State of the Church: The Celtic Revival (27)
For amongst us it is not a man’s station but his principles that matter; yet love for the peace of the gospel compels me to say all, to shame you both, who ought to have been one choir, and this motive is joined by the greatness of my concern for your harmony and peace; for if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it.
– Columbanus, Letter to Pope Boniface
For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you.
– 2 Corinthians 2.4
Saying the hard things
I would not want us to think it was easy for Columbanus to write these letters to three popes. He saw how the churches in Gaul were languishing while the priests and bishops indulged all manner of self-interest and material delight. He learned of the condition of the churches from all the young people who were fleeing to his monasteries, looking for something true and holy to give themselves to. And he had received letters from the synod of bishops and priests, taking issue with him on a variety of purely secondary matters and demanding he meet with them—an invitation he courteously declined.
Columbanus would come to learn that these same priests and bishops were conspiring with the local kings to have the Irishmen exiled from Gaul. That would come soon enough.
But the more reports he heard and the more his letters to Rome were met with silence, the more urgent he became, even to the point of pronouncing shame on both the clergy in Gaul and the popes in Rome. They should have “been one choir”, in all things singing the praises of Jesus. Had they been true lovers of the Gospel, they would have worked with the Irish missionaries, who were eager “for [their] harmony and peace”. As it happened, though, the church leaders in Gaul brought suffering to the Irishmen as Columbanus and his group learned of the suffering of the Lord’s flocks throughout that land.They might have been duly-ordained priests and bishops, but the clergy of Gaul had no Gospel principles to commend themselves to the Lord. These were hard words for Columbanus to write, but he knew he had to address the situation clearly, forthrightly, and unapologetically.
Principles of the Gospel
We glimpse through Columbanus’ letters to these popes, as in our excerpt for today, the main principles of Christian life and ministry that characterized the Irishmen. Here we see that the primacy of the Gospel was of first importance. Everything they did was to advance the Name of Jesus and to call people to know, love, and serve Him. They offered people the peace of Jesus and taught them how to know that peace and live in it. They were, in the truest sense, peace-bringers and peacemakers.
The Irish Christians insisted on being “one choir”, that is, on learning together, worshiping, together, working together, and, when necessary, suffering together so that, by their oneness they might strengthen one another and show their neighbors the reality of God having sent Jesus for their salvation (Jn. 17.21). They worked hard to establish and maintain harmony and peace within their monastic communities (Eph. 4.3). This was accomplished by their praying the psalms together throughout the day, working with one another for the material needs of the monastery (by farming, teaching, and serving together in various projects), and by keeping a common rule of discipline, by which they were able to pray for and encourage one another in their growth in the Lord. They also held all things in common; they possessed little personal property, and what they had they freely shared as needed. And they worked together, in various tasks, to minister the love of Jesus to the communities around the monastery.
I wonder what “Gospel principles” direct and order the lives of churches today. Make budget? Gain more members? Keep our worship services lively and entertaining—and the sermons not too long? Find ways to get more “involvement”?
I also wonder, if Columbanus could write to church leaders today, what would he say? Would he have any hard sayings to direct our way? Or would he see us as being, like them, communities of Gospel harmony and peace?
Each of us has something to contribute to reclaiming those Gospel principles that bring the peace of Jesus to our church and community. Let’s not fail to hold fast to these.
For Reflection
1. What are the defining “Gospel principles” that guide your life?
2. Whom will you encourage today to stay on the path of life with Jesus?
Psalm 84.8-12
Holy Manna: Brethren, We Have Met to Worship
LORD of hosts, my prayer receiving, hear me, help me by Your grace!
In Your courts I stand believing; turn to me Your glorious face!
LORD, our sun, our shield, our glory, no good thing will You deny
to those who proclaim Your story, and who on Your grace rely.
T. M. Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
For a good complementary study to this, check out Pray for Your Church. It’s free in The Ailbe Bookstore. And download our ReThinking Church Appraisal Tool by clicking here. And to refresh and deepen your time in God’s Word, order a copy of The Joy and Rejoicing of My Heart while you’re there.
Other columns of interest: This week: In our ReVision series on “The Church” we’re looking at the Church’s hope. Our Read Moore podcast is wrapping-up our book, The Kingdom Turn. The focus of our Scriptorium daily study is on “Matthew: The Coming of the Kingdom.” Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter
