March 17, 2011

• Happy Maewyn Succat’s Day!!

  *A Repost*  :)

   

   

   

  The following is a brief story about a famous Welshman named Maewyn Sucat, also known as Saint Patrick. 


This excerpt was taken directly from the book The Great Escape (40 faith-building lessons from history) by Christine Farenhorst. My kids love the stories in this book. ~And in particular the following story about the famous Welshman whose faith impacted history. 

If you have a moment this St. Patrick’s day, this short story is worth taking the time to share with your kids/grandkids. It gives a different perspective on the true meaning of this day. 



   

   

  Maewyn’s Vision

”Maewyn Sucat was born in Wales around the year 389. The Romans ruled Great Britain at this time, and Maewyn was proud of his nationality. His people built fine churches and sturdy houses. Calpurnius Sucat, Maewyn’s father, was a magistrate, a Roman official. He was also a deacon in the Christian church. Calpurnius and his wife taught Maewyn about God. But although Maewyn listened with his ears, his heart was stopped up. He had no need of the gospel. He led a sheltered existence. There were servants to obey him, plenty of food, a strong roof over his head, and fine clothes to wear.




   

  
Across the sea from England lay the country of Ireland. Ireland was ruled by a number of powerful men. Each man called himself a king and the most powerful of them all was king Niall. But even more powerful than the kings were the druid priests. With power to declare war and make peace, practicing divination and sorcery, these Druid priests often resorted to human sacrifice. When Maewyn was sixteen years old, King Niall, with the Druids encouragement, attacked England and took thousands of prisoners. Maewyn was one of these prisoners. Taken away from friends and family, he was sold into slavery to one of the rulers of Ireland. Suddenly there were no more servants to bring him his dinner; no fresh clothes were laid out for him in the morning, and the roof over his head was exchanged for the great outdoors. From heir to a rich house, Maewyn was demoted to the position of swineherd. 

Sometimes when luxuries are taken away from us, we begin to appreciate things more and more. So it was with Maewyn. Alone in a strange country, with plenty of time on his hands to think about why he had been pirated away from his home and friends, he found that the only comfort he had was in prayer. In his loneliness, Maewyn was thrown into the arms of God. He prayed much and such is the power of prayer that it made a child a man, and the man, a child of God.





   

   

  After he had lived in Ireland for six years, Maewyn had a vision in which he heard a voice saying to him, “Behold, a ship is ready for thee.” He got up, left the swine, and walked many miles to the sea. No one stopped him. Finding the ship, he secured a passage and was taken to an island off the southern coast of France. Here he entered a monastery and seriously began to study his bible.

When Maewyn, after an absence of nearly ten years, returned to the village where he had been born, his family was overjoyed to see him. For a while he was happy to be back, but one night he was given another dream. In it a man spoke to him and said, “Why dost thou loiter here in peace and happiness when there are men waiting in darkness for a message from God that thou shouldst carry to them? Arise and return to the land of thy captivity, for the people there need thee.”


   

   

  Maewyn was certain God was calling him to go back to Ireland. In the year 432 he was ordained as a missionary and renamed Patricius, or Patrick. He then sailed back to Ireland. He had eight fellow workers with him to face the enmity of the Druid Priests and to help him preach. He prayed much and earnestly.

Patrick thought that if the kings of Ireland would be converted to Christ, surely the tribe members would follow. At this time the high king of Ireland was a man named Laager. Legend has it that as Patrick spoke to Laager in the name of The Lord, the chief Druid continually mocked Patrick and his God. But as he mocked, a lightning bolt struck him down and stunned him while an earthquake rocked the countryside. Believing in Patrick’s God, many were converted, and Laager is reported to have said, “Thy God is great and wonderful. He has worked miracles for thee. Thou mayest indeed carry thy message to the people of my kingdom, and I will help thee as I may.”


   

  Although there were people who hated Patrick and tried to kill him, God protected him. His success was amazing. He traveled, preached, converted, and baptized. The King of Leinster, the King of Munster, and many others came to Christ until it was said that Ireland had more Christians per square mile than any other country. With God’s help, Patrick established monasteries and schools. The Irish tribes did not yet have a written language, but the gift of the Christian religion gave them the Latin alphabet. Gospel books Patrick carried with him became Irish treasures. Students spent their lives copying them, and Irish monasteries became the cradles of many who would later spread the Gospel throughout Europe.



   

   

  Happy St. Paddy’s Day!!

  

   

   

  But then also, don’t forget the Welsh….    :)

   

   

  

   

   

  • 6:53 am
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