Adventures in Odyssey Home Page

Patrick: A Heart Afire, I

Album: 31: Days to Remember

Episode: 394

Lesson/Theme: Hero of the Faith

Bible Verse: n/a

Characters: Jared, Whit

Writer:

Sound Designer: Jonathan Crowe

Original Air Date: March 7, 1998

Last Air Date: July 27, 2009

Description:
Jared arrives at Whit's End wearing a green sweater in honor of St. Patrick's Day, but is not sure why the green has significance, so Whit offers to tell him the story of St. Patrick. In flashback, the drama describes the early life of Patrick, a rebellious young Englishman. Irish raiders destroy Patrick's village and take him captive to Ireland. On the boat to Ireland, Patrick tells Julius, the baker's son, that he believes the destruction of his home is due to his disobedience toward his father. King Nial, under the influence of Lochru, a Druid priest, takes slaves from the British captives as workers and human sacrifices. At the slave auction, Patrick is chosen as a human sacrifice, but on the way to the temple Patrick is taken into slavery by Michlu, a landowner, as payment for a debt. The six years that Patrick serves as a shepherd for Michlu prove to be a turning point as he grows closer and closer to God. He has a vision telling him to return to England. When Michlu refuses to grant him his freedom, he escapes and takes passage on a vessel bound first for France, then to England. The story continues in part II...

Questions:
Patrick felt that the village raid was God's punishment for him. Do you think it was? Why did Whit say that being a shepherd was a good thing for Patrick? What did Patrick's vision from God tell him to do? Why couldn't Patrick seal his arrangement to the ship captain "with blood"? Why did he object to this?