The saints just get better all the time
Saints. They need reclaiming. First, there was Patrick, who has been wrongly accused of trashing Druid culture in Ireland. Patrick and Brigid were contemporaries and Patrick's brand of Christianity was Celtic Christianity, which was not Roman.
From what i have read about Patrick he was frightened young man who was a slave, who through sheer good luck, intuition and derringdo, escaped and then RETURNED to where he was made a slave to work with the people of the land which had enslaved him.
Of course he was not perfect. But that is the point. He would not be a saint if he was perfect.
Then there is Francis. Perhaps Francis has never needed reclaiming. Probably not. Which is why the current Pope is named after him. Ecowarrior. Conscientious objector. Downshifter.
He is probably one of the most charismatic saints of our time. He decided to forsake everything he had and live in an abandoned church all by himself. Then he had no idea, but ended up founding one of the most popular orders of all time and then didn't want to be the head of it, because that was not the point. If he lived in our time, almost certainly he would have been a celebrity. But Francis could not be bothered he just wanted to do what he thought was right with gentleness and mercy.
What is the point of all this? is what the saints subconsciously ask all the time. What i think truly makes them different from all of us is that they are able to see what needs doing, they have a vision that cuts through the bullshit and enough self discipline to not be drawn into the silliness, and then they just get on and do it.
It does not matter that they will suffer as a result. What they realise is that if they do not listen to the voices in their heart, they will suffer anyway. Much better to be suffering for the right reasons than suffering for the wrong ones. And what they discover is that actually when they suffer for the right reasons, it isn't really suffering. It is a sacrifice and one which is made gladly. It is, in other words, a conscious decision, not something which they were railroaded into. This means they live out the consequences of their decisions, good or bad. Freedom is worth dying for - literally, sometimes.
Yesterday i told the story about Francis and the Wolf of Gubbio. It is such a wonderful story that can be read on so many different levels. But the best way to tell it is exactly the way it has been told in the old stories. I also think that the birds story is the same. I love the way that the two animals Francis has been associated with are the Wolf - Willing and Shadow - and birds - Thinking and Light. If the wolf is ahrimanic, the birds are luciferic. Francis, as the human being redeems the both and by so doing he redeems humanity and himself as well. Perhaps that is the ultimate purpose of the saints. They bring redress and balance in the most beautiful way possible - with great courage.
The other thing about saints is that they have this capacity to forgive, no matter what. How tremendous is that? I was recently at a meeting where the concept of forgiveness was discussed and forgiveness is not about absolution. Absolution can only be done by the person who has carried out the wrong. Forgiveness is putting down a burden. If someone has hurt you - consciously or unconsciously - you put it down. You put it down and get on with life.
It is a lesson i am still desperately trying to learn. Especially since i am quite good at doing a fair amount of hurting myself.
Right this weekend will be busy, but not so busy that i won't be able to go swimming. Doing lots of laps in pools. And then there is the work weekend at school. There are a couple of areas i'd like to get stuck in…so can't wait really.
He is probably one of the most charismatic saints of our time. He decided to forsake everything he had and live in an abandoned church all by himself. Then he had no idea, but ended up founding one of the most popular orders of all time and then didn't want to be the head of it, because that was not the point. If he lived in our time, almost certainly he would have been a celebrity. But Francis could not be bothered he just wanted to do what he thought was right with gentleness and mercy.
What is the point of all this? is what the saints subconsciously ask all the time. What i think truly makes them different from all of us is that they are able to see what needs doing, they have a vision that cuts through the bullshit and enough self discipline to not be drawn into the silliness, and then they just get on and do it.
It does not matter that they will suffer as a result. What they realise is that if they do not listen to the voices in their heart, they will suffer anyway. Much better to be suffering for the right reasons than suffering for the wrong ones. And what they discover is that actually when they suffer for the right reasons, it isn't really suffering. It is a sacrifice and one which is made gladly. It is, in other words, a conscious decision, not something which they were railroaded into. This means they live out the consequences of their decisions, good or bad. Freedom is worth dying for - literally, sometimes.
Yesterday i told the story about Francis and the Wolf of Gubbio. It is such a wonderful story that can be read on so many different levels. But the best way to tell it is exactly the way it has been told in the old stories. I also think that the birds story is the same. I love the way that the two animals Francis has been associated with are the Wolf - Willing and Shadow - and birds - Thinking and Light. If the wolf is ahrimanic, the birds are luciferic. Francis, as the human being redeems the both and by so doing he redeems humanity and himself as well. Perhaps that is the ultimate purpose of the saints. They bring redress and balance in the most beautiful way possible - with great courage.
The other thing about saints is that they have this capacity to forgive, no matter what. How tremendous is that? I was recently at a meeting where the concept of forgiveness was discussed and forgiveness is not about absolution. Absolution can only be done by the person who has carried out the wrong. Forgiveness is putting down a burden. If someone has hurt you - consciously or unconsciously - you put it down. You put it down and get on with life.
It is a lesson i am still desperately trying to learn. Especially since i am quite good at doing a fair amount of hurting myself.
Right this weekend will be busy, but not so busy that i won't be able to go swimming. Doing lots of laps in pools. And then there is the work weekend at school. There are a couple of areas i'd like to get stuck in…so can't wait really.
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