Reflections on a Happy Saint Patrick’s Day

Last updated on: March 18, 2021 at 8:18 am by Sherry Antonetti

Reflections on a Happy Saint Patrick’s Day 2021-03-18T08:18:14-04:00 Sherry Antonetti

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

We wore green, I put on the music of Celtic Folk and cooked corned beef. My youngest created a home for Leprechauns the night before and they left behind some dollar coins, a green donut and Irish Spring Shampoo plus flowers and a note. She thrilled at the discovery.

I’M IRISH ENOUGH…

I think the geneology breaks down such that we get into 16ths and 32nds when you look at my kids but it doesn’t really matter. We’re irish enough, in spirit as much as genetics. We listened to music that carried stories both in the lyrics and in the memories of when we first heard these songs. Alexa indulged our requests. There was one song she couldn’t find.

I knew the chorus and the line, “My house is gone, my car blew up, my cat died.” Senior year of college, we sat in the student center listening to an Irish singer and joining in when we knew the words and even when we didn’t and he told this story about the little things. It was another perfect moment, when being with everyone around me felt like a hint of heaven. It wasn’t so much the food (which was good) or the drinks (which were non-alcoholic honest), or the songs but the full presence of everyone, and the unrushed nature of that time together. The chorus echoed throughout the student center.

“It’s the little things in life that will kill you…
It’s the little things that really do you in…
Oh you can try for peace of mind
But the hand of fate is blind,
It’s the little things that really do you in..”

Alas, Google failed me.

Meanwhile, life spooled on. The two youngest worked with their father to strike the garden and prepare it for spring. The oldest drove to UMBC to pick up his brother. Two of us worked on apple dumplings for dessert, and two others worked on some art work. The busy joy of our household unbidden, unorganized, and yet real reminded me, that ordinary time is extraordinary time, even in Lent. “That God walks amongst the pots and pans,” and infuses even the mundane with opportunities for grace. I wondered that He doesn’t mind just leaving grace everywhere for the taking, that we could find it as easily as I could dropped pencils, socks or shoes. We joked about nicknames and revealed each others ignorance in a series of trivia questions about women artists –the artist challenged us to name five…and math, the teacher stumped us and I reminded her, I gave up math after high school. I reveal my ignorance on any subject within twenty minutes of talking, it’s why I have no pending invitations for Ted talks. My gift of blarney only goes so far.

We served, we sat, and everyone ate together, and this was a moment of joy. Everything fell away in the noise of all ten talking about anything and everything and nothing as they ate. We’ve had a year of solitude and fear, and yet somehow, today felt like a break through and a reminder, that it won’t always be ash, it won’t always be Lent. The pussywillows are budding, and crocus and narcissus blooming. Hope is springing. I sat thinking back on the day in wonder, that as good as this day was, and it was good, the joy to come is infinitely bigger. We are so blessed even to know this great reality is always getting closer to being fully experienced. We will know something of Easter soon, and the fullness of Easter some day. Joy for what is, and what will be. That’s all I could think. Thank God, thank God.

Maybe it’s better that the song is lost, because the reality is better than the song.

It’s the little things in life that will thrill you.
It’s the little things that take you deeper and deeper in.
If you long for peace of mind, love and serve your family and be kind.
It’s the little things that lets Heaven begin…. Happy Saint Patrick’s day and every day going forward!

Easter is coming.

Previous Post

March 16, 2021

Making Catholicism Grate Again

Next Post

March 20, 2021 Seven Tips for Helping Your Confirmation Candidate Prepare...

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Advent Answered Prayers Blessed Mother Confirmation Devotion of the Sacred Heart Doctors of the Church Easter Family Humor family life Good Friday Growing up Healing Holy Spirit taps Lent Love in the little things Mary Undoer of Knots Not an Apologist Parenting Sacred Heart of Jesus Saint Therese of Lisieux Sin Small Success Saturday Teaching others and myself Uncategorized Waiting Writing Year of Saint Joseph

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz