I’ve long had a fascination with St Columba, an Irish Abbot who is credited with spreading Christianity across Scotland. I first learned about him on a trip to Scotland with my college where we visited Iona, the small island on the west coast that Columba used as his base for his missionary journeys. The place was captivating! It sits just off the Isle of Mull which is near Oban, Scotland. Years later I read a book about the life of Columba by Nigel Tranter a noted Scottish historian. The book was once of the few of it’s types that I could not put down and was sad to get to the end of.
Born in 521AD, Colmcille was the great great grandson of a high king of Ireland. He studied under several noted Irish Abbots before becoming a priest and then an Abbott. He founded several monastaries around Ireland and was a significant figure in the spiritual life of the country. A series of events that were both personal and political led to his involvment in a battle where many lives were lost. At this point, he sought to banish himself from Ireland and headed to Scotland. Iona was far enough from Ireland that he could no longer see his home country and it was near to where some of the Irish gaels had moved as they settled parts of Scotland. I mention his lineage because as an heir to the throne of the high king of Ireland, he got an audience with kings across Scotland and sought permission from them to preach the gospel in their kingdoms. Sometimes the kings themselves came to faith. Other times they just listened and gave permission for him to go about his business.
So, I was thrilled last weekend to be able to preach at St. Columba’s Church in Drumcliffe Ireland near the town of Sligo. The church is named for him because it sits on the site of a monastary founded by him and also near to where the famous battle took place that changed the course of his life. Incidently, not twenty feet from the doors of the church WB Yeats is buried – the famous Irish poet. There is a very old celtic cross on the site (if I recall correctly it might be a replica, the original being in a museum) and the remains of a monastic round tower is near the church as well. Then, learning that Columba was born not far to the north in County Donegal, I headed up there to check out the site. After lots of driving around and asking directions, we finally found the site which is marked by a massive celtic cross. There are remains of a building there which I was not sure if that was the home he was born in.
Columba fascinates me because of his approach to life and ministry. He kept it simple and courageously ventured to many places to share the gospel. His journeys were difficult as he made his way across rugged lands. Unlike modern day monastaries, the celtic ones were more like seminaries or church planting schools. They trained people to go out and spread the gospel and plant churches. They did not spend their lives in one place living like hermits. I wish nothing more than to give my life for the sake of the gospel being spread to people that have not heard it or have turned aside. Perhaps it’s the mystique of Columba that gives me the desire to spread the gospel in Scotland, a country that needs missionary work once again.
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