After two trains, an overnight in Oban, two ferries, a bus ride, and a nice, long, uphill walk to our hotel- We reached our home for a week on the island of Iona at the St. Columba Hotel. This place emits the coming together of heaven and earth, also known as a liminal or "thin" place. Our group of 22 pilgrims met for the first time and had a glorious dinner before evening prayers and chants.
Our retreat leader, John Philip Newell, led us with prayers and music in the evening from his CD "Chanting for Peace" and new book "Praying with the Earth". The focus of the book and CD is aimed at ways we can pray for peace with phrases from the Quran, the Hebrew Scriptures, and the teachings of Jesus. This is a way of further opening our hearts to the longings for peace that are deeper than the fears and misunderstandings that divide us.
Tomorrow we celebrate the feast of Pentecost with the Iona Community before we set off for a hike to the north beach for a prayer walk. Come, Holy Spirit!
to the field of love
to the land where forgiveness and right relationship meet
we look, O God, with longing for earth’s children
with compassion for the creatures
with hearts breaking for the people
and nations we love.
Open us to visions we have never known
strengthen us for self-givings we have never made
delight us with a oneness we could never have imagined
that we may truly be born of
You makers of peace.
(from Praying With the Earth by John Philip Newell)
No comments:
Post a Comment