Thought for the Day – 23 November – The memorial of St Columban (543-615)
God called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were less than nothing, now you are God’s own. Once you knew very little of God’s kindness, now your very lives have been changed by it….1 Peter 2:9-10
From St Columban’s letter to the French Bishops:
“We are all fellow members of one body,
whether Franks or Britons or Irish or whatever our race.
Thus, let all our races rejoice, in knowledge of the faith
and in recognising the Son of God …
In Him, let us love one another, praise one another, correct
one another, encourage one another, pray for one another.”(Letter 2, to the French bishops)
St Columban suffered for his outspokenness in the face of moral corruption and public depravity. He was exiled but his words were remembered years later and many of his warnings heeded. He preached the word of Christ fearlessly and was not afraid of the anger of kings. It is the kind of Christian courage we should have.
From his fourth letter:
“May no-one and nothing separate us from
the love of Christ, no trail, no difficulty, no persecution,
no hunger, no nakedness, no danger,
no death by sword, fire, cross or murder, nothing sad,
nothing sweet, nothing hard, nothing fair,
may none of the world’s vanities
separate us from Christ.”(Sermon 4,3)
