Amid the chaotic streams of Instagram reels and TikToks, there is a new Saint Patrick’s Day campaign in Ireland[1] that can inspire a born-again heart, no matter where in the world it is. These are genuine stories of Irish people who have been completely changed by Jesus. Beyond the usual green-clad office parties, shamrocks, or Celtic bands, these videos aim for the same heart Patrick sought over a thousand years ago. Even better, Patrick’s work continues today in Ireland through everyday life. Let’s look at three examples: Simon, Deirdre, and Bella.
Simon
Simon is a young man in his twenties who grew up on a dairy farm in rural Sligo. Due to his family’s background, he often felt like he didn’t quite fit in. His family were evangelical Christians in a part of Ireland where that is far from the norm. In many rural communities, religious heritage, agriculture, and long-standing traditions shape daily life. Although Simon heard the Gospel message from his mother growing up, it wasn’t until he moved to Waterford to attend university that he truly encountered the Lord in a personal way.
While studying in the city, Simon came across a small church in the centre of Waterford called Calvary Waterford. There, he began to hear the Scriptures taught clearly and was surrounded by believers who lived out their faith. Through this community and faithful preaching of the Word, the Gospel took root in his heart. Simon was baptized, turned away from old sinful patterns, and began to grow deeply in his faith. Today, he leads the Christian Union at the local university, sharing the message of Jesus with students, lecturers, and faculty staff. What once seemed like a quiet seed planted in childhood has grown into a life devoted to making Christ known.
Deirdre
Deirdre grew up in a small village just outside Waterford city called Kilmacow. Her upbringing was deeply religious. She attended Mass every Sunday, served as an altar girl, and regularly read Scripture readings during services. Yet despite her devotion, Deirdre lived with a quiet uncertainty. Beneath the routines of religion was a constant question that troubled her heart: Was she good enough for God?
As a teenager, anxiety and fear often accompanied her faith. She believed in God but was unsure whether He truly loved her. One day in Waterford city, however, she encountered something unexpected. An evangelist—someone who had travelled from a distant land to share the Gospel in Ireland—spoke with her about Jesus. In that conversation, Deirdre heard the Gospel explained clearly for the first time: that God loved her so deeply that He sent His Son to die for her sins, not because she had earned it, but because of grace.
At fifteen years old, Deirdre encountered the transforming love of Christ. The burden of trying to earn God’s acceptance was replaced with the joy of knowing she was already loved and forgiven. Twenty-five years later, that moment still shapes her life. Today, she is married, works as a nurse, and faithfully serves as a deacon in her local church—caring for people both physically and spiritually.
Bella
Bella’s story reflects a different side of modern Ireland. She grew up in the urban centre of Waterford and lived what many would consider a normal teenage life. She had a good upbringing despite some difficulties at home and was generally seen as a good person. Around her were constant reminders of Ireland’s religious past—church buildings that had stood for centuries, statues of saints, and streets named after Christian figures. Yet to Bella, these things felt like distant relics from another time. God simply wasn’t part of her life.
What Bella did have, however, was a close friend who followed Jesus. Over many years, this friend patiently lived out her faith—talking about God, inviting Bella to church and answering questions when they came up. There were no dramatic moments at first, just faithful friendship and the quiet planting of seeds.
Last year, that plant began to grow. Through conversations, reading the Bible, and seeing genuine faith in her friend’s life, Bella came to believe that God is real and that Jesus died and rose again for her. Today, she calls Jesus her Savior and friend. As she prepares for her upcoming summer exams, Bella now finds herself doing something she never expected—telling her classmates about Jesus and living with a new joy and purpose.
Saint Patrick’s Day
Simon, Deirda, and Bella’s stories might seem distant from Saint Patrick’s[2], who shared the Good News of the King willing to bear the dishonor of others who could never pay their debt. But the same Jesus who brought the former slave to Ireland to evangelize his former captors is the same Jesus transforming lives today through the Irish Church.
“Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me;
Christ to comfort and restore me;
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.”[3]
This prayer, taken from the meditation attributed to Saint Patrick, signifies much more than the “Kiss me I’m Irish” slogan on T-shirts worldwide. Much can be said about the painful struggles of a nation that has produced such profound poetry and thought that touch us deeply. Even more could be said of a Redeemer who joins the suffering in their pain, who was betrayed by a kiss, and transforms the hopeless into His children. It seems the Irish are still finding their way back to the Savior, drawn by His everlasting love.
Perhaps we can develop a clearer global vision of Saint Patrick this way. Instead of dwelling on the bitterness of injustice after he was safe from his pagan Irish captors, he returned to serve with a mission that gave them the greatest gift of all. He brought the Gospel of Jesus, the forgiveness of sins, and the promise of eternal life. Maybe celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day is another way to honor Jesus, just as Simon, Deirdra, and Bella are doing today with countless others in Ireland.
How can we do this? We can spend time remembering the One who, though He was in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped; instead, He emptied Himself by taking on the form of a servant,being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:6-8). A moment spent reflecting on Him could do us a lot of good on Tuesday. If the opportunity comes, we could even share with someone how Jesus has changed our lives. Maybe we could pray for Ireland and the mission God has entrusted to each of us. Consider what one of our favorite Belfast-born scholars, C.S. Lewis, wrote:
‘What are we to make of Christ?’ There is no question of what we can make of Him, it is entirely a question of what He intends to make of us. You must accept or reject the story. The things He says are very different from what any other teacher has said. Others say, ‘This is the truth about the Universe. This is the way you ought to go,’ but He says, ‘I am the Truth, and the Way, and the Life.’ He says, ‘No man can reach absolute reality, except through Me. Try to retain your own life and you will be inevitably ruined. Give yourself away and you will be saved.’[4]
This might not be the usual way to remember the day, and there’s no reason to skip the festivities. Why not wear that green sweater for a day? But perhaps, in honoring Saint Patrick, we could remember the One he loved most and the call he dedicated his life to.
[2] Please (re)read this excellent article written about the historic beginnings of the Gospel coming to Ireland: https://calvarychapel.com/posts/st-patrick-grey-wolves-and-the-cimbid-king/
[3] David Lang, St. Patrick of Ireland (Biographical Sketch), paragraph 394.
[4] Lewis, C. S.. God in the Dock. Kindle Edition. p. 160
