The Luck of the Irish

"Here's champagne to real friends, and real pain to sham friends." --a toast attributed to Irish artist Francis Bacon

St. Patrick's Day, as celebrated in America,  is a sham holiday, with its emphasis on green beer and four-leaf clovers supposedly bringing the bearer good luck.  Green is a reference to Ireland, known as "the Emerald Isle" because of its verdant landscapes and lush greenery.  Four-leaf clovers, because usually clovers have three leaves, and finding one with four leaves is unusual.  The four leafed variety occurs in one out of every ten thousand or so, so the chances of finding one are slim.  If you do find one, you are said to be lucky.  The same cannot be said, however, if you find a man with six toes on one foot, or an albino goldfish.  If you are given a two dollar bill in change for a purchase you make, it is unusual; but you wouldn't be tempted to go spend the two dollar bill on a lottery ticket.  In this case, unusual does not mean "lucky."

In fact, many in America erroneously believe that the term "Shamrock" refers to a four-leafed clover.  Thus its association with good luck.  Good luck is an over-riding theme in our culture.  From the hope of good luck in the New Year's celebration, to superstitions such as wearing a "lucky" garment to an interview, or taking a talisman ("good luck charm") with you to the casino.  We even end our meals at a Chinese food restaurant with so-called Fortune Cookies, hoping that they will bring good luck. (This is a very American tradition: an American entrepreneur from New Jersey has gone to Beijing and opened American-style Chinese Food restaurants, which delights American-born residents, but he must always explain the Fortune Cookie to his native Chinese customers.)

In reality, the original Irish Shamrock (traditionally spelled seamróg, which means "summer plant") is said by many authorities to be none other than white clover (Trifolium repens), a common lawn weed originally native to Ireland.  According to legend, the shamrock was a sacred plant to the druids of Ireland because its leaves formed a triad, and three was a mystical number in the Celtic religion, as in many others.  St. Patrick used the shamrock in the 5th century to illustrate the doctrine of the Holy Trinity as he introduced Christianity to Ireland.

Christianity is not based on luck.  Luck is a "sham" rock.  Luck is not something you should use as a foundation for living.  In Biblical parlance, luck is like shifting sands.

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the wind blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.  But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash. --Matthew 7:24-27

Life happens.  It is not "bad luck" when storms come.  The Bible says that the Lord sends rain upon the just and the unjust.  The difference in outcome is not the severity of the storm.  It is the foundation upon which your life is built.  If your hopes of a solid financial future include winning the lottery, then you probably won't have a solid financial future.  That is what I mean by "sham" rock.

Instead, our lives should be built upon the Solid Rock, which is Christ the Lord.  Deuteronomy 32:4 says, "He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is He."  2 Samuel 22:2-3 says, "The Lord is my Rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my Rock, in whom I take refuge."  Psalm 92:15 says, "The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him."  Isaiah 26:4 says, "Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the LORD, is the Rock eternal."

Historically, when people wanted to be associated with their family, or their father, they would us a surname with "son of", as in "Son of William", which became the surname "Williamson".  In Ireland, the traditional surname was "Of the House of...", or simply "Of"; this, of course, became the basis for the surname prefix O', as in "O'Grady" or "O'Roarke".  We who identify with the House of God, through the lineage of Christ are called Christian; it could very well have been "Christson" or "O'Christ".  God, through his Son Jesus Christ, should be the Cornerstone, the foundation upon which you build your life.  Do not trust in sham promises, bogus beliefs, false faiths.  Place your faith in the real Rock of Ages.

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.

Refrain

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

Refrain

His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.

Refrain

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

Refrain