The Festival of St. Patrick, Bishop and Confessor
Posted on March 17, 2025 by under
Scripture: Hebrews 7:23-27 (NKJV)
7:23 Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. 24 But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
26 For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; 27 who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.
Devotion
The Old Testament priesthood centered on sacrifice. But it was not intended to last forever, because mortal priests and animal sacrifices could not take away sin. Hebrews 10:4 says, “It is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.” These things were signs so that when the Christ appeared the Israelites would recognize Him by the work that He did. He is the true High Priest, who lives forever, therefore He always prays for us to God the Father. He is the true Sacrifice for sin, for His blood—because it is the sinless blood of the Son of God—is sufficient to pay for all sins of all time. The earthly priesthood with its sacrifices has ended, because the Christ, whom it foreshadowed, has come.
Christ is the one true Priest who sacrificed Himself once only. Romans 6:10 says, “The death that He died, He died to sin once for all.” Therefore, we do not prefer to call the men in the Apostolic Ministry “priests”, but, in the words of St. Paul, they are “stewards of the mysteries of God” (1 Cor. 4:1). They do not sacrifice Christ again, rather they distribute the benefits of His one sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins.
Collect: O God, Who didst call Patrick to preach the Gospel, grant to Thy servants steadfastness in the confession of the true faith that they would preach that unchanging Gospel in the midst of the darkness of this age; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for Reminiscere Sunday
O God, Who seest that of ourselves we have no strength: Keep us both outwardly and inwardly; that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for the Season of Lent
Almighty and Everlasting God, Who hatest nothing that Thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of Thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
