Patrick Comerford
Next Tuesday [17 March 2020] is Saint Patrick’s Day, and the celebrations may mark a welcome break in Lent.
This posting provides appropriate preaching and liturgical resources for Saint Patrick’s Day.
The readings in the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) are:
Readings: Tobit 13: 1b-7; Psalm 145: 1-13; II Corinthians 4: 1-12; John 4: 31-38.
There is a direct link to readings HERE.
Preaching on Saint Patrick’s Day:
Preaching on Saint Patrick’s Day is always a challenge. People think they know the story of Saint Patrick, but they are also anxious to leave and take part in the day’s festivities.
An additional dilemma is posed this year, because the Gospel reading for Saint Patrick’s Day (John 4: 31-38), which is the same each year, is also portion of the Gospel reading the previous Sunday, the Third Sunday in Lent (Lent III, 15 March 2020, John 4: 5-42).
In searching for some ideas for Saint Patrick’s Day, these are links to some recent sermons I have preached on Saint Patrick’s Day in previous years:
1, A sermon preached in Saint Mary’s Church, Askeaton, Co Limerick on Saint Patrick’s Day 2019 is HERE.
2, A sermon preached in Saint Mary’s Church, Askeaton, Co Limerick on Saint Patrick’s Day 2018 is HERE.
3, A sermon preached in Saint Mary’s Church, Askeaton, Co Limerick, on Saint Patrick’s Day 2017 is HERE.
4, A sermon preached in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, on Saint Patrick’s Day 2013 is HERE.
Thinking about Saint Patrick:
Four papers on Saint Patrick delivered at a Readers’ Retreat Day in the Church of Ireland Theological Institute, Dublin, in March 2016 are available through these links:
1, Who is Saint Patrick?
2, Saint Patrick’s writings and his message
3, Celtic Spirituality, is there something there?
4, The Eucharist, with a short sermon.
John 4: 31-38 (NRSVA):
31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging him [Jesus], ‘Rabbi, eat something.’ 32 But he said to them, ‘I have food to eat that you do not know about.’ 33 So the disciples said to one another, ‘Surely no one has brought him something to eat?’ 34 Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. 35 Do you not say, “Four months more, then comes the harvest”? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting. 36 The reaper is already receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. 37 For here the saying holds true, “One sows and another reaps.” 38 I sent you to reap that for which you did not labour. Others have laboured, and you have entered into their labour.’
Liturgical Resources:
Liturgical Colour: White (please note that Green is not the Liturgical Colour for Saint Patrick’s Day).
Penitential Kyries:
O taste and see that the Lord is good;
happy are those who trust in him.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
The Lord ransoms the live of his servants
and none who trust in him will be destroyed.
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Come my children, listen to me:
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
The Collect of the Day:
Almighty God,
in your providence you chose your servant Patrick
to be the apostle of the Irish people,
to bring those who were wandering in darkness and error
to the true light and knowledge of your Word:
Grant that walking in that light
we may come at last to the light of everlasting life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Collect of the Word:
No Collect of the Word is provided for Saint Patrick’s Day.
Introduction to the Peace:
Peace be to you, and peace to your house, and peace to all who are yours (I Samuel 25: 6).
Preface:
To this land you sent the glorious gospel
through the preaching of Patrick.
You caused it to grow and flourish in the life of your servant Patrick and in
the lives of men and women, filled with your Holy Spirit,
building up your Church to send forth the good news to other places:
Post Communion Prayer:
Hear us, most merciful God,
for that part of the Church
which through your servant Patrick you planted in our land;
that it may hold fast the faith entrusted to the saints
and in the end bear much fruit to eternal life:
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Blessing:
God, who in days of old gave to this land the benediction of his holy Church,
fill you with his grace to walk faithfully in the steps of the saints
and to bring forth fruit to his glory:
Suggested Hymns:
The hymns suggested for Saint Patrick’s Day, 17 March, in Sing to the Word (2000), edited by Bishop Edward Darling, include:
Tobit 13: 1b-7:
No suggested hymns.
Alternative, Deuteronomy 32: 1-9:
668, God is our fortress and our rock
539, Rejoice, O land, in God thy might
540, To thee, our God, we fly (verses 1-3, 7)
Psalm 145: 1-13
24, All creatures of our God and King
125, Hail to the Lord’s anointed
321, Holy, holy, holy! Lord God almighty
358, King of glory, King of peace
360, Let all the world in every corner sing
104, O for a thousand tongues to sing
365, Praise to the Lord, the almighty, the King of creation
368, Sing of the Lord’s goodness
73, The day thou gavest, Lord, is ended 374, When all thy mercies, O my God
492, Ye servants of God, your master proclaim
II Corinthians 4: 1-12:
52, Christ, whose glory fills the skies
613, Eternal light, shine in my heart
481, God is working his purpose out as year succeeds to year
324, God, whose almighty word
569, Hark, my soul, it is the Lord
96, Jesus is Lord! Creation’s voice proclaims it
195, Lord, the light of your love is shining
228, Meekness and majesty
341, Spirit divine, attend our prayers
John 4: 31-38:
305, O Breath of life, come sweeping through us
46, Tá an fómhar seo go haerach, céad buíochas le hÍosa
(The harvest is bright, all thanks be to Jesus)
141, These are the days of Elijah
Also suitable:
611, Christ be beside me
459, For all the saints who from their labours rest
461, For all thy saints, O Lord
460, For all your saints in glory, for all your saints at rest (verses 1, 2c and 3)
464, God, whose city’s sure foundation
322, I bind unto myself today
322, I bind unto myself today (vv. 1, 2, 8 & 9)
536, Lord, while for all the world we pray
471, Rejoice in God’s saints, today and all days
473, Síormholadh is glóir duit, a Athair shíorai
(All glory and praise to you, Father above)
Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Edition copyright © 1989, 1995, National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. http://nrsvbibles.org
Material from the Book of Common Prayer is copyright © 2004, Representative Body of the Church of Ireland.
The hymn suggestions are provided in Sing to the Word (2000), edited by Bishop Edward Darling. The hymn numbers refer to the Church of Ireland’s Church Hymnal (5th edition, Oxford: OUP, 2000).
Updated: 11 March 2020, with corrections to the names of Sundays in Lent, and a note on the Collect of the Word.
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