Sleepless In Kildare - Brigid

451–545

Saint Brigid was not given to sleep,

Nor was she intermittent about God’s love;

Not merely that she did not buy, she did not seek for

The wealth of this world below. . . .

This ancient poem hails the matron saint of Ireland, Brigid of Kildare. Her history is uncertain—not for lack of information, but because there are so many stories about her, it’s hard to discern fact from fancy. It seems she was born in 451 to a pagan chieftain and a Christian slave woman. By one account, Brigid’s mother had converted through the ministry of St. Patrick. Other reports indicate a connection between Patrick and Brigid later in her life. “Between Patrick and Brigid, the columns of the Irish, there was so great a friendship of charity that they had but one heart and one mind,” says one ancient source. “Through him and through her, Christ performed many miracles.”

Various miracles were attributed to Brigid—cleansing a leper (who wasn’t sure he wanted cleansing); using her own blood (from a riding accident) to heal a mute child. Even if those are the stuff of legend, this woman still left a remarkable legacy. Brigid was “not given to sleep,” in the sense that she got a lot done. She founded the first Irish convent, oversaw an impressive artistic center—known chiefly for its beautifully decorated Bibles—and helped to establish a strong Irish monastic tradition that later re-evangelized Europe.

One story that pops up in various forms involves Brigid and butter. In one telling, an elderly woman appears at the door begging for food. All Brigid has is a dish of butter, which she graciously gives to the woman. She comes back inside to find three dishes of butter miraculously replacing what she had given.

Legends generally grow from kernels of truth. As we sift through the stories, we find a woman with remarkable leadership abilities and a humble heart. She gave her last morsel to a beggar—why? Because “she did not seek for the wealth of this world below.” She trusted God to provide for her . . . and he did.

This same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19