His "Confession" begins like this: "I, Patrick, a sinner, a most simple countryman, the least of all the faithful and most contemptible to many." Except for the "most simple countryman" part, the self-description sounds much like Paul, "less than the least of the holy ones" (Eph. 3:8); "chief of sinners" (1 Tim. 1:15); treated as the "scum of the earth" (1 Cor. 4:3). And it certainly doesn't end there! I wonder if the similarities between Paul and Patrick influenced the latter, in some small way, to quote so much of Paul's writings in his own.
On this much-abused feast of the Apostle of Ireland, take time to read a chapter or two of Patrick's spiritual autobiography, and pray to him to take up the New Evangelization with at least a portion of his spirit!
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