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| Publisher Norris |
In our latest book in our Sports and Faith Series, we include a brief piece on Saint Kevin. He is one of my favorite Irish Saints based on a story an Irish friend of mine named Kevin, told me long ago.
My friend, Kevin, has parents right off the boat and they named their American-born son, Kevin. Perhaps it was because they thought Kevin was going to be good looker, as was Saint Kevin according to tradition. Maybe they thought he was going to be a bit of a discipline problem and they thought he might be affected by the ancient story of Kevin throwing himself in the nasty itchy nettles when he was tempted by a woman. Maybe they wanted him to think about living a clean chaste life. My friend told me the story of Saint Kevin and the nettles. I was very much impressed.
But it is also possible, that my friend Kevin's parents heard another story about Saint Kevin and the Blackbird. In this ancient story that was made famous by the marvelous poet Seamus Heaney, the saint went out to a hut or cell for to pray. He stuck his arm out and a blackbird landed on his hand to nest. The patient saint, miraculously held his hand out for the complete duration of the blackbird's nesting season. Only when the eggs were hatched and young birds flew away did Kevin let down his hand.
The story is a magnificent story of patience, sacrifice, endurance, love, faith, and charity. Heaney himself described Kevin's sacrifice as one made for the reward of the right reason done for the right reason.
I was so impressed by the story of Saint Kevin that we are including it our next book called Worthwhile Struggle and I am also making a lovely shirt made up to honor the Saint (see above---God bless the good work). My son-in-law created the design. I am having a modest number of shirts made up and I will be selling them for $25. I am having them made long-sleeved for the fall and winter. I have used this particular shirt before and it shrinks a little, but is very comfortable and durable.
