Fall Triduum

Every year, our “Fall Triduum” of All Hallow’s, All Saints, and All Souls

becomes more precious to me as each one focuses my attention on how connected we are

to not only those who are alive, but to all those who have gone before us –

relatives, friends, enemies, muses,(i.e. the communion of saints.)

Yesterday we celebrated All Saints Sunday

with one of the most “thin place” services of the year –

the one in which we commemorate all the saints

by posting their names on the walls of the sanctuary.

+++

Whether they are from long ago....

(Saint Leontia)

Or more recently...

(Jill Cooper, a friend)



Or a close relative like my father,

(Kenneth)

Or even the name of a woman

who has the same name of my

own mother who is still alive!

(Ok, I have to admit,

it was pretty weird to see

my mother on the wall)...



What wasn’t weird or strange was the feeling of their presence in the room with us.

What the Celts call a “thin place”

All of us together. In one place.

One very “thin” place.

These 3 days are as intertwined as a Celtic Knot.

With themes of death and resurrection,

we are reminded that there is no beginning or ending to our souls.

We move and have our being in a continuous flow of God’s love,

knowing that we are always in the presence of God.

 

“Beannacht De le hanama na marbh

(The blessing of God on the souls of the dead.)

Ta siad imithe ar shli na firinne

(They are gone on the way of truth.”)

Irish Blessing



So until it is our time to join all those saints who have gone before us on the way of truth,

may we continue to enjoy their presence, and

walk in love, seeking and serving Christ in all we meet today.



(last photo is of Fall colors outside the Columbarium at St. Paul’s)

a celtic blessing

May the blessing of

the Gatherer of Hope

the Bringer of Springtime

the Brightener of Seasons

be upon you as you set forth today.

 

Laughter of the running hours be yours.

Lightness and joy be yours.

And may the blessing of the Triune God

protect you and guide you.

 

-Celtic Blessing

 

if roads could talk...

"How long the road is.
But, for all the time
the journey has already taken, how you have needed every second of it in order to learn what
the road passes by."
-Dag Hammarskjold, Markings

photo of Bridge of Tears
Donegal, Ireland from IrelandBelfast.com

In the nineteenth century, before the railway was built, local people emigrating to America, Britain and Australia crossed this bridge on their way to the port of Derry, which was the main departure point for Donegal emigrants. The emigrant was accompanied by family and friends as far as this point, but crossed to the opposite side alone. (I wonder why?) This walk had all the finality of a funeral, as most of the emigrants never returned.

Lift me up O Lord!

"I was like a stone
lying deep in mud,
but he that is mighty
lifted me up
and placed me
on top of the wall."
St. Patrick (c. 360-c.461)
photo found right here

I was in the mood for something Celtic today. I'm not even sure if this quote is actually attributed to St. Patrick but for right now, I'm comforted by the image of God reaching down and lifting me up.

Caim Prayers

Sometimes it's difficult to find the right words to pray for someone.

Caim prayers, which means encircling, are helpful.

You can change the words within the parentheses.

See yourself and those you are praying for encircled as you say one of these.

Circle (name), Lord.

Keep (comfort) near

and (discouragement) afar.

Keep (peace) within

and (turmoil) out.

Amen.

~~~

Circle (name), Lord.

Keep protection near

and danger afar.

Circle (name), Lord.

keep hope within,

keep despair without.

Circle (name), Lord,.

keep peace within

and anxiety without.

The eternal Father, Son and Holy Spirit

shield (name) on every side.

Amen.

from Celtic Daily Prayer

prayers and readings from the Northumbria Society

p. 297-298

Struell Wells

Sally took Terry and I to visit some ancient Celtic sites in County Down.  One of them was Struell Wells, which dates from before the time of Saint Patrick. Claims have been made that dear Patrick not only came to bless the holy wells but also to  bathe in them & would spend a great deal of the night standing  in the water singing the psalms.  He must have been quite the hardy soul as I lost feeling in my fingers  just posing for this picture!

People came from far and wide but the most documented visists occurred from the 16th to the 19th century, as pilgrims would travel to the wells to bathe in hopes of finding a cure for their maladies. 

According to Terry, (who knows his Celtic history) some of the pilgrims became a bit "boisterous" and there was too much "fraternizing" happening between the men and the women in the bath houses so the pilgrimages were eventually shut down!  (The bath houses are quite close to each other and I think they were probably all  just trying to keep warm :) 

Did I mention how cold the water was?

Saintfield Church of Ireland

"I awake this morning in the presence of the holy angels of God. May heaven open wide before me, above me, and
around me, that I may see the Christ of my love and his sunlit company in all the things of earth this day."

From Celtic Prayers of Iona
by J. Phillip Newell

This is probably one of the better photos I took (this is not an area I have any giftedness in)...This is The Church of Ireland in Saintfield, a village in the County of Down, near Belfast, where I stayed. The photo suits this prayer that is from a bookmark from the Spiritual Directors Conference I attended in Dublin.

Midwife of our Lives

God of power and presence,
you are the midwife of our lives,
always drawing us on to be born again,
encouraging, exhorting, calming,
containing even death.



You pull us, kicking, into life,
breathe spirit into us.
We thank you for the gift in our breath,
the love that we make,
the hope that we cherish,
the grace that encompasses our darkest day.

In smallness and splendor, in storm and serenity,
we celebrate your care and creativity.
We rest in you, as trustingly as any baby.

The Pattern of Our Days - Worship in the Celtic Tradition
from the Iona Community edited by Kathy Galloway

Evening Prayer

O Christ of the least and the homeless

O Christ of the lost and betrayed

Come close to me this night

That I may come close to you.

As you watched me with care at my soul’s shaping

Look on me now with grace.

As you blessed me with light at the sun’s rising

Shine on me now with love.

Philip Newell from Each Day and Each Night

It's always a good thing to have an evening prayer and Philip Newell is such a wonderful writer of celtic christian prayers.

Trinity Sunday

Picture taken at Aldsworth West Sussex UK, 28TH March 2007 0719 BST. http://www.wunderground.com/blog/FlowerBeauty/

I bind unto myself this day,

The strong name of the Trinity,

By invocation of the same,

The Three in One and One in Three

from The Breastplate of St. Patrick

The Easter Rebellion

"On this day in 1916, the Easter Rebellion began on the streets of Dublin. The British police extinguished the rebellion a few days later. Called "the poet's rebellion," it was led by six patriotic poets and men of letters including Patrick Pearse and James Connolly. They barged inside and read their "Proclamation of Independence" to a baffled crowd."

Ok....at this point i have to stop quoting this lovely piece to allow us all to step inside this Irish Post Office. Follow me. What do you see? Bored postal workers? Women rocking their prams? Men with small parcels tied up with string? Just another day in the life....when suddenly 6 poets rush in reading their announcement that they would no longer live under British rule? Can you see the looks on the postal patrons' faces? I ask you.. Is this any way to start a rebellion?

We now return to our quote.....

"The rebellion seemed hopelessly unsuccessful until the British government valorized many of the rebels by executing them a few weeks later. The executions set in motion a movement for Irish nationalism, and in 1921 Ireland finally achieved independence from Great Britain—except for the six northernmost counties of the island that comprise Northern Ireland." (quote from today's Writer's Almanac w/Garrison Keillor)

My grandmother was a young career woman during this period. She was probably referred to as Miss Dowling in the insurance office where she was employed. One day several men rushed in, knocked out the front windows and pointed them towards the street. She didn't know whether to keep typing or run like the wind. She told me that part of her was terrified but a bigger part of her was exhilarated and alive like never before. She grabbed a rifle and told those men to step aside - that she would finish what they couldn't.....ok...ok...that last line was made up.....but i like the imagery of my grandmother taking on the British.....She was told to get the hell out of there which she did....

I looked for a picture to go along with this story.......this was the closest i could find - a real photo from that time......(a chemist is the pharmacy).....I do miss my Granny today.....

A Blessing of Solitude

A friend asked me this morning if he could borrow the book Anam Cara by John Donohue and while perusing the pages for places i've marked, I came across this poem...(i was also moved by another line in the book "to be born is to be chosen")..

May you recognize in your life the presence, power, and light of your soul.
May you realize that you are never alone,
that your soul in its brightness and belonging connects you intimately with the rhythm of the universe.
May you have respect for your own individuality and difference.
May you realize that the shape of your soul is unique,
that you have a special destiny here, that behind the facade of your life there is something beautiful, good, and eternal happening.
May you learn to see yourself with the same delight, pride, and expectation with which God sees you in every moment.

Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom by John O'Donohue, page 125