Feast Day of St Columba 9^th June 2021

One of the highlights of the Camino de Santiago is the Cathedral in Leon, a large proportion of which is made from glass. When you enter through the main doors you face East and you immediately see a large stain glass window depicting Christ, deliberately placed above the High Altar, so that, especially in the morning sun, Christ shines forth upon all who enter the Cathedral. As the hours past the sun moves southwards where the Cathedral’s stain glass depicts hundreds of saints. During their lives the saints were penetrated by the light of Christ’s love which transformed them and so through their particular ministry and personality they allowed the light of Christ to shine and warm the world. In Leon Cathedral the sun moves southwards from Christ to them, they are symbolically illuminated by Christ just as they were on earth. It is beautiful to see especially as the light reflects onto the worshipers below.

However beautiful an effect the windows of Leon Cathedral are they were not designed through pious sentiment but by reality, by Christ’s transforming presence whose truth is borne out by:

1The Scriptures, including those proclaimed today

2 The lives of the saints including St Columba whose feast we celebrate today 1500 years after his birth

3 Our own personal experience

1 Scriptures

Isaiah teaches that God is present and active in the world. It is God who personally redeems, although God often chooses to work through people. We know that Jesus was the fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy and that he was uniquely full of the Spirit. However, it is also true that disciples of every age, to the extent they allow the Holy Spirit to work in them, will be transformed and continue Jesus’ ministry as instruments of God’s love.

Meanwhile Paul was keenly aware he had been called by God to spread the Good News, which he describes as a transforming message of hope and glory.

However, the call to transformation, to perfection is an extremely difficult challenge.  The rich man refuses Christ’s invitation as too radical, too costly. Meanwhile Paul acknowledges the suffering that comes from his fidelity to his mission. The Lord tells us that salvation is impossible except by God’s grace. Jesus promised Peter that those who live as God asks will experience reward now (even although its completion comes in heaven). Paul experiences the intimacy of Christ’s presence within him and so the suffering he experiences precisely because he is proclaiming the Gospel actually becomes a source of joy. Paul is transformed by Christ and through Paul Christ’s light will shine on others.

2 St Columba is another example of someone who was transformed by the light of Christ’s love. As a youth he loved the Lord and had genuine intentions of discipleship e.g. giving up his wealth as a monk. However, he still had to grow. His involvement in a battle (perhaps caused by pride) certainly caused scandal.

Columba gave his entire life to God. In Celtic culture family was everything and Columba left his native land. The simplicity of the monastic life, the regular worship and study of the scriptures. He shared what he received: he offered formation in the Christian life, he dialogued with pagans, provided hospitality and reconciled sinners.

Iona’s legacy is monumental, consistently impressive over several centuries. I believe that there was something strongly attractive about Columba because he inspired followers over successive generations who repeatedly and courageously strove to embrace the Christian life and it was that very continuous, communal openness to God that enabled Iona to shine brightly and influence wide and far for many centuries and indeed still does so today. Columba allowed the light of Christ to brightly shine through him, a light which many enjoyed and not only during his lifetime.

3 What does all this mean for us? Celtic monasticism was greatly influenced by the East via France. Many centuries later the young French contemplative, St Thérèse of Lisieux, pondered which type of saint pleased God the most. She concluded that it was irrelevant whether a saint had become famous or not. God only wanted one St Francis, one St Dominic or even one St Columba. No, what pleases God is when a person lives just as God asks.

Each person is unique, there is only one of you. God has created each one of us differently and we can bring God’s grace into the world in a way no one else ever can.

Today we celebrate the Feast of our beloved St Columba 1500 years since he was born. Like Columba let us offer ourselves completely to God so that today Christ’s love will shine forth from us.