9th June, Feast of St Columcille or Columba
Columcille was born in Gartan, Co. Donegal in 521 and was of royal lineage, belonging to a branch of the O’Neill dynasty. He studied under Saint Mobhi, in the monastery of Glasnevin. He went on to establish monasteries himself in Derry, Durrow, and possibly Kells. In 563 he left Ireland with twelve companions and founded a monastery on the island of Iona off South West Scotland, which was given to him by the ruler of the Irish Dalriada for the purpose of establishing a monastery. The monastery became a place of learning with the copying and illumination of manuscripts. Columcille remained the rest of his life in Scotland, mainly Iona, returning to Ireland only for occasional visits. He and his companions preached the gospel in the Western part of Scotland. He died on June 9, 597. After his death, monks from Iona went to evangelize Northumbria, where they established monasteries at Lindisfarne and Whitby. Columcille and his companions and successors courageously proclaimed the gospel of the Lord wherever they went. He himself was known for his great love of people and for all living creatures. In the words of one of the gospel readings for today’s feast, Columcille and his companions left everything to follow Jesus. Most of us are not called to ‘leave everything’ in the way Columcille and his companions did. Yet, we are called to remain faithful to the way of the Lord in the midst of our daily lives. Sometimes this will mean leaving all that is contrary to the gospel, even though it is appealing and attractive. We are called to keep confirming our choice of the Lord and his way each day, even when it brings us into stormy waters. We do so with the confidence that the Lord is always choosing us and continually giving us the strength to be as faithful to him as he is to us. If we remain faithful to the Lord and to his gospel message in the strength of his Spirit, the Holy Spirit, then, in the words of the gospel, we ‘will be repaid a hundred times over… now in the present time and, in the world to come, eternal life’.