Jesus was called by God and sent to earth to be, “a light to all the nations” so that “All mankind shall see the salvation of God.” (Luke 3:6) Jesus knew that he would suffer but yet he did not shy away form his calling. Patrick to was absolutely certain that his mission to the Irish was a call from God. In both his letter and Confessio we see, “his immoveable conviction of his call by God to proclaim the Gospel to the early Irish.” (Mulholland) The Apostles too were called to be witnesses to the Good News and missionaries of Christ, “Jesus united them (The Apostles) to the mission he received from the Father…they were called by God as…ambassadors for Christ.” (CCC) To Peter, “Jesus entrusted a unique mission…Peter is the unshakable rock who is given the power of the keys and the power to bind and loose.” (CCC) Many early

By answering the call to mission many sacrificed much in order to serve God faithfully and faced many difficulties along their way. Not least was Jesus’ sacrifice. Jesus paid the highest cost. The cost of his mission was death. In the garden of Gethsemane, we see a scared and frightened man, the human side of Jesus. However, he knows he must complete his mission to ensure the salvation of humankind. Jesus faced much opposition in the course of his mission mainly from the Pharisees and Sadducees, “The Pharisees and lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptised.” (Luke 7:30) Patrick’s mission was not without its cost either. He tells us everyday how he expected to, “be killed, betrayed or reduced to slavery.” However, he tells us how, “His (God) great mercy freed me from slavery and from the twelve dangers in which my life was threatened.” Patrick did not only suffer physically but suffered a great personal cost. His mission to the Irish and this gift, “of knowing and loving God” came, “at the cost of losing family and homeland.” Despite this though, like Jesus, Patrick continues to pursue his mission, “to a foreign people for the ineffable glory of the everlasting life which is in Christ Jesus.”

Celtic Missionaries e

Some topics in this essay:
Pharisees Sadducees, City Poor’, Gospel Jesus, Christ” Patrick’s, Oxford Dictionary, God” Luke, , Christ Jesus, God” Patrick, Ciaran Clonmacnois, call god, cost mission, mission irish, jesus patrick, god’s salvation, experienced call, called god,