Wednesday Morning: Columbanus and Aidan: Prayer and Protection
For the Celts,
‘Praying is not associated with going to church. Praying and living were not set apart, distinct. Dominic Daly, who had come to know the Irish tradition well, has this to say about them:
“They came from a people for whom active living faith was a positive factor of daily life. There is nothing posed or formal about them. For the men and women who recited them (The prayers of the oral tradition collected by Alexander Carmichael) prayer was not a formal exercise; it was a state of mind. Life was lived under the shadow of God’s outstretched arm. His protection was constantly sought. His aid and help constantly sought……they have in them something of the breadth and depth of the Psalms. Awe and dread of the mighty God and of his anger at sin is more than balanced by trust in his love and mercy.” ‘
(The Celtic Way of Prayer by Esther de Waal Page 72)
The prayer life of the Celtic Church is a great inspiration and example to us. To lead into an examination of the prayer life of the Celts I want us to look first at two Celtic saints:
Columbanus
He was born in Ireland mid 6th Century (AD 540) and heard the call of God to be a monk through a woman hermit. He was a fine scholar, but filled with longing to take the Gospel overseas. At age 50 he left the monastery with fellow monks for Gaul, where he and his monks ministered to Celtic settlements of British people who had fled Anglo Saxon invasions. Later in Burgundy, near the Swiss-German border, he established a monastery and built a church on the site of ruined temple of Diana. He established another monastery at Luxeuil. Here, as at Vosges, he and the community transformed a wild, barren land into a land of orchards and cornfields.
The King of Burgundy had Columbanus expelled because he rebuked the King for his wayward life that involved mistresses and illegitimate children. When he and his monks boarded a ship on the river Loire a great wave came up the estuary and the terrified sailors refused to have Columbanus and his monks on board. Columbanus took this as as a sign that he was not to return to Ireland, so at age 70 he began his journeys again, this time to Switzerland, where he began evangelising and confronting pagan shrines and the worship of idols. Opposition mounted and he was forced to travel on………….across the Alps and established a monastery at Bobbio, which was later to become famous, and where he died. A great scholar, apostle, servant of God, sustained by a life of prayer.
‘One of Columbanus’ finest exploits was in Bregenz, where he was infuriated by the sight of an enormous barrel of beer being prepared by people in honour of their fierce god Woden. Columbanus had nothing against alcohol, but he did not want to see all that beer wasted on a false god, so he made a pre-emptive strike by blowing hard on the giant barrel. It exploded and Woden lost his beer’.
(A History of Christianity by Diarmaid MacCulloch Page 334)
Aidan
One of my favourite Christian leaders and whose life and ministry triggered my interest in the Christianity of the Celts is Aidan. The 6th Century was drawing to a close when Aidan was born. Remember that the Roman armies had withdrawn in early 5th Century and so inhabitants of the British Isles were vulnerable to Anglo Saxon invaders.
Northumbria was ruled over by pagan Kings Codwallon and Penda. Queen Ethelburgh sent her son, Oswald, to Iona for safety and to study after her husband King Edwin was killed. In 634 Oswald believed the time was ripe to march against Codwallon and Penda. Opposing armies met at Heavenfield where Oswald marked the battleground with a cross. Though Oswald’s army was outnumbered he won the battle and returned as King to Bamburgh Castle. He immediately sent to Iona asking that missionaries be sent to Nothumbria:
‘They to win heavenly battles, while he secured victories on earth.’
The Iona community sent Corman and a group of monks. Corman’s mission was a failure and he and his monks returned to Iona where they reported that:
‘The English are an ungovernable people of an obstinate and barbarous temperament.’
The monks of Iona were prayerfully reflecting on this report when an Irish monk Aidan responded to Corman:
‘You should have followed the practice of the apostles and begun by giving them the simpler teaching and gradually nourished them with the Word of God.’
After further prayer and reflection Aidan was consecrated Bishop and sent to Northumbria with a group of monks.
Statue of St Aidan on Lindisfarne
On arrival at Bamburgh, Aidan requested permission from King Oswald to establish his base/monastery on the tidal island of Lindisfarne. Thus began a unique ministry headed up by a Christian King and a monk Bishop. The monastery comprised rudimentary ‘wattle and daub’ cells, a worship and community centre.
Life on Lindisfarne/Holy Island revolved around rhythm of prayer, work, study, ministry to the poor and evangelism. Aidan modelled his ministry on that of Martin and Ninian before him. Perhaps it was more the Christianity modelled by Aidan and his monks, than by preaching that Northumbria was won for Christ. Aidan and his monks exercised their ministry among the poor and oppressed in the rural communities of Northumbria. They proclaimed a faith in Jesus who was alive, authentic, expectant and a Christianity that was to be lived in the power of the Spirit in the everyday struggles of life in an often harsh and cruel environment.
Landmark post-Celtic Castle on Lindisfarne
Stories which illustrate the authenticity of Aidan’s ministry:
The gift of a horse, saddle and bridle from the King;
Paying for the release of slaves whom he subsequently taught;
Blessing of oil for Utta’s mission.
What Aidan brought, according to Kate Tristam:
‘Even gentle Aidan could show great firmness according to Bede, who writes about him: “Neither respect nor fear made him keep silent about the sins of the rich…” ‘
(The Story of Holy Island by Kate Tristam, Page 39)
The Venerable Bede writes of Aidan:
‘Among other evidences of holy life, he gave the clergy an inspiring example of self-discipline and continence, and the highest recommendation of his teaching to all was that he and his followers lived as they taught. He never sought or cared for worldly possessions, and loved to give away to the poor who chanced to meet him whatever he received from kings or wealthy folk. Whether in town or country, he always travelled on foot unless compelled by necessity to ride; and whatever people he met on his walks, whether high or low, he stopped and spoke to them. If they were heathen he urged them to be baptised, and if they were Christians, he strengthened their faith, and inspired them by word and deed to live a good life and to be generous to others.’
(The Woven Cord by Michael Mitton, Page 14)
What I hope you can see is a picture of a strong and vigorous Christianity being lived by ordinary people ‘on the fringes’ and ‘borderlands’. This ‘brand’ of Christianity flowed from the life of the monasteries which were the prayer, worship, mission and ministry centres of the faith.
Magnus Magnusson writes:
‘Celtic monks lived in conspicuous poverty; Roman monks lived well. Celtic monks were unworldly. Celtic bishops practised humility, Roman bishops paraded pomp. Celtic bishops were ministers of their flocks, Roman bishops were monarchs of their dioceses. Celtic clergymen said, ‘Do as I do’ and hoped to be followed; Roman clergymen said, ‘Do as I say and expected to be obeyed.’
( The Woven Cord by Michael Mitton, Page 15)
This way of life was sustained by a deep devotion to Christ who was seen and known to be present and among them and through their life of prayer. Within the Celtic Church we find a rich tapestry of prayer.
Interesting that Esther de Waal writes:
‘As I reflect on what it has meant to me, I think above all it has enriched my understanding of prayer. It has taught me, and encouraged me into, a deeper, fuller way of prayer. I have come to see that the Celtic way of prayer is with the whole of myself, a totality of praying that embraces the fullness of my own personhood, and allows me not only to pray with words but also, more important, with the heart, my feelings, using images and symbols, touching the springs of my imagination.’
(The Celtic Way of Prayer by Esther de Waal, Page ix)
It would be true to say that the Celtic Christians were at home with:
the formal monastic ‘offices’ of the church, but also with more spontaneous charismatic prayer, as for example evidenced by Columba in a great storm ‘storming’ the gates of heaven with his prayers. Their prayer could also be quite physical in the sense of praying as they walked, crossing themselves as a regular part of their Trinitarian prayers, drawing an imaginary circle around themselves as they prayed for protection (Caim and Lorica), all night vigils, praying within every activity of the day from sunrise to sunset and persevering prayer.
+ St Kevin and the blackbirds nest; Mirror Images Page 4-5;
+ Personal stories about Aliwal North, Bernard Mizeki Guild weekend, and Operation Outreach mvuselelos and mjikelos.
But underlying all of this was the Desert Tradition of contemplative prayer:
‘Contemplative prayer, or prayer of the heart, was for the desert Christians the only known way to meet a Biblical requirement. Jesus’ injunction to “pray always” (Luke 18;1) and Paul’s injunction to “pray without ceasing” (1Thessalonians 5;17) cannot be literally fulfilled solely by having ‘prayer times’ or ‘prayer meetings’ – valuable though these can be. They can only be fulfilled when ‘all the movements of the heart become a single-hearted and uninterrupted prayer. Prayer then becomes an inner disposition that is present in every activity of life; it becomes a love that always tends towards the Beloved even when it must attend to something else …
… contemplative prayer is the enjoyment of being alone with God.’
… the Celts were natural contemplatives, and hermits, pilgrims and heroes sought out rugged peninsulas or hidden woodland glades in order to be alone with God’.
(Exploring Celtic Spirituality by Ray Simpson Pages 52-53)
Remember also what Robert Faricy SJ writes:
‘Contemplation is not so much what I do as what the Lord gives me.’ ‘Contemplation is a gift, his gift to me, a gift of his Spirit.’
‘For another, the gift of praying in tongues is, itself, a gift of contemplation.’
(Seeking Jesus in Contemplation and Discernment by Robert Faricy SJ, Pages 25-26)
Praise God that in our day through writers such as Richard Rohr and Thomas Keating, there is a new discovery of what we have ‘lost’ and to which God is drawing us back which is being widely acknowledged and the Celts have much to teach us in this regard.
A typical ‘caim’:
My Christ
My shield
My encircler
Each day, each night
Each light, each dark
Be near me, uphold me
My treasure, my triumph
(From the Carmina Gadelica collection by Michael Carmichael)
A typical ‘lorica’ prayer:
Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger
(An extract from St Patrick’s Breastplate)
