蜜芽传媒

Good morning.

Through this period of no congregational singing,

I鈥檝e been drawn to a lesser-known hymn by a Donegal man.

鈥淎lone with none but thee, my God, I journey on my way鈥�

wrote St Columba,

Given that the sixth century priest set off from Ireland

with the Biblically requisite twelve companions,

and given that he founded Christian communities everywhere he went,

most famously at Iona,

what was it that left him feeling alone?

听

Like just about every parish clergyperson,

I鈥檝e seen rather too much being alone lately.

Thankfully,

after months of separation for residents of nursing and care homes,

reunions with families and friends are now being made possible.

As hospitals reopen, patients may again be visited,

following so many heart-breaking instances when they could not be.

And ringing around our still self-isolating seniors,

all the talk now is of 鈥榖ubbles鈥�. 听

听

听

All of which might suggest, that at least for people of faith

being alone doesn鈥檛 come naturally.

Which makes it even more intriguing that Columba鈥檚 sense of it

seems to have been less an imposition and more a choice.

鈥淢y life I yield to thy decree, and bow to thy control鈥� he goes on to say.

For St Columba, surrendering to Christ voluntarily and purposefully

seemed to unlock an assurance that eclipsed

the most precious of his God-given human relationships.

He signs off not just calmly and peacefully, but boldly, even ready for battle:

鈥淭he child of God can fear no ill, his chosen dread no foe鈥�.

听

Lord draw us ever more deeply into the loving trust of your Son,

who, surrounded so often by so many,

cast Himself entirely on your keeping

even from the forsakenness of the cross.

Amen.