Happy St. Patrick's Day

Last year I wrote a little on the meaning of St. Patrick's Day:
Personal Reflections on St. Patrick's Day

This post will give you a glimpse of how, like Joseph, God can do the unthinkable and turn a bad situation to good. A young man who saves his enslavers and those who hate him. Joseph was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers and taken to Egypt. After he interpreted the dream of Pharaoh he was given a position of authority and saved the Egyptians from a seven years famine (by storing grain from the seven years of plenty preceding the famine), and also his brothers who came to Egypt to buy grain since their lands were experiencing the famine too. (Genesis 37, 39-47)

"Joseph said to his brothers, 'I am Joseph! Is my father still living?' But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified of at his presence....he said to them, 'I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.'" (Genesis 45:3-5, NIV)

St. Patrick was taken to Ireland as slave, after gaining his freedom and going home, he returned to Ireland to spread the gospel of salvation.

Imagine doing that. Who has wronged you? Imagine what it would look like for God to redeem that situation, and what he would have to work in your heart for you to do them a good turn. Now, start by praying about your own heart.

Turning Darkness into Light

Credit: Edana A.

"Turning Darkness into light."

This is a line from a 8th or 9th century poem by an Irish monk, called Pangur Ban.  In the poem, the monk talks about how he sits up at night writing while his white cat, Pangur Ban, hunts mice. ("Ban" means "white" in Irish Gaelic.)

Another word for the process of "turning darkness into light" is "illumination."  Additionally, this word can also refer to the practice of decorating and embellishing text with designs.  Perhaps the most well known example of an illuminated manuscript is The Book of Kells. 
The line and the cat also appear in the film, The Secret of Kells. (See The Secret of Kells)

In the film, Brendan learns the art of illumination and uses his skill to work on the legendary Book of Kells. Pangur Ban, a white cat who accompanied Brother Aiden from the Isle of Iona, joins Brendan on his adventures and becomes his friend.
Obviously, the poem was an inspiration for the film, for during the credits, the poem is read aloud in Irish.
To most, darkness means ignorance and light symbolizes truth and knowledge. Think of the word "enlighten." 
Although not mentioned specifically in film or poem, the phrase, "turning darkness into light," has a very profound significance, evoking Biblical truths. While the monks illuminate (enlighten) by preserving and sharing the Bible, it is Jesus who ultimately turns darkness into light.  Jesus said,“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

Link to Pangur Ban and additional background on the poem: Irish Culture and Customs

The Secret of Kells

Brendan and Aisling, picture from Matthew Sernett, Fantasty Film Review

 The Secret of Kells is a 2009 film about The Book of Kells and its creation.

This film is unbelievably rich for those who have learned a bit about Irish history and culture. The creators blend Irish history and legend together in a way that is befitting. In an Anglo-Irish literature class, I was told that it's hard to know what is true about Irish history because history and myth are thoroughly mixed together.
Can you separate the ingredients of a cake after it is baked? No, but the cake sure is delicious. So it is with Irish history.

Just like the history of Ireland, myth and reality intermingle in the film.The boy, Brendan, befriends a fairy girl in the woods.  Cromm Crúaich, a monster Brendan believes to be a myth is very real and dangerous.  Brendan's knowledge of Irish lore helps him find "the eye of Columkille," which is also the eye of the monster that the monks use as a crystal magnifying glass.

Brother Aiden tells a tale about St. Columkille, also known as St. Columba, the man attributed with bringing Christianity to Scotland. He was also a trouble maker, and was in fact sent to Scotland by his superiors because he got involved with a war between Irish chieftains.  As Aiden speaks, the tale is told in pictures. These pictures are comical and frank. When Columkille dies, his tongue slides out of his mouth and his eyes turn into Xs. Seems irreverent, but in this situation it works because it fits with the persona of Columkille as portrayed in lore: an ambiguous legendary figure, a Saint who was hot-headed and got into trouble.

This scene also demonstrates how tall tales are created. Brother Aiden says that St. Columkille was given "a third eye" to help him create the intricate designs in The Book of Kells.  The other monks chime in, saying he had a third hand, or a whole host of hands.  Aiden continues with his story about the third eye and St. Columkille.  It turns out the "eye" is actually a crystal that is quite simply used to magnify the images. It isn't magical and it isn't a third eyeball in Columkille's head. 

That said, the crystal is the eye of Cromm Crúaich. This monster apparently has crystals for eyes. Brendan needs a crystal, so he takes the monster's eye. And so, the legend of St. Columkille is mixed with the lore of Cromm Crúaich. Both are real in the film, not parts of alternate realities.

Aisling, the fairy, uses a famous Irish saying in a scene. Brendan provides the English translation for us.  This is symbolic: Aisling uses the native language and represents the old ways of Ireland before St. Patrick, the time when fairies and Celtic gods walked the land. Brendan represents life post-Patrick. Not a complete loss of the old way of life, but a new outlook. (By the way, this is NOT how English became the dominate language of Ireland. Here the use of the two languages is symbolic). When St. Patrick came, the worship of Celtic gods was diminished and they were relegated to the realm of stories. The Irish monks wrote down the ancient Irish legends (heretofore only in oral form) and thus preserved Irish "history." They tweaked some, adapting them to the Christianity, but not altogether discarding them because Patrick recognized the beauty and value of these colorful tales.

The Giant's Causeway

The beauty of nature is a backdrop for many scenes of the movie. This too is an important ingredient because the nature of Ireland is celebrated by Irish poets and people around the world.  Through the iconic and stylized designs the wonder of the forest is portrayed. Additionally, there is a quick scene with the Giant's Causeway, a distinctly Irish landmark.




Play around on: 
The Secret of Kells website

Full movie available here:
IMBd review