St. Patrick's Day

The background color for the comic will have to do as a 'touch of the Irish' and offer a good place to start talking about a man more associated today with green beer and "Kiss Me I'm Irish" buttons than his actual legacy.

Many, including the cartoonist and the person at church adding a smile to the weekly church newsletter, think one of St. Patrick's greatest accomplishments was driving the snakes from Ireland.

Just one problem, there never were snakes in Ireland.  There were Druids, a pagan faith that used snakes as symbols of their belief, who sometimes sported snake tattoos.  As a preacher of the Gospel, Patrick is credited in the mid 300s A.D. for bringing Christianity to Ireland. 

In that sense, he drove the snakes off the island.  A story written about his work connects him to the shamrock, something we associate with St. Patty's Day.  He used the shamrock to explain the concept of the Trinity, three persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in one God).

Let's say there's less than a 1% chance that Patrick would care for what this day means now.  In Ireland it is national day and observed in the church with great solemnity.  Here in the United States, you won't find a lot of solemnity.

Yet, it's a good opportunity to look back at those snakes.  Since the beginning of time, serpents represent sin and evil.  So, we can be happy Patrick is credited with removing them.

As you celebrate the Irish in you - even if it's just one day - enjoy and take a moment between the green beer, corn beef and cabbage, and shamrock shakes to recognize the honoree.