A pilgrimage to Holy Island
A personal story
In my ruminations about the life of pilgrimage which
Jesus has entered me upon, I return in my heart to stand
once more upon Holy Island, a 1,000 acre virtually flat
piece of land off the East coast of England. I am standing
where Saints loved and lived out their particular Christian
pilgrimage; standing in the place of an ancient history, on
ancient paths and it amazes and delights me.
I recall how David Adam (former Vicar of Holy Island)
recounts the stories of their lives, how they knew and
recited the book of Psalms as they travelled around the
surrounding countryside sharing the gospel and serving the
people; how they returned to their island home to build and
farm.1
At my feet divided by a short distance lies the little
island with its wooden cross attributed to be the place of
solitude for St Aidan and St Cuthbert and named for him.
Holy Island is reached at low tide by vehicular access or
by following on foot the pilgrim's way, which is marked by a
straight line of poles across the sand. Those we spoke to
who had walked the pilgrim's way, spoke of blessings with
awe and enthusiasm.
Many visitors seem to troop automatically the route to
the castle on its outcrop of limestone owned by the National
Trust and then back to the car park.
Others take a cursory glance at the ruined abbey where
men of old wrote the Lindisfarne Gospels and where Cuthbert
was originally buried before removal to Durham Cathedral.
Momentarily my mind pauses by that tomb and I recall the
atmosphere surrounding it.
Still others stay to wander, to imagine, to pray and to
grow in awareness of the sense of how we are all on a
pilgrimage, moving on, always growing hopefully in Christian
maturity.
A hush settles as tourists depart the tiny village to
avoid being stranded by advancing tide. Peace descends and
almost an expectation invades as light fades and night in
turn descends.
'Stand at the cross roads… seek the ancient
paths.'
Jeremiah's words grab my attention and bring me back to
the present and I think about how God continues to guide and
lead us all on our individual journeys, in our church
journey, the community and out into the world for we are
part of one another.
We can look back and learn. We can visit places in the
reality of significant Christian presence or in our hearts
as I do, to pause and remember examples of incredible lives
of sacrifice, all part of our history.
These places which offer deep silence and solitude are
used by God to gain our attention, where we can hear his
still small voice. God is not limited to His word but speaks
in many times, people, places as we undertake this
pilgrimage of privilege he has enabled us to enter and
indeed gifted to us.
Jesus laid all aside for his pilgrimage on earth. St
Oswald and St Aidan laid all aside for theirs, all-desiring
to love God and to seek his Kingdom. Let us lay aside all
for that which is of eternal worth too.
Later this year we have the opportunity to pray with our
Bishop as he joins us on our parish's pilgrimage. Exciting
days, for he comes much like St Aidan of old to love and
encourage us, to pray with us. Let's therefore be full of
expectation as this has never occurred before, offering the
gift of welcome and hospitality to Bishop John as he comes,
as our paths cross in our walk in the Kingdom. May we grow
together in love and trust for God's glory and for the sake
of the Kingdom and the future of Tasmania.
Judy Flint
1 David Adam Flame in
my Heart
Return
to a call to prayer home page.
|
