No one would ever have been able to accuse Patrick of compromise. He was always on guard against the temptations of the flesh, as we read on pages 51 and 52 of Patrick: A Devotional History:
“And it is true,
though I lack any skill, I’ve tried to do
all that I could to guard myself in all
my dealings, so that none could ever call
me greedy. Even with the brethren and
the virgins of the Lord I took a stand
that I would not receive the gifts that they
would give to me. At times they’d even lay
them on the altar; I returned them all,
no matter if the gifts were great or small.
And so, not understanding why I did
this, they became offended. But I bid
you understand, I hoped eternity
to gain, and so I labored hard to be
a man of full integrity in all
my dealings, being careful not to fall
into temptation, lest the pagans should
some pretext have to denigrate my good
episcopate and to disparage me.
“[Patrick] mentions his practice of not receiving gifts from those he served. He means personal gifts. Of course, people contributed to his ministry, for his support and the support of those who worked and traveled with him. But Patrick steadfastly refused to accept personal gifts because he knew this would cast a cloud of doubt and suspicion over his work. Guarding himself against even the appearance of greed also characterized all his dealings. He was continuously on guard against temptation and the wiles of the devil, and he kept himself above reproach in all aspects of his life.
“It is telling that, when ecclesiastical powers in Britain sought to remove Patrick from the field by a specious moral claim, they had to go way back to before he was even taken captive to find something on which to pin their charges. Patrick may not have driven the snakes out of Ireland (as is often claimed), but he certainly kept the old serpent out of his soul, out of his moral life, and out of his ministry.”
For reflection or discussion
1. What do you do to be always on guard against the temptations of sin?
2. What is your approach to dealing with sin when you find it in your soul?
Dealing with temptation and sin is a constant concern for Christians. We must be ever vigilant against the wiles of the devil lest we stray from the Lord’s path and compromise our witness. We can help one another in this matter, beginning with prayer. Share today’s podcast with a friend, then get together to talk about how to encourage one another in purity of life. You can download a free PDF copy of our 30-day devotional, Patrick: A Devotional History, by going to The Ailbe Bookstore.
T. M. Moore
