March 17 is St. Patrick’s Day, a day when Irish and non-Irish alike wear green, kids try to catch leprechauns, and everybody hopes for a little extra luck as we celebrate the Irish culture and heritage. What many people do not know is that Saint Patrick was a Christian missionary in Ireland, and March 17 marks his Christian feast day. Thousands of people became Christians as a result of his commitment to spreading God’s Word.

As legend would have it . . .

One of the legends surrounding St. Patrick is the legend of the shamrock. The story goes that as St. Patrick evangelized and spread the gospel message throughout Ireland, he used a three-leaved clover as an object lesson. Each of the shamrock’s three leaves represents one person in the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Just as the three leaves are all part of one clover, the three persons are all forms of one God.

God in three persons

The Trinity is a fundamental tenet of the Christian faith, but it is also one of the most confusing. How can God be one, yet also three? Our logical minds sometimes have trouble understanding this concept. However, God is not a math equation we must figure out or understand completely. Even if we cannot comprehend this truth, we can still worship and follow the God who is three-in-one. God as Father and Creator reminds us that God is all-knowing and all-powerful. God as Jesus the Son helps us relate to God because, during his time on earth, Jesus personally experienced the struggles we face today. God as Holy Spirit describes God’s role in our hearts and minds as we make decisions and experience the comfort of God’s presence within us. God’s three roles help us to more fully appreciate God’s divine essence and see God working in our lives.

Question of the day: How many roles do you play on a typical day?
Focal Scriptures: Psalm 103; John 10:22-42; Romans 8:1-17.

For a complete lesson on this topic visit LinC.