Well, we are closing in on spring, and things are warming up. We are forging ahead into warmer the weather.
Can you imagine what it would be like if we never had a change of weather? Life would be so drab! The changing cloak of weather lets us know what season we are in so we can prepare for the joys it holds.
Life without any change of scenery can be very boring. Even in our daily lives we look for that special moment of a change.
Have you ever thought how much changes daily in our lives? We all change clothes daily. Even our commute to and from work never is the same — especially for professional drivers.
With every passing moment of the day something changes. Sometimes we don’t even notice that subtle little change, but it’s there.
Have you ever given thought to how we change in God’s eyes? Some days we’re ready to do what’s required of us to honor God. Other days we’re like rebellious children and drift away from the blessings of God.
In all of this, we find ourselves feeling a bit like the weather during the month of March. Some days we have nice, clear, sunny days and other days … well, it just seems like a total mess of a day.
But then right in the middle of all this is that special day — St. Patrick’s Day. On this day, everyone becomes a little Irish! We start wearing the green. And, of course, there’s the famous shamrock.
Have you ever really thought much about the shamrock and what it represents? Many people have no idea what the shamrock stands for. Let me try to shed some light on this special piece of greenery we call the shamrock.
This three-leaf clover is part of the Irish legend about St. Patrick, who used the plant as an educational symbol to explain the holy trinity. He explained that the shamrock is like the trinity. There’s one God, represented by the stem, but three divine beings — the father, the son and the holy spirit — all connected to the stem. Those three leaves also stand for faith, hope and love.
Have you ever given much thought to who St. Patrick actually was?
Well, St. Patrick was a missionary who brought Christianity to Ireland. He wasn’t sure just how to explain the concept of the holy trinity, so he used the shamrock to help explain that within the one God are three divine persons.
Each one — the father, the son and the holy spirit — is a unique unit attached to the stem (God). Thanks to St. Patrick’s ingenuity, folks soon understood just what the holy trinity was (and still is). One God, three persons. All are God — God the father, God the son and God the holy spirit.
So, when you start to wear the green and hold that shamrock this St. Patrick’s Day, just remember that you are proclaiming the divinity of the trinity. You are celebrating St. Patrick’s work that was started so many years ago to help nonbelievers understand their relationship with God.
So, as the weather is constantly changing and our moods are changing daily we see that God never changes. He is our protector as a father. He is our comforter in times of need as the son. He is the spirit that fills us with happiness and joy.
When you go outside and pick a clover from your yard, notice that you can release all strains and problems by reflecting on the trinity, and smile because with God all things are made new.
March is getting us ready for the joys of spring and summer. Take your shamrock and say, “God the father is my refuge, God the son is my strength and God the holy spirit empowers me all through my day.” Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Best of the roads and all gears forward in Jesus,
Rev. Marilou Coins
