Jesus is my Patronus

 I learned something today that I think is so cool. I was prepping for a children’s message. I had decided to talk about patterns and how Jesus follows a pattern: Jesus loves, Jesus is there. These are the two things about Jesus that are always true. Jesus loves and Jesus is there. I wanted to convey this in a children’s message, so I had a quilt and a pattern picked out to show everyone. Then I looked up the word “pattern” because I’m a word-nerd and I love etymology. I found out that the word “pattern” is from the Latin word “Patronus.”

          Are you geeking out right now? Because I’m totally geeking out about this. I love love LOVE that the word “pattern” comes from the word for Patronus. If you’re a Harry Potter fan, you’ve definitely heard this word before. In the Harry Potter series, a Patronus is kind of like a spirit animal. Harry uses the Patronus to battle creatures called the Dementors. The word Patronus literally means “model” or “guide.” Follow the Patronus and trust that your Patronus won’t lead you astray or abandon you. 

            So I was thinking about that as I looked at the quilt and the quilt pattern, and thinking about Jesus as he walked alongside two disciples on their way to Emmaus (which is the scripture on which the whole children’s message was based). When I’m quilting, the pattern is helpful. It’s my guide – it’s literally my model. Follow the pattern, complete the project. Trust the pattern (and follow the directions – in fact, just read the directions before you even start cutting anything. You’ll thank me some day!) and the pattern will guide you along the way. 

            Just like Jesus. 

            Two disciples were on their way to Emmaus and as they sat down to eat dinner with a stranger, the stranger broke bread with them. In that moment, their eyes opened. They figured out that this stranger was no stranger at all, but was in fact Jesus himself. In was in that breaking of bread – that pattern – that the disciples recognized Jesus. We follow certain patterns in worship. We break bread together for communion, a meal that brings us together. Communion follows a pattern and we stick to that pattern because it’s familiar. There are studies out there that talk about the positive qualities of repetition – how repetition can help us form habits. The challenge, of course, is to keep remembering why we do something. Sometimes the pattern becomes too repetitive, and we forget why it even matters. 

            But I love that the word pattern comes from the word Patronus, because when I think about who Jesus is to me, I think about a guide. I think about Jesus’ Holy Spirit in me, helping me along the way. I think about the patterns that Jesus follows: Jesus loves, Jesus is there. It’s not a pattern that Jesus ever ever breaks. And when we trust that pattern, we can start to find different ways to pay attention and notice where Jesus’ presence is really pretty obvious. Like the two travelers on their way to Emmaus, sometimes all we need is a familiar, every day thing – like sharing a meal with someone – to remember that Jesus loves and Jesus is there. 

            I plan the children’s message for the kids, but let me tell you: there are days when I need that message for myself. Maybe you need to hear that today. And if you do, know that you aren’t alone. Know that you are loved, heard, and accompanied. Know that Jesus doesn’t break His pattern, even when we step away from ours. And always, when we recognize Jesus again, he has those same four words for us: Peace be with you! 

            Where are you seeing Jesus today? What do you think about the word “pattern” coming from the word “Patronus”? 


PS: I am totally a Ravenclaw and my Patronus is a sparrow. In case you were wondering ;) 





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