Saint Patrick lived a long time ago.

He is said to have died on 17 March, 493, which is why today is celebrated as Saint Patrick’s Day.

Not a lot is known about his life, but he was probably born in Britain, captured as a boy and taken to Ireland as a slave, where he worked keeping herds of sheep until he managed to escape.

Back in Britain, he became a priest, and was eventually sent again to Ireland, for which he had developed a great love, to be its bishop.

Legend has it that every day Saint Patrick used to genuflect (kneel) a hundred times to give thanks to God for his gifts — especially for the beauty of the Irish hills.

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Saints are different from us.  They are better than us.  In particular, they are more grateful than us –remembering always to give thanks to God.

Too often we turn to God only when we want something. 

Have we ever spent one hour in thanksgiving?

God, who is our Creator, has the right to our everlasting gratitude.

When he created us, he gave us ourselves. When he redeemed us through Christ, he gave us himself.

He loves us, not just as his creatures, but as his children.

We should obey him in the way that a good child obeys his father — not for any reward, but simply because he deserves our love.

The Bible says, “In all things give thanks.”

We should make a resolution to do just that — to make gratitude our habit of mind from now on.

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Some recorded words of Saint Patrick remind us to be humble before God, and to give him our loving gratitude:

“I cannot keep silent, nor would it be proper, so many favours and graces has the Lord deigned to bestow on me in the land of my captivity . . . .

“I am Patrick, yes a sinner and indeed untaught; yet I am established here in Ireland where I profess myself bishop. I am certain in my heart that all that I am I have received from God.”