Happy Saint Patrick’s Day

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day, hope you have your green on I don’t want to come over there and pinch you (smile).  Goodness time flies, we are about to enter the holiest weeks of the year.  In Michoacán, where I am from, Holy Week is a community affair.  I remember that as a child I didn’t really understand and hated the sadness of the Triduum because we really participated in Jesus’ passion & death.  On Good Friday we weren’t allowed to listen to music, watch TV, do house work, shower, dress up…  It was a day of mourning Jesus and we really did mourn him as if he were a member of our family we'd lost.  But with great mourning great celebration came on Easter Sunday!  As we prepare one more year to remember Jesus, as we get ready to travel with him the path towards Calvary to witness his death and celebrate his resurrection - before we travel into the most solemn days of the year we have some great, happy Feast Days to fill us for the hardships that follow. 

Today is national green day, a day to celebrate with green beer and fun green outfits.  More importantly it’s a day we honor the life of our brother Saint Patrick the Irish saint who’s associated with some of the best legends.  He’s our own Catholic Pied Piper who drove the snakes out of Ireland and who creatively used the shamrock to teach about the doctrine of the holy trinity.  He’s the patron saint of Ireland, but has through the years become as commercialized as Saint Nick.  Sadly he’s become the mascot of a commercialized holiday and other than wearing green and getting drunk very little is known about the Saint by many.  I was talking to a friend and she didn’t realize that Saint Patty is actually a Catholic saint a real historical person.  She thought he was just a fable like leprechauns and pots of gold- unfortunately that’s the prevalent thought today.  Yet, Saint Patrick has one of the most awesome stories of conversion.

I have been wearing green most of week!

I like Saint Patrick because like me in his youth he has trouble believing in God.  It isn’t until he is captured by Irish pirates and enslaved that he finds his faith.  I too, experience a very low blow that humbled me enough to open my heart to God and to realize that I needed Him.  During his time in captivity Saint Patrick has a deep conversion and he asks God for forgiveness for the years he lived in ignorance.  As a slave he works as a shepherd and being out in nature helps him connect with God.  One day he hears a voice telling him that he will soon be freed and returned home to Britain.  This comes to happen and when he returns home (to his family) he continues his Christian formation.  Later he returns to Ireland and initially has a very difficult time as a foreign missionary, but he perseveres bringing Ireland to encounter Christ and renew their faith.  There’s a lot of great biographies if you are interested in learning more about him. 

In the office today, our property management provided green bagels and of course I wore green!  May the radical conversion of Saint Patrick motivate us to transform our lives and align our will to God's.

Today's Outfit!

Outfit One:

Calvin Klein Leggings: old

Calvin Klein Cable Knit Sweater: Retails: $80 Thrifted $4

Chico’s Drape Vest Metallic Green: Retails: $99 Thrifted $4.99

Matt Bernson Gitanes Loafer: Retails: $196 Thrifted $6.99

Jewelry: Old

Outfit two:

BCBG Cardigan: Old

New York cream Tank: Old

Abercrombie & Fitch green, plaid, chiffon scarf with tassels: Retails: $34 Yard Sale: $2

Hat hairband: thrifted $1