Matthew under the arm 142
Well, I was about to write that this is the end of the pilgrimage. However, any pilgrimage I have been on, including being Bishop of this Diocese, has never actually come to an end. I have just announced my retirement as Bishop of Argyll and The Isles. One person sent me an email to tell me that I was too young to retire. Of course, he's write, if I mean by to retire...full-stop! There are other ways I feel pushed and urged to serve as a priest, which, of course, I remain. Another person said to me, with a wry smile on his face, that I would be 'making for the trees'! Although that made me laugh, I came away with a disturbing question: 'Am I running away?' In a real sense, I might well be running away if I ignored the movement within me that senses that I have other tasks to address.
So, the pilgrimage with Columba is not coming to an end. Certainly the final verses of Matthew's Gospel have now been reached, but Columba and his companion (probably me!) will separate and pick up the threads of other vocations. Several who have followed this blog (if that is what it is!) have asked me to reveal the mystery of the destination of this pilgrimage.... Mmmm.
I realise that very few have followed this blog. Living in this Diocese of Argyll and The Isles, I have become accustomed to small numbers. Not that I am suggesting I am comfortable let alone complacent about that. From any reading of history or biography that I have done, there have always been crossroads that have been critical in cultural and individual development. Few have been around to witness them, let alone understand them. In this tiny and holy 'precinct' of the Holy and Catholic Church; this majestic and largely untamed region called once by Percy Grainger: 'the Penumbra of Europe', those of us who are dominated and inspired by its unintelligibility, can never claim to have reached a destination or rounded-off some experience. No job is ever done here. St John's Cathedral Oban, is a powerful emblem of precisely that. A complete Cathedral has a disturbing finality to it that closes of, no matter the size, possibility. Our architecture tells our story of incompleteness, a beautiful statement of the fact that we are as Theodore Roszak wrote: 'Unfinished Animals'.
Should this blog continue then? Well, if you have been following it at all, you may have some suggestions. But as a provisional 'walking stick' on this particular pilgrimage, it is bet perhaps that thank God for the opportunity and move on....
So here we are. I dare say this to Columba, as I have learnt that he sees 'conclusions' as the ignoring of dreams, the stunting of growth, the desire to capture for blandishment. 'Place the palms of your hands against this wall', he whispered mystifyingly. 'Why?' I asked with that rather pathetic feeling inside me that this was a pointless question. 'Remain there for a while and when you withdraw your hands you will open your hands with the gift of God's incomprehensible love which radiates even from stone.' Those were the last words I ever heard from Columba. But even that s not true. Throughout our time together I had kept notes of his comments and at least some of his activities, which I have shared with you. They resonate on, at least I hope so. So I placed my hands again on the wall and felt the cold sandy texture almost caressing my palms. And where are we as we touch the shrine of our pilgrimage? Back where we had begun, but strangely higher as if on a spiral. I turned after a while with my hands outstretched. I was alone.
Matthew 28.16-20
'Setting out for Galilee'. This is a vitally important indicator. For the disciples make their way to the point which they first encountered Christ. So the memory of the story of their discipleship is key. The experience of the raising of Christ that they had at the place of encounter, was an opening, or using a more traditional word, revelation. So the significance of the Raising dawns on them in the place of recollection. The experience of following, of friendship, of betrayal, of rejection, of anxiety, of agony and painful death was the circle on which they had made their pilgrimage.On returning, they did not come back to the exact spot, for that is the journey of nostalgia a best and self-indulgence at worst. Somehow the word 'authority' wakens them to realise that they have come round to their initiation but they are lifted themselves, caught up in the slip stream of the Raising.
MY LOVE OF YOU GATHERS YOU TO THE PLACE OF ENCOUNTER THAT YOU MAY MOVE OUT IN THAT LOVE TO OTHERS.
Find a rock tat you can hold, that is no too heavy but substantial enough that you can feel its significant weight ad size. The age of the rock will be for the human imagination, immeasurable. It is safe to use the word 'timeless'. You had to lift it from somewhere in order to hold it. This was a raising. It is also a return to Galilee. Here is an experience of your beginning! The very stuff o he earth from which you cm an to which you have now returned. However, you have not entirely returned but have moved 'upwards' slightly. So,as you hold the rock, remember you first experience o God, no matter ho trivial and particular it was. Relive it. Tell the story of the encounter. Now replace the rock and lay you hands open as your commitment to allow the gift of your encounter t be passed on. 'I am with you to the end of time'.
A blessing from the Island of Iona
"Be the great Go between your two shoulders
To protect you in your going out and your coming in.
Be the Son of Mary ever near your heart,
And be the perfect Spirit upon you pouring.
Oh, the perfect Spirit upon you pouring. "
+Martin
Bishop of Argyll and The Isles
So, the pilgrimage with Columba is not coming to an end. Certainly the final verses of Matthew's Gospel have now been reached, but Columba and his companion (probably me!) will separate and pick up the threads of other vocations. Several who have followed this blog (if that is what it is!) have asked me to reveal the mystery of the destination of this pilgrimage.... Mmmm.
I realise that very few have followed this blog. Living in this Diocese of Argyll and The Isles, I have become accustomed to small numbers. Not that I am suggesting I am comfortable let alone complacent about that. From any reading of history or biography that I have done, there have always been crossroads that have been critical in cultural and individual development. Few have been around to witness them, let alone understand them. In this tiny and holy 'precinct' of the Holy and Catholic Church; this majestic and largely untamed region called once by Percy Grainger: 'the Penumbra of Europe', those of us who are dominated and inspired by its unintelligibility, can never claim to have reached a destination or rounded-off some experience. No job is ever done here. St John's Cathedral Oban, is a powerful emblem of precisely that. A complete Cathedral has a disturbing finality to it that closes of, no matter the size, possibility. Our architecture tells our story of incompleteness, a beautiful statement of the fact that we are as Theodore Roszak wrote: 'Unfinished Animals'.
Should this blog continue then? Well, if you have been following it at all, you may have some suggestions. But as a provisional 'walking stick' on this particular pilgrimage, it is bet perhaps that thank God for the opportunity and move on....
So here we are. I dare say this to Columba, as I have learnt that he sees 'conclusions' as the ignoring of dreams, the stunting of growth, the desire to capture for blandishment. 'Place the palms of your hands against this wall', he whispered mystifyingly. 'Why?' I asked with that rather pathetic feeling inside me that this was a pointless question. 'Remain there for a while and when you withdraw your hands you will open your hands with the gift of God's incomprehensible love which radiates even from stone.' Those were the last words I ever heard from Columba. But even that s not true. Throughout our time together I had kept notes of his comments and at least some of his activities, which I have shared with you. They resonate on, at least I hope so. So I placed my hands again on the wall and felt the cold sandy texture almost caressing my palms. And where are we as we touch the shrine of our pilgrimage? Back where we had begun, but strangely higher as if on a spiral. I turned after a while with my hands outstretched. I was alone.
Matthew 28.16-20
'Setting out for Galilee'. This is a vitally important indicator. For the disciples make their way to the point which they first encountered Christ. So the memory of the story of their discipleship is key. The experience of the raising of Christ that they had at the place of encounter, was an opening, or using a more traditional word, revelation. So the significance of the Raising dawns on them in the place of recollection. The experience of following, of friendship, of betrayal, of rejection, of anxiety, of agony and painful death was the circle on which they had made their pilgrimage.On returning, they did not come back to the exact spot, for that is the journey of nostalgia a best and self-indulgence at worst. Somehow the word 'authority' wakens them to realise that they have come round to their initiation but they are lifted themselves, caught up in the slip stream of the Raising.
MY LOVE OF YOU GATHERS YOU TO THE PLACE OF ENCOUNTER THAT YOU MAY MOVE OUT IN THAT LOVE TO OTHERS.
Find a rock tat you can hold, that is no too heavy but substantial enough that you can feel its significant weight ad size. The age of the rock will be for the human imagination, immeasurable. It is safe to use the word 'timeless'. You had to lift it from somewhere in order to hold it. This was a raising. It is also a return to Galilee. Here is an experience of your beginning! The very stuff o he earth from which you cm an to which you have now returned. However, you have not entirely returned but have moved 'upwards' slightly. So,as you hold the rock, remember you first experience o God, no matter ho trivial and particular it was. Relive it. Tell the story of the encounter. Now replace the rock and lay you hands open as your commitment to allow the gift of your encounter t be passed on. 'I am with you to the end of time'.
A blessing from the Island of Iona
"Be the great Go between your two shoulders
To protect you in your going out and your coming in.
Be the Son of Mary ever near your heart,
And be the perfect Spirit upon you pouring.
Oh, the perfect Spirit upon you pouring. "
+Martin
Bishop of Argyll and The Isles
Labels: Moving on
posted by Martin at 9:41 am
11 Comments:
I may not understand you, but, I have been following your blog for the last half year. Argyll and the Isles are remote to me (the closest I've been is probably Stirling [or a few thousand feet straight up in an airplane]). Despite that I hope the next path your feet take will be rewarding both for others and for yourself.
-an atheistic Californian
I'm going to plunge in with a blogger's comment which I think has implications for us as Christians: to encourage people to visit your blog, you have to go to theirs and leave your mark in the form of a comment. Then they follow the link to your blog to see who it is who's visited them, and other readers of their blog do the same. If we all did that not only in our blogs but in our faith lives, who knows what numbers we might reach?
Enjoy whatever you decide to do when you leave this job, Martin - the not-having-to is a great gift.
I guess we lurkers/commenters could help by putting this on the list of blogs we follow so people who follow us back may follow further back to here.
Admittedly I'm not sure how much this blog lends itself to comments instead of thinking over in silence. On the old usenet the rule of thumb was that actual participants were perhaps 10% of those actually reading (less in some groups more in others). I suspect the same holds for blogs.
You may not realize who you can effect with a blog such as yours. I stumbled upon it by accident perhaps a year ago as a part of my search for "contemplative intercession," which was the theme of one of your early blogs. Thankyou for your spiritual insights, and your willingness to share. I would encourage you, whatever aspect of your vocation you choose, to continue the type of blogging you have been doing.
Blessing to you,
Roger Bermingham
Voyager, Society of Aidan & Hilda
Colorado
Chris; putting comments on other peoples blogs saying how frightened you are of becoming a real Christian should not be for public viewing. Your fear betrays your lack of faith. We read in 1John ch4 v 18 “There is no fear in Love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. “ The Lord Jesus Christ has taken on the punishment that was rightly ours so we, believers, have no fear. When we come to know Jesus as our Lord and saviour we are certain of our eternal destiny this is true faith and is available to all freely. All we have to do is stop doubting and stop refusing to believe. We believers can then go on and willingly obey Matthew ch28 v 19 “and make disciples”. There is no grey area, you are either going to heaven because you believe or Hell because you refuse to believe. This is the clear teaching of the bible. For nearly 2000 years men have tried to be little it, they still have not succeeded. Jesus said to Thomas who had a question mark for a mind, Stop your doubting and believe see John ch 20 v 29
The contemplation and study of the Bible,of what the Lord has done for me, (You and everyone else) is very laudable, but has no effect on society at large or on individuals if I ( each of us) do not share with those on the outside (the public) what he has done, why and how.
It's not a religious ritual thing but a practical outworking in everyday life. Returning to the beginning must therefore be a the regroup then going out.
Some might help at a soup kitchen, or help the next door old lady or man, some may be callled (By vocation) to be evangelists on a street corner professing this faith by proclamation of the Word, or relating what God has done for them as believers. This is not just the prerogative of ordained men and women it is the prerogative of every man and woman born again by the Spirit of God through the atoning work of the Lord Jesus on the Cross, his resurection and ascension.So please do not stop at this point, but everyone go on to make disciples in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Not by Christiening infants but taking on the hard work of seeking those who would never dream of darkening the doors
of any church and gently and lovingly showing them Christ in action, and earning the right to share the gospel of the Good news to them. I dare not keep it to myself for the command is to Go and make desciples in all the earth.....
Ewan MacRae
"Aye Write!" ( blog line 6)
He canny spell , but himself gaun awa' will be a real shame for Argyle & the Iles....woops Isles
What borderman said.
Aileen says Having a sleepless night I stumbled on your blog and am looking forward to reading it in more depth. your comments on Iona thrilled me as Iona has played a major part in my Christian experience. Many years ago when my husband was chaplain at Bishop's House for a week, I had a wonderful experience of writng a hymn /song inspired by what took place while we were there.Tonight through your blog I was led back to that time. thankyou I may call again.
Today is St. Columba's Day 2010 and I'm leaving a comment on your last Blog entry which is dated over a year ago.
From the other side of the earth, Odessa, Texas USA, I soon begin traveling to your former diocese and begin a week in Iona. I'll first reach the island on June 26.
I hope "Following Columba" will continue to be available. Your last two entries--each with their encounter with Columba--is a word-icon. I sense the Holy Spirit grappling with my mind and strenghtening dreams of Christian mission which may come from touch ya'll's timeless island soon.
But I won't wait for the 26th. I'll work on our church newsletter, communicate with others about Health Ministry, and prepare for tonight's Bible Study on Mark. I'll thank God for being renewed by your kind, welcoming prose. And I'll hope I can sneak a peak at your Blog again, later this Columba's Day.
Shalom.
Message from Rev Chas Deacon:
chasdeacon@blueyonder.co.uk
Dear Martin I wanted to ask you about the history of our diocesan link with Cyprus and the gulf. Could you e-mail me back with your current Exeter phone number. Thanks, Chas
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