Patrick’s heart desires to fish for men, women and children. He views Ireland as part of the far reaches of the world and believes these people need to be told of Christ’s salvation.
And I wish to wait then for his promise which is never unfulfilled, just as it is promised in the Gospel: “Many shall come from east and west and shall sit at table with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob [Matthew 8:11].”
Just as we believe that believers will come from all the world. So for that reason one should, in fact, fish well and diligently, just as the Lord foretells and teaches, saying, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men [Matthew 4:19],” and again through the prophets: “Behold, I am sending forth many fishers and hunters, says the Lord [Jeremiah 16:16],” et cetera. So it behooved us to spread our nets, that a vast multitude and throng might be caught for God, and so there might be clergy everywhere who baptized and exhorted a needy and desirous people.
Just as the Lord says in the Gospel, admonishing and instructing: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always to the end of time [Matthew 28:19].”
And again he says: “Go forth into the world and preach the Gospel to all creation. He who believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he who does not believe shall be condemned [Mark 16:15].”
And again: “This Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached throughout the whole world as a witness to all nations; and then the end of the world shall come [Matthew 24:14].”
And likewise the Lord foretells through the prophet: “And it shall come to pass in the last days (sayeth the Lord) that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams; yea, and on my menservants and my maidservants in those days I will pour out my Spirit and they shall prophesy [Joel 2:28].”
And in Hosea he says: “Those who are not my people I will call my people, and those not beloved I will call my beloved, and in the very place where it was said to them, You are not my people, they will be called Sons of the living God [Hosea 1:10]
Fourth Day Adventures 