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 over the sleepy seaside village, the sheep grazing contentedly, and serenity of this sacred place seeping into my very being. But much had also changed.

A blue van, rather than a green one, was there to transport luggage to our lodging.  A new community center had been constructed, replacing the old one where the weekly Ceilidh had been held. The MacLeod Center, named after the founder of the Iona Community George MacLeod, and the place where I had stayed seven years ago, was closed.  And most shocking of all were the changes inside of the Abbey living quarters and refectory.  It had been completely remodeled, and though the stone walls were still in place, so much as different.  There were wooden floors, covering the old stone ones, new bathrooms and showers, new carpet and a refurbished common room, a new automatic dishwasher in the kitchen, an elevator making the upper floor living area more handicapped accessible, and even a new Iona Abbey worship book.  It was all a bit unsettling! It took me a few days to adapt.

But after doing so, I asked myself why I was so surprised.  After all, the nature of life is change.  If these past few years have taught us anything, it is that life is unpredictable and can change in the blink of an eye.  Not only does life change, but people change as well.  I returned to Iona this time a much different person than the previous version of me that arrived seven years ago.  At that time, I was emotionally bruised and spiritually broken, seeking God and My Self.  This time I was whole, healthy, happy, and satisfied in life, seeking simply to return to the place where that healing magic had begun. 

Change is woven into the very fabric of Iona.  St. Columba, who founded the monastery there 1500 years ago, was in major life change when his curach washed up on the shores.  He had been banished from his home in Ireland due to factors that were anything but Godly.  And in that same spirit many, if not most of the people who have come to Iona as pilgrims over the past centuries have done so looking for change as well.  In a future blog I will tell you about a couple of them that I met there last week. 

We deceive ourselves into the idea that life can and will remain the same if we just exercise enough control or work harder and smarter to get it right.  But that’s a delusion.  And it is also stagnating to growth in faith.  Consider, for a moment, how drastically the lives of the disciples changed when they were embraced by Jesus and began to live their lives in Him. Or, for that matter, consider how drastically your life did when God embraced you!

After a few days I adjusted to the changes.  The new people, new worship services, new surroundings and settings all started to feel familiar.  One thing remained remarkably similar; I left carrying a piece of Iona in my heart, ready to embrace whatever changes are awaiting.  What about you?