Posts by Ralph Patrick

“Truly, the Mystery of Godliness is Great.”  St. Paul “If you love everything, you will perceive the Divine Mystery in things.”  Fyodor Dostoevsky The Celts Loved the Trinity.  We see this clearly reflected not only in their theological writings about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but also in the way they recognized the Trinity…

“And for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays.  And you will go out and frolic like well=fed calves.” The Prophet Malachi “That same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus . . . and Jesus himself came and walked with them.” …

“Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters.”  Isaiah 55:1 “Deep communion and dear compassion is formed much more by shared pain than by shared pleasure.”  Richard Rohr Every Tuesday the Iona Community hosts an island pilgrimage.  It is not so much a trek as a contemplative walk.  It provides participants with the opportunity to consider…

“The Son of Righteousness appears with healing in hIs wings” The Prophet Malachi “And He sent them out to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to perform healing.” Luke 9 I had intended to tell you about a couple of people in need of healing that I met at Iona.  But considering the ongoing war…

“Go in peace, your faith has healed you.”  Jesus “You cannot heal what you don’t first acknowledge.”  Richard Rohr in “Breathing Underwater Iona is a place of healing.  Deep healing. It was founded as such. St. Columba arrived on its shores in 563 desperately in need of healing.  He had been banished from his native…

The only constant in life is change. What changes have you experienced in life of late?  And more importantly perhaps, how have you adjusted to them? As I stepped off the ferry onto the sacred shores of Iona last week I was confronted with change.  Yes, much remained the same, such as the Abbey rising…

“In your presence there is fullness of joy.” Psalm 16 “Joy is prayer; joy is strength; joy is love; joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.” Mother Teresa “It’s the joy of life.”  That’s what Amy, a server at the Lorne Pub in Oban said Friday evening when I asked…

“Am fear a the’id a dh’l, theid e tri’ uairean ann.”   Celtic saying which means “Those who come to Iona will come not once, but three times.” “Iona is a thin place where only tissue paper separates the material from the spiritual.”  George Macleod, founder of the Iona Community Today I leave for Iona, Scotland.…

“They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, but we don’t know where they have laid Him.” John 20:2 “Though being in the very nature of God, emptied Himself and became obedient to death, even death on the cross.”  Philippians 2 What are you filled with on Easter?  Possible answers on the spiritual side…