It has always puzzled me that so many people without a drop of Irish blood in them persist in celebrating St. Patrick's Day. Anything for a party, I guess—although there's no excuse for green beer! Being of Anglo-Scottish descent, the day has always been something of a non-event for me, and I admit to taking a slightly perverse pleasure in telling people that Patrick was British.

We really don't know much about him, and most of the stories that are told about him are fanciful creations at best. Even his best-known work, the poem called "St. Patrick's Breastplate," is probably not by him, but nonetheless represents one of the high points of Celtic Christianity.

I am attaching a file with a very beautiful new translation of the poem. The deep connection of God to creation in it resonates closely with today's readings  (Psalm 77:1-15; Job 38:1-15), especially the opening of God's great speech from Job.

Happy St. Patrick's Day.