Feast of Saint Columba
by kind permission of David Scott
including the churches of Prestonkirk, Stenton and Whittingehame
Search
Main menu
9 June 2013 – St. Columba’s
Day
Today, we are used to copyright laws.
Did you know that St. Columba was one of the first to break them? Finian had a
beautiful Psalter. Columba borrowed it without permission and copied the
contents.
 |
| Columba's House Kells |
Finian reported the crime to the
king. There was a battle. Many people were killed and Columba fled in a coracle
to the island of Iona where he could no longer see his native lreland. Here he
established a religious community in 563 AD, 1,450 years ago!
It not only became a place of
learning producing the ‘The Book of Kells’ but also a base from which he and
his monks were able to travel into the heart of the West Highlands making
converts to Christianity among the High Kings and Chiefs!
In his biography, Adomnan gives
Columba another name – Colum Cille which means ‘the dove of the church’. He was
a man of great learning and a deep spirituality who had a rare affinity with
animals and a gentle attitude to other people.
But he also had another nickname –
Crimthann which means ‘the fox’. And the fox is clever, cunning, fearless,
untouchable. And so was Columba. He was proud, fearless in battle, hasty to
speak out for justice, a warrior as well as a peace-maker.
‘Behold, I send you out as sheep in
the midst of wolves,’ says Jesus, ‘so be wise as serpents and innocent as
doves.’ If the servants of God were all dove and no fox, they would
probably be so heavenly minded as to be no earthly use!
This entry was posted in Minister's
Blog by David Scott. Bookmark the permalink.
© Parish of
Traprain 2012 - 2014
Scottish Charity Number SC012277
Scottish Charity Number SC012277
No comments:
Post a Comment