Irish For The Day

Hard to know it was St. Patrick's today because of the Coronavirus! This is from  March 17, 2013.

It's St. Patrick's Day! I saw plenty of folks at worship this morning sporting any number of green articles of clothing, even hats! There was nothing green in my outfit as I dressed up in a suit and although I have many ties, they don't tend to the shade one would wear on this holiday. When I was kid, I seem to recall not wearing green on March 17, I'm sure in hopes of certain girls pinching me. Of course, my bachelorhood is proof of the fallacy of that pre-teen boy logic....and I guarantee there's a lot more where that came from!

By my best estimated guess, I would think I'm 1/8th or 1/16th Irish but I'd have to have Uncle Jack and Uncle Monroe consult with each other to make sure. Did you know that 11.2% of the US population is of Irish descent according to the 2010 census and that the State of New York has the highest Irish percentage? Or did you know that Irish people in the US are older than the general population and that both parents of President Andrew Jackson were born in Ireland? All I know is that one of my favorite movie scenes ever is when Harrison Ford (Dr. Richard Kimball) escapes into the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Chicago! You can't beat The Fugitive!

I'm not sure why this calendar date is slotted as St. Patrick's Day but to me, it was interesting it fell on a Sunday this year. Sometimes, I think we approach our Christianity like we do this holiday; you know, pull it out when it's convenient. I don't go around mentioning my Irish heritage normally but it came up today. Maybe we wear a cross like we wear a swatch of green, sort of an identifying mark, just enough not to get pinched. Often I believe we pigeonhole our spiritual side to one day instead of a daily walk. We're believers on Easter or Christmas or Mother's Day but that leaves 362 days unaccounted for. Being a disciple can't simply be like St. Patrick's Day in America, a feel good nod to those good folks and ancestors who four and five generations ago fled poverty and scratched out an existence in places like New York and Boston and points west. I'm proud to be partly Irish but that produces a minimal difference in this world. I can only hope my Christian heritage is of more substantial impact to our culture at large.

Applicable quote of the day:
“If my last name were Bedient, I’d want to Irishize it and have you call me O’Bedient. Of course, just because you call me, doesn’t mean I’ll come.” 
Jarod Kintz

PS: I would have printed this entry in the predictable color but blogger doesn't supply a good Irish green for print!

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
www.hawleybooks.com
E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com