“Lord, I love the place where your glory dwells.” Psalm 26

Where is the place, or places that you consider most sacred?  Someplace where you’ve visited, or perhaps gone on pilgrimage?  Or maybe someplace close to your home, an isolated location in nature.  Or maybe you have a sacred place within your home? Wherever that place is, you might describe it as a “thin place”, the earthly and the heavenly intersect; where God meets you, and you meet with God. 

That’s how George MacLeod, founder of the Iona Community, described the Isle of Iona.  I had never heard of that term until I visited there.  From the first time I set foot on that holy island I sensed the overwhelming presence of God.  Like Moses, I knew the place where I was standing was holy ground.  I felt like my soul was at home. 

That first time was over twenty years ago, and it was a very brief visit. Less than one day.  But I felt the magic, the mystery, and the humble majesty of the place.  So much so that I knew that I had to return.

My next visit was in 2009.  Iona is known as a place where people come for healing, and that is what I was seeking.  I didn’t receive that healing—at least not the kind I was looking for.

The third time was in 2015.  I quit my life as I had known it and went to live there for ten weeks as a volunteer in the Iona Community.  It was one of the most transformational experiences of my life.  I was looking for direction, and I believe I found it.  In large part it came as the result not only of the holy place, but the people who were living there.  They had formed an intentional community dedicated to the core principals of the Gospel, which is to love God and love one another.  For them it wasn’t just a command, or a good idea, or a slogan, it was their practice.  Better put, it was God’s love put into practice.

The fourth time was last year.  I went to stay for a week and participate in the rhythm of life as a pilgrim.  It was on that trip that I realized that Iona serves as a microcosm for life.  It is a place for pilgrimage, and that is what life is.  Always journeying, always following God, always seeking yet never fully arriving until finally we arrive fully in the Presence of God.

And now I am going for the fifth time.  Part of my family will be joining me.  I’m looking forward to how they experience Iona.  I am curious what the Holy Spirit, seen as a wild goose by the Celts, will weave into their hearts and souls.

Since I am going there, I won’t be writing a blog next Sunday.  And when I return I have a feeling that the theme of future blogs will focus on Iona and the Celtic view of God, Christ, the world, one another, and ourselves.

I would invite you to take time to seek out a thin place if you don’t have one.  And if you do make it a point to spend some time there.

Journey well friend.