Feast Day: November 23rd | Patron of Motorcyclists!
This week we turn to a saint that most of us haven’t gotten to know very well, St. Columbanus. Much of the account of his life I will draw from a monk that lived at one of the monasteries that he founded, and who lived only a few decades later, Br. Jonas. Just one note, realize that St. Columbanus was born in Ireland, in the 600s, and because the faith was so strong there, he took upon himself to (re)evangelize Western Europe. We often think that the faith spread linearly out from Jerusalem, to Rome, and then to the north and west from there, but Columbanus shows the reverse also happening. Something similar is always happening in the Church; lands that were once strong in the faith grow worldly and fall-away, but the lands that received the Gospel from them, with zeal and love, bring it back to their fathers in the faith. Enough of me, let us read what Br. Jonas tells of the early days of St. Columbanus [“The Life of St. Columban”, by the Monk Jonas, #9-11, (7th century)]:
After he had been many years in the cloister he longed to go into strange lands, in obedience to the command which the Lord gave Abraham: “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, into a land that I will shew thee.” Accordingly he confessed to the venerable father, Congall, the burning desire of his heart and the longing enkindled by the fire of the Lord, concerning which the Lord says: “I am come to send fire on the earth ; and what will I, if it be already kindled?”‘ [*King James Version translation of Luke 12:49, The Vulgate, which is quoted here, reads “quem volo ut ardeat”]. But he did not receive the answer which he wished, for it was hard for Congall to bear the loss of so great a comfort. At length, however, the latter began to conquer himself and to think that he ought not to consider his own need more than the necessities of others. Nor was it done without the will of the Almighty, who had educated His novice for future strifes, in order that He might win glorious triumphs from his victory and secure joyful victories from the phalanxes of slaughtered enemies.
The abbot accordingly called St. Columban and although sorrowful, he considered the good of others before his own good, and bestowed upon him the bond of peace, the strength of solace and companions who were known for their piety. Having collected a band of brethren, St. Columban asked the prayers of all, that he might be assisted in his coming journey, and that he might have their pious aid. So he started out in the twentieth [*or thirtieth, MSS differ] year of his life, and under the guidance of Christ went to the seashore with twelve companions. Here they waited to see if the mercy of the Almighty would allow their purpose to succeed, and learned that the spirit of the all-merciful Judge was with them. So they embarked, and began the dangerous journey across the channel and sailed quickly with a smooth sea and favorable wind to the coast of Brittany. Here they rested for a while to recover their strength and discussed their plans anxiously, until finally they decided to enter the land of Gaul. They wanted zealously and shrewdly to inquire into the disposition of the inhabitants in order to remain longer if they found they could sow the seeds of salvation; or in case they found the hearts of the people in darkness, go on to the nearest nations.
Accordingly, they left Brittany and proceeded into the Gallic lands. At that time, either because of the numerous enemies from without, or on account of the carelessness of the bishops, the Christian faith had almost departed from that country. The creed alone remained. But the saving grace of penance and the longing to root out the lusts of the flesh were to be found only in a few. Everywhere that he went the noble man preached the Gospel. And it pleased the people because his teaching was adorned by eloquence and enforced by examples of virtue.
So great was his humility and that of his followers, that just as the children of this world seek honor and authority, so they, on the contrary vied with one another in the practice of humility, mindful of that saying: “He that humbleth himself shall be exalted,” and of the text in Isaiah: “But to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.” Such piety and love dwelt in them all, that for them there was only one will and one renunciation. Modesty and moderation, meekness and mildness adorned them all in equal measure. The evils of sloth and dissension were banished. Pride and haughtiness were expiated by severe punishments. Scorn and envy were driven out by faithful diligence. So great was the might of their patience, love and mildness that no one could doubt that the God of mercy dwelt among them. If they found that one among them was in error, they strove in common, with equal right, to restrain the sinner by their reproaches. They had everything in common.
– Fr. Dominic Rankin will return to obedience again this week. For now, let it suffice to say that we find in Columbanus’ obedience to his superior – though so difficult at the time – in God’s providence was actually the necessary foundation for the other virtues that he would need to bring the Gospel to Gaul. You can’t have one virtue; they all come together! But also, that lesson learned in his own life, was exactly the lesson that he would teach the Gauls, building upon the foundation of obedience to the Christian creed, up to the joy of a real relationship with God in His Church. Isn’t it often the case that a hard-earned lesson that God has taught us comes back to be exactly what we’re called to give to another?!