Wind of the Spirit

   

Many of us have lost touch with the world upon which we walk. Living and working in towns and cities, it is easy to become so familiar with concrete and tarmac that contact with open spaces and countryside can actually make us feel uncomfortable, unable to relax, and longing to return to the security of the familiar!

That was not the experience of the early Christians in Britain and Ireland. Those early Celtic Christians realized something that is more difficult to grasp in our technological age; that we are intimately connected with creation. Their lives were affected by the vagaries of the seasons and natural forces beyond their control. These impacted upon the food they had to eat, the animals they cared for, the comfort in which they lived and the dangers they faced in travelling.

It matters not whether we can claim Celtic roots or not, it is within the scope of all of us to look at the landscape with spiritual as well as physical eyes, appreciate it for what it is and for the way that it influences our understanding both of ourselves and our Creator. A growing passion for the beauty of the world in which we work can lead to a renewal in our attitudes toward the mundane tasks that we face day be day. 

The individual studies contain a variety of discussion questions, as well as lots of information to digest and talk about. The final one is based around a fellowship meal and a time of prayer and worship based upon the form of prayer handed down from the early Christians.

Lord, Thou art my island; in Thy bosom I rest.
Thou art the calm of the sea; in that peace I stay.
Thou art the deep waves of the shining ocean.
With their eternal sound I sing.
Thou art the song of the birds; in that tune is my joy.
Thou art the smooth white strand of the shore; in Thee is no gloom.
Thou art the breaking of the waves on the rock;
Thy praise is echoed in the swell.
Thou art the Lord of my life.

(Prayer of St. Columban of Iona)



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A Morning Sunrise Moment

 

I arise to-day :
might of Heaven
brightness of Sun
whiteness of Snow
splendour of Fire
speed of Light
swiftness of Wind
depth of Sea
stability of Earth
firmness of Rock. 

I arise to-day :
Might of God
Power of God
Wisdom of God
Eye of God
Ear of God
Word of God
Hand of God
Path of God
Shield of God
Host of God

(from The Book of Cerne, 9th C)

The Wild Geese

We live a couple of miles from the sea, in fact near an estuary which is designated a site of special scientific interest. It is a breeding ground and feeding place for a wide range of wildfowl, some resident and others just passing through. But it is the geese that are so noticeable, as they take to the air in their distinctive ‘V’ formation. Awkward on the ground, in flight they are transformed to a thing of beauty, if a little noisy!

For the Celtic folk of Ireland and Scotland the wild goose is also a spiritual symbol of the Holy Spirit. Doves are docile but a goose is unpredictable, noisy, free and seemingly always on the move. What a lovely image of God’s Spirit; unconstrained, not always predictable and free to move where he wills.

I find it a great comfort to look at the world in which I live and see images that remind me of the divine. They keep me connected, because in a busy world it is easy to forget about God and become totally self-centred. As someone who can be prone to bouts of introspection and self-doubt I need to keep the God connection open and running.

I look at a small mountain stream and consider that by the time its water has emptied into the sea it has carried much debris away with it, just as God’s cleansing Spirit works in our own spiritual lives. I can stand at the ocean’s edge and see within the crashing waves echoes of God wearing away my own rough edges and moulding me into something new!

If your life is full to capacity with activities and demands on your time; if you feel that life is just so full of noise and distraction that you are losing the plot then take time, find space, stand still and open your eyes and your heart to allow God to reveal himself.

As the poem by William Henry Davies says
“What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare…”