The Feast of St. Columba, June 9th, will be a special observance of the 1500th anniversary of his birth in Gartan, Ireland. I had the great gift of visiting the site of Columba’s birthplace, Gartan, Ireland in 2017.
Three transatlantic pilgrimages to Iona have given me a love for historic Celtic Christianity. I treasure the rich memories of finding spiritual direction in the spiritual beauty of the Island, the sea and the stone, the Presence of God in a “Thin Place.”
“The gift of a place like Iona—and of sacred spaces the world over—is that it helps us pay closer attention to God and how to see what God is doing. The Spirit may be calling us. This means learning where to look and how to see. To lean into beauty is to submit to transformation, fueled by the power of a creative God. And our transformation can in turn transform a broken Creation.” – ( Tracy Balzar: A Journey of Sea and Stone)
Here is a wee video I created in gratitude for the continued inspiration found in the life and mission of St. Columba. Iona is a scared place. St. Columba was a radiant follower of Christ.
With you on the Journey, Rob+