One of the things that impresses me so much about many of the Saints is that after being removed from difficultly they often went back into the fray or they went searching for those situations that were surely to be a battle.
St. Patrick, after being kidnapped and held as a slave for many years, eventually escaped and went back home. During his time in captivity, he truly found God.
You can imagine how good it must have felt to go home, but amazingly enough, Patrick went back to Ireland to bring Christ to the pagans. He went back into the fray.
Once you have experienced a difficultly that pushes you beyond what you believe are your limits, it can be hard to go back to “normal.”
It’s in those hard times that you realize you are capable of more and, with God’s grace, there is even more you can do. And, so, it is very hard to just go back to the familiar, to comfort, to the known.
When St. Patrick went back, he basically converted an entire island to Christianity. Trusting in God to give him strength and courage, he went and did hard things for God and the good of others. It’s impressive.
So many of the Saints are like this. In them, we see the full potential of human beings.
We truly do see the reality of Christ’s words manifested in the Saints: “Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life.” John 12:25
Don’t be afraid to get uncomfortable, Catholic Pilgrims. You just may be the person God has called to go into the fray.
Have a blessed Fifth Sunday of Lent.
St. Patrick, pray for us!
