Aidan - Flame of the North
Genesis 1:3
Genesis 1:3
The end of this week sees the feast day of St Aidan and the Lindisfarne saints. On the island this is a week of thanksgiving.
St Aidan's Bamburgh from the Baptistry |
In a symbol of resurrection the beam is now part of the roof work over the baptistry.
There is a simple shrine over the ground where he lay and, touchingly, prayer tokens take the celtic shape of shells, pebbles and feathers tucked into a little stone recess at the side.
Then it is often a case of racing the tide for the crossing - it seems to be another personal tradition to only just make it one way or the other.
This year was the first year that I made the crossing on foot - in bare feet to be precise - following the sentinel posts that mark safe passage. The poem and post Pilgrim Sands celebrates the experience of walking in the footsteps of all those who wander for the love of Christ.
There are always poems surfacing in thanksgiving that my own 'wandering' leads me to a place of ebb and flow. A place where the Spirit feeds my spirit and then sends me home to follow my own roads and pathways of life and ministry.
There are probably a thousand ways of expressing Celtic spirituality - a thought that came to me about Aidan is that he carries God's hospitality with him. That wherever he was, he was the doorkeeper to the Kingdom - and his lamp was always lit.
Blessing of Aidan
May you shine with Heaven's Light
May your heart be Light
in Love's longing
May your words be Light
in dark times
May your hands be Light
in life's struggles
May your feet be Light
in sharing journeys
and bringing all to the Feast
May you shine with Heaven's Light
Blessed be
wordinthehand2012
On the island there is a whole week of celebration leading up to Aidan's day on Friday - for those who are able to be there - and I wish I was one of them - this is the events diary and and more details here
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