☘️ Happy Feast of St. Patrick, Missionary and Bishop, 461 A.D. ☘️
Collect of the Day (from the Church of Ireland Book of Common Prayer, 2004): O Almighty God, who in thy providence didst choose thy servant Patrick to be the apostle of the Irish people, that he might bring those who were wandering in darkness and error to the true light and knowledge of thee; Grant us so to walk in that light, that we may come at last to the light of everlasting life; through the merits of Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Amen.
St. Patrick is often credited for explaining the Holy Trinity using a shamrock as an analogy, but even his analogy has issues.
For those not familiar with the Holy Trinity, it is the theological concept where there is one God, but exist as three distinct persons comprised of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. This concept is fundamental in mainstream Christian denominations.
Explaining the Holy Trinity is not easy and has caused many heretical analogies. One famous heresy of the Holy Trinity is Arianism, the idea that the Son and Holy Ghost created from the Father and thus not co-equal and co-eternal. St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra (yup, Ol’ St. Nick from Christmas 🎅🏻) alleged slapped Arius in the face to the shock of the other attending bishops at the Council of Nicea in 325AD when Arius was explaining his heresy.
I choose to not try to understand the Holy Trinity, but accept it as something not understandable by us mere mortals. Any explanation on our plane of existence is and will always be flawed.
Usually, I post this video on Trinity Sunday, but since it references St. Patrick, I think it is also appropriate for today.
High Anglican Haligonian 