“Be Extravagantly Green!”
Just in case you’ve forgotten, this is your official reminder to wear something green today! It is St. Patrick’s Day, which, in part, means that shamrock derbies and long pours of green beer will be a’plenty across our country.
St. Patrick’s Day has deep spiritual and cultural significance, dating back to the ministry of St. Patrick in the fifth century. Among other things, St. Patrick’s monasteries are credited with hand-copying the Bible, long before the printing press was invented. Can you imagine sitting down and copying an entire Bible with pen and paper, word-for-word? Never mind that they didn’t have Bic pens and good-quality recycled notebook paper. It’s another matter entirely to write neatly enough to be legible by another person. We owe a lot to these people who took Jesus’ command literally by taking the Gospel “Into the whole world.”
Green is the color of Spring. Green is the color of life. Most people who decide to wear green today are not likely thinking about the religious significance of St. Patrick’s Day. It is doubtful that any of us are planning to hand-copy the Bible today. However, all of us can wear green and serve as a source of hope and joy for those we meet.
If green is your favorite color, today is your day! If not, learn to like it! Be extravagantly green today!
“Jesus said to them, ‘Go into the whole world and proclaim the good news to every creature.’ ” (Mark 16:15, CEB)
