celtic monasticism

Monasticism never really did anything much for me in my younger days. I mean my really younger days.

But I had something of a 'conversion' experience at college during a spell when part of our Church History course required us to look at the theme for a good few weeks.

I was asked to write the paper for our tutorial group on Celtic Monasticism. And that's where my 'awakening' began!

The more I read around the theme the more that I discovered that these crazy Celtic Christians on the fringes of the then-known world not only knocked on the head the notions which I'd always entertained about monasticism: but they also showed an outlook and a way of life which seemed to me exactly what I'd somehow always thought that following Jesus should reflect.

I was hooked.

Well and truly hooked.

And I suddenly saw how hugely attractive and socially potent this way of following Jesus was.

And could be again today.

There's a group of girls who meet on a Wednesday morning to study the Bible and learn. They're not a lot of boringly 'pious' folk, but full of warmth and fun, with their feet on the ground and with a hunger in all of their hearts to get to know Jesus some better.

It's always a really uplifting time that I share with them whenever I get along.

They'd asked me along today. And I was glad to go and be there and to listen to the range of great ideas that they all have about the way we can reflect a real concern for planet earth.

And I was glad as well to have the chance to chat with them a bit about this favourite theme of mine - the way in which the essence of that Celtic monasticism can find contemporary expression.

The whole thing excites me no end. And I think they share that excitement. In fact, I'm hoping that more and more folk get a feel for 'what could be' and start themselves to dream that dream and see it finally realised.

I enjoyed being there.

From there it was on to get the place ready for the lunch-time service we hold. Setting the building up OK, checking the books were out.

And, of course, completing my preparation!

The theme was, I guess, a sort of Lenten theme. We're still on the story of Joseph (the guy with the fancy coat). And it's surprising how much there is there in the story which touches us all today.

Today I was on about precisely why Joseph saw fit to put his brothers in custody for three days.

The three day period actually figures quite often across the pages of the Bible. And mostly it's either to do with penance, prayer (and fasting), or preparation. Sometimes all three together.

And that, I suspect, is what Joseph was really on about in sticking his brothers away like that for a three day break from normal life.

And it's pretty much, too, what Lent is about as well.

Not being stuck away in the clink for a spell. But taking that time apart for those three important 'p's. Penance, prayer, preparation.

It's a pertinent word for ourselves as a people, too, these days. A time of preparation.

There's a definite sense of that. Things slowly coming together at last. On all sorts of different fronts. A new stage in God's dealings with all of us here about to begin.

I was meeting with one of the leaders here this afternoon. A weekly sort of session that we have. And I think that we both had that sense.

I think we've pretty much got all the ingredients now to embody the life that those crazy Celtic Christians used to live.

Maybe you think it unfair to be using that word. 'Crazy'.

And maybe you're right. Because they weren't really daft. That's not what I mean.

They were anything but a bunch of total loonies. They had their heads screwed on, for sure.

But they refused to conform and they got up to all sorts of 'crazy' things. They were kind of 'wild', in a good sort of way. They lived in the light of God's truth and were borne along on the wind of the Spirit of God.

So you never quite knew just what they'd get up to next.

They were different, I guess. Different in the way that Jesus himself was different. Surprising, attractive, infuriating, compelling, dynamic.

Full of humour and warmth. Full of laughter and fun. Full of an earthy delight in the every-day routines of life.

Full of life. The sort of life I think most folk are really looking for. Deep down. And these guys lived it, showed it, shared it. Made the thing available for all.

And I think that's how the Lord intends we, too, should live our life. Like I say, I think he's got all the ingredients there in place.

And I think he's now preparing us to take it on that next important stage.

The whole thing excites me no end!