eating spoon, and place onto level ground, for bees don’t like to climb while they’re tired. Stand back and let it enjoy the sugar water. It may take awhile, but that’s okay. They like to have their sugar water spoon placed in the sun, not shade, (uncomfortable shade reminds them of the rain) and bees like to keep warm. Sometimes if a bee is tired, and just sitting still on the ground, you can place it on a flower, as they like to be in high places where they feel safe and can easily fly off from. Bees are so important to us humans. They are one of reasons we can actually live, because they pollinate the flowers and we can grow and eat food like fruits and vegetables from the flowers. Bees are one of the animals people are scared of (especially if allergic to bees, because that would be really scary) But, bees are harmless creatures, and seem to know if you’re trying to help. They don’t bite or don’t sting. But, if you squash them they’ll sting. They can’t help it then. I’ve only been stung by a bee when I accidentally walked on clover with bare feet. It’s good to help bees and anything that needs help.”

…the person who has good thoughts, no matter what he sees, no matter what you tell him, maintains a positive and good thought. ~ St. Paisios of Mt. Athos

Praying for the Peace From Above.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

March 30/17

I just received this joyful golden Lenten Lily (Daffodil) photo from a dear (anonymous) friend this morning, along with beautiful heart-warming greetings, which I’m allowed to share.

May you be Protected and Inspired by Real Gold – God’s Promises, and the Mystical Enlightenment of St. Patrick – today and always.

Another friend has sent me this about St. Patrick, written by the 7th century monk Muirchú from the Royal Irish Academy.

Today, St. Patrick’s Day March 30/17 (Julian), is also the second anniversary of the beginning of my Blisswood “Posts” section.

Thank you so much for visiting!

Through the holy prayers of St. Patrick may this day of your Lenten Journey, be particularly peaceful and fruitful.

With love in Christ.

Nourishing Hope

Cherry Blossom, Three-Leaf Clover, Raindrops

My God!
Your name is Love: do not abandon me, the erring.
Your name is Strength: strengthen me, the stumbling and falling.
Your name is Light: enlighten my soul, darkened by worldly passions.
Your name is Peace: console my restless soul. ~ St. John of Kronstadt

May your Lenten Journey be peaceful and fruitful.

St. Patrick Enlightener of Ireland

Thank you Vera, for sharing the St. Patrick icon!

St. Patrick is so beloved and well-known, that I’m posting this today… for both calendars (March 17/March 30).

St. Patrick led an amazing life. Born in Scotland around the year 385 AD, he was the son of a deacon and the grandson of a priest. Patrick wasn’t particularly religious during his youth, but he lived a quiet life.

That all changed at the age of sixteen, when he was kidnapped by pirates raiding the British coast. Taken to Ireland and sold as a slave, Patrick spent the next six years as a herder on an isolated mountain.

Labouring in solitude, he remembered the faith of his youth, and turned to prayer, finding solace in God. Patrick had a vision revealing he would soon be free and that a ship would be waiting for him. An opportunity arose for his escape, and he fled… traveling many days on foot, until he reached the coast to find the ship from his vision, preparing to sail to Gaul (France).

St. Patrick studied for several years in a monastery under the holy Bishop Germanus. He was ordained a priest and eventually consecrated a bishop. St. Patrick had another vision, that the people in the land of his captors were calling him back to Eire. St. Patrick understood that this was to be his mission… he was to return to Ireland and help establish the Church there. He was one of several missionaries who arrived in Ireland around 432 AD. 

When asked to explain the mystery of the Holy Trinity in a simple manner, St. Patrick used a tiny shamrock (a low growing plant of the clover family) with its three lobed leaves on a single stem, to demonstrate how God the Father- God the Son- and God the Holy Spirit are the Holy Trinity; Three in One, One in Three… Undivided.

Lorica of St. Patrick sung by the GG’s (Abridged Version)

Once, during his travels, he destroyed an idol where human sacrifices would occur. This idol sat on a large rock. When the saint struck the idol with his crozier (bishop staff), the idol crumbled to dust, and the imprint of the crozier remained upon the rock.

As a bishop he faced many struggles and dangers, including hostility from those loyal to the pagan gods. With God’s help, St. Patrick worked through these obstacles while guiding his flock, and baptising new converts. St. Patrick prayed tirelessly, and continued his work of establishing churches and monasteries. It is said he chanted the entire Psalter every day.

His writings include several works of prayers, and letters. One of these prayers is well known as the Lorica (Breastplate) of St. Patrick… A prayer for protection.

During a perilous journey to share the Christian faith in King Loegaire’s territory, the saint discovered they were in mortal danger of an ambush. He prayed the Lorica Prayer, and to those lying in ambush, the saint and his company of monks appeared to them as if they were wild deer, and not humans. Because of this miracle, the Lorica Prayer is also known as The Deer’s Cry.

The early fifth century Enlightenment of Ireland by St. Patrick and his brethren, has been called the most successful single missionary venture in the history of the church.  

This post is collected from various sources over the years… and are but a smidgeon of the countless, wondrous, and miraculous events, regarding the life of St. Patrick, Enlightener of Ireland.

Today we also celebrate the 7th century British St. Owen of Lichfield.

A Shamrock Day

Regardless of it being March 30th on the civil calendar today, it’s also March 17th on the ancient Julian calendar – thus, St. Patrick Day again for some. 🙂

Icons of St. Patrick often show him holding a three-leafed shamrock growing on a single stem, he used this to illustrate the Holy Trinity – our One God in Three Persons.

St. Patrick wrote many hymns. Here is an excerpt from a beautiful, longer hymn, the Lorica (Breastplate) of St. Patrick. “I bind unto myself today, the Strong Name of the Trinity! By Invocation of the same, the Three in One, and One in Three!”   ~ St. Patrick

St. Patrick’s Lorica Hymn, sung by the GG’s (Abridged Version)

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