Very Rev. Ihor Kutash kutash@unicorne.org

Every year in March every one discovers a little Irish in themselves and we celebrate the Feast of St. Patrick of Ireland.  There is another Patrick on the Church Calendar today who is virtually unknown to most.  He was the Bishop of a forgotten city called Prussa in Bithynia in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey).

One day he was brought before the governor of the city who asked him if his God was able to save him from the scalding waters of a hot spring nearby.  The saint replied that He was if that was His will, but if not he would gladly accept whatever God sent.  An echo of the three young men facing the fiery furnace in Babylon as noted in the Old Testament.  He was thrown into the hot spring and miraculously remained as fresh and cool as though he were standing in the rain.  The frustrated governor then had him and his companions beheaded.

Their faith in God remained intact – triumphant.  Christians do not depend upon things going according to their plans for their happiness.  Happiness consists in submission to God and living in continual fellowship with Him.  It certainly does not mean absence of physical or mental pain.  Jesus said that the peace He would give His followers would not be “of this world”.  This does not mean that the things of this world are unimportant.  Christians believe that God Himself, in Jesus Christ, immersed Himself in this world to save it.  It is just that there is much, much more to reality, to being than are obvious in this world.