The Call

Before we read this section of Patrick’s story, let’s look at a few references he makes.  Hibernia is a Roman name for Ireland.   Victoricus was a Roman missionary who brought the gospel to the celtic people of Europe.  Foclut is likely a forest on the western side of Ireland and people suspect the place where Patrick was a slave.

 And, of course, there, in a vision of the night, I saw a man whose name was Victoricus coming as if from Hibernia with innumerable letters, and he gave me one of them, and I read the beginning of the letter: “The Voice of the Hibernians”, and as I was reading the beginning of the letter I seemed at that moment to hear the voice of those who were beside the forest of Foclut which is near the western sea, and they were crying as if with one voice: “We beg you, holy youth, that you shall come and shall walk again among us.” And I was stung intensely in my heart so that I could read no more, and thus I awoke.

Thanks be to God, because after so many years the Lord bestowed on them according to their cry.

And another night– God knows, I do not, whether within me or beside me– most words which I heard and could not understand, except at the end of the speech it was represented thus: “He who gave his life for you, he it is who speaks within you.” And thus I awoke, joyful.

And on a second occasion I saw Him praying within me, and I was as it were, inside my own body , and I heard Him above me– that is, above my inner self. He was praying powerfully with sighs. And in the course of this I was astonished and wondering, and I pondered who it could be who was praying within me. But at the end of the prayer it was revealed to me that it was the Spirit. And so I awoke and remembered the Apostle’s words: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we know not how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for utterance [Romans 8:26].” And again: “The Lord our advocate intercedes for us [Romans 8:27].”

God placed dreams in Patrick’s head involving a famous missionary who died for Christ and letters from those of the land where Patrick had escaped.   God called Patrick to return to Ireland and tell those who lived there about Jesus.

Since God spoke to Patrick through a series of dreams, I have a notion Patrick was not wild about the idea at first. It took more than one call.  He never says it, but remember he mentioned his mom and dad did not want him to ever leave again.  But eventually, Patrick heard God’s call.