Thoughts for the Day

The spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
because the Lord has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
to bind up the broken-hearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and release to the prisoners;
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;
to provide for those who mourn in Zion—
to give them a garland instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord, to display his glory.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

'Born in Ireland in about the year 521 CE, Columba was trained as a monk by Saint Finnian and then founded several monasteries himself, including probably that of Kells, before leaving Ireland to settle on Iona, off the coast of Scotland. He was accompanied by 12 companions and the number grew as the monastic life became more established and well known. Columba seems to have been an austere and at times harsh man who reputedly mellowed with age. He was concerned with building up both the monastery and its life and of enabling them to be instruments of mission in a heathen land. He converted kings and built churches, Iona becoming a starting point for the expansion of Christianity throughout Scotland. In the last four years of his life, when his health had failed, he spent the time transcribing books of the gospels for them to be taken out and used. He died on this day in the year 597 CE.' (From 'Exciting Holiness')

To the bare bones of this account we can add that Columba was also known as Colum Cille, which means ‘Dove of the Church’ in Irish; that the monasteries he founded became hubs of learning, where the arts, literacy, and culture were cultivated alongside spiritual studies; that his efforts to spread Christianity played a significant role in the Christianisation of Scotland; and that Iona Abbey became a major pilgrimage site, which still attracts thousands of people today.

Collect

Almighty God,
who filled the heart of Columba,
with the joy of the Holy Spirit
and with deep love for those in his care;
may your pilgrim people follow him,
strong in faith, sustained by hope,
and one in the love that binds us to you.
Amen.