Disciples of Saint Patrick

Saint of the day
Saint Patrick

Saint Patrick of Ireland is one of the world's most popular saints. He was born in Roman Britain and when he was fourteen or so, he was captured by Irish pirates during a raiding party and taken to Ireland as a slave to herd and tend sheep. At the time, Ireland was a land of Druids and pagans but Patrick turned to God and wrote his memoir, The Confession. In The Confession, he wrote:

"The love of God and his fear grew in me more and more, as did the faith, and my soul was rosed, so that, in a single day, I have said as many as a hundred prayers and in the night, nearly the same. I prayed in the woods and on the mountain, even before dawn. I felt no hurt from the snow or ice or rain."

Patrick's captivity lasted until he was twenty, when he escaped after having a dream from God in which he was told to leave Ireland by going to the coast. There he found some sailors who took him back to Britain and was reunited with his family.

A few years after returning home, Patrick saw a vision he described in his memoir:

"I saw a man coming, as it were from Ireland. His name was Victoricus, and he carried many letters, and he gave me one of them. I read the heading: 'The Voice of the Irish.' As I began the letter, I imagined in that moment that I heard the voice of those very people who were near the wood of Foclut, which is beside the western sea-and they cried out, as with one voice: 'We appeal to you, holy servant boy, to come and walk among us.'"

The vision prompted his studies for the priesthood. He was ordained by St. Germanus, the Bishop of Auxerre, whom he had studied under for years, and was later ordained a bishop and sent to take the Gospel to Ireland.

Patrick arrived in Slane, Ireland on March 25, 433. There are several legends about what happened next, with the most prominent claiming he met the chieftan of one of the druid tribes, who tried to kill him. After an intervention from God, Patrick was able to convert the chieftain and preach the Gospel throughout Ireland. There, he converted many people -eventually thousands - and he began building churches across the country.

He often used shamrocks to explain the Holy Trinity and entire kingdoms were eventually converted to Christianity after hearing Patrick's message.

Patrick preached and converted all of Ireland for 40 years. He worked many miracles and wrote of his love for God in Confessions. After years of living in poverty, traveling and enduring much suffering he died March 17, 461.

He died at Saul, where he had built the first Irish church. He is believed to be buried in Down Cathedral, Downpatrick. His grave was marked in 1990 with a granite stone. Saint of the day

Ako’y nagbubuklod sa aking sarili sa araw na ito
Sa makapangyarihang Pangalan ng Santísima Trinidad,
Sa pagtawag sa iisang Diyos na ito—
Ang Tatlo sa Isa at ang Isa sa Tatlo.
Ibinubuklod ko ito sa aking sarili magpakailanman
Sa kapangyarihan ng pananampalataya—ang Pagkakatawang-tao ni Kristo;
Ang Kanyang bautismo sa Ilog Jordan,
Ang Kanyang kamatayan sa krus para sa aking kaligtasan;
Ang Kanyang pagbangon mula sa mabangong libingan,
Ang Kanyang pag-akyat sa langit,
Ang Kanyang muling pagdating sa araw ng paghuhukom—
Ibinubuklod ko ito sa aking sarili sa araw na ito.
Ibinubuklod ko sa aking sarili ang kapangyarihan
Ng dakilang pag-ibig ng mga kerubin;
Ang matamis na “Magaling!” sa oras ng paghuhukom,
Ang paglilingkod ng mga serapin;
Ang pananampalataya ng mga tagapagpahayag ng pananampalataya,
Ang salita ng mga apostol,
Ang panalangin ng mga patriyarka at mga kasulatan ng mga propeta,
Ang lahat ng mabubuting gawa para sa Panginoon
At ang kadalisayan ng mga kaluluwang birhen.
Ibinubuklod ko sa aking sarili sa araw na ito
Ang mga biyaya ng langit na may mga bituin,
Ang sinag na nagbibigay-buhay ng maluwalhating araw,
Ang kaputian ng buwan sa gabi,
Ang kislap ng kidlat na malaya,
Ang hagupit ng umiikot na hangin,
Ang matatag na lupa at ang maalat na malalim na dagat
Sa paligid ng sinaunang walang hanggang mga bato.
Ibinubuklod ko sa aking sarili sa araw na ito
Ang kapangyarihan ng Diyos na humahawak at gumagabay,
Ang Kanyang mata na nagbabantay, ang Kanyang lakas na sumusuporta,
Ang Kanyang tainga na nakikinig sa aking pangangailangan.
Ang karunungan ng aking Diyos na nagtuturo,
Ang Kanyang kamay na gumagabay, ang Kanyang kalasag na nagtatanggol;
Ang Salita ng Diyos na nagbibigay sa akin ng pananalita,
Ang Kanyang hukbo sa langit bilang aking tagapagtanggol.
Laban sa mga patibong ng demonyo at kasalanan,
Sa bisyong nagbibigay-lakas sa tukso,
Sa mga likas na pagnanasa na nakikipagdigma sa loob ko,
Sa mga taong kaaway na sumisira sa aking landas;
Maging kakaunti o marami, malayo man o malapit,
Sa bawat lugar at sa lahat ng oras—
Laban sa kanilang mabangis na pagsalungat
Ibinubuklod ko sa aking sarili ang mga banal na kapangyarihang ito.
Laban sa lahat ng salamangka at daya ni Satanas,
Laban sa mga maling salita ng maling aral,
Laban sa kaalamang nagpapadungis,
Laban sa idolatriya ng puso,
Laban sa masamang gawa ng mangkukulam,
Laban sa sugat ng kamatayan at apoy,
Sa nakakasakal na alon at sa lasong palaso—
Ingatan Mo ako, Kristo, hanggang sa Iyong muling pagdating.
Si Kristo ay sumaakin, si Kristo ay nasa loob ko,
Si Kristo ay nasa likuran ko, si Kristo ay nasa harapan ko,
Si Kristo ay nasa tabi ko, si Kristo ang magwawagi para sa akin,
Si Kristo ang umaaliw at nagpapanumbalik sa akin.
Si Kristo ay nasa ilalim ko, si Kristo ay nasa itaas ko,
Si Kristo sa katahimikan, si Kristo sa panganib,
Si Kristo sa puso ng lahat ng umiibig sa akin,
Si Kristo sa bibig ng kaibigan at ng dayuhan.
Ibinubuklod ko sa aking sarili ang Pangalan—
Ang makapangyarihang Pangalan ng Trinidad—
Sa pagtawag sa iisang Diyos na ito,
Ang Tatlo sa Isa at ang Isa sa Tatlo.
Sa Kanya nagmula ang lahat ng nilikha sa kalikasan—
Ang Amang Walang Hanggan, Espiritu, at Salita.
Papuri sa Panginoon ng aking kaligtasan,
Ang kaligtasan ay kay Kristo na Panginoon.

Happy Saints Patrick Day.

anu ang ating Gagawin sa Panahon ng Kwaresma?

Dito sa PILIPINAS ang Brother,s and Priest ng Disciples of Saint Patrick.

Sinu ba si Saint Patrick? o sa San Patricio?

Regarding our salvation "it is finished", why Jesus say this? is this for us or for him Jesus?

In Eastern Orthodox Church theology, when Jesus Christ said “It is finished” on the cross (John 19:30), the meaning is deeper than simply “my suffering is over.” The phrase expresses the completion of His saving mission.

In Greek, the word is “tetelestai”, meaning “it has been completed” or “fulfilled.”

1. It means the mission of salvation was completed

In the Orthodox understanding, Christ came to:

defeat sin

defeat death

restore humanity’s union with God

When He says “It is finished,” it means the work the Father sent Him to do is fulfilled.

This connects to the prophecy of the Book of Isaiah about the Suffering Servant and the saving work foretold throughout the Old Testament.

2. It is both about Him and about us

Orthodox teaching says it refers to both:

For Christ Himself

His earthly mission is completed.

His obedience to the Father is perfect.

For humanity

The path to salvation is opened.

Death’s power is broken through His sacrifice.

However, Orthodoxy emphasizes that salvation is not a one-time legal payment completed at that moment. Instead, it is the beginning of victory that is fully revealed in the Resurrection of Jesus.

3. The Cross is victory, not defeat

In Orthodox spirituality:

The Cross is the moment Christ conquers death.

The Resurrection shows that victory openly.

This is why St. Athanasius of Alexandria famously wrote that Christ became man so that humanity could share in divine life (theosis).

4. The Orthodox summary

“It is finished” means:

The plan of salvation is fulfilled

Christ’s sacrificial obedience is complete

The defeat of death has begun

Humanity is now able to be restored to God

So in Orthodox understanding, the words are not only about Jesus finishing His suffering, but about the completion of the saving work for all humanity.