Historical Setting, 610 C.E. The cottage in the Vosges
Safe at home calls for the great exhale — the unwinding of the wandering and the dare — the hugs and soft kisses — the beverage — the toast — the prayers of thanks — the counting of each person safe. We are all here now, Gaillard and Greg stayed the night at the cottage are still here. Gabe and the Father are safe in Luxeuil. Our stories are spun then told and told again with more finesse at each telling how four of us and a helpful farmer released the prisoners, and brought the abbott safely home. No blood was shed and the violence in the form of spreading fearful rumors — the tales of the demons in the woods — were already un-truths just lying in wait to be believed.
But the bird that passed over my head as I was going home brought news. This morning the abbott announced he is leaving. A bird’s wing couldn’t bring the tome to explain the details, so Greg and I decided to ride back to Luxeuil this morning and learn more of this. Gaillard loaned me his horse, as he would like to avoid any chance of meeting anyone visiting there from Metz. He will be waiting for Greg here at the cottage.
It seems the Father fears the new king and his great grandmother and the bishops council are all plotting against him. Staying would endanger his whole community, so he will take those who are still surviving of the monks who originally came with him, and they will go back to the Celtic island. This leaves a deep sadness at Luxeuil. Gabe was not the only one of the younger monks whose offer to go along was turned down by the Father. He wants to know that Luxeuil continues to thrive. [footnote] Father Columbanus notably left his community in able hands, which was his pattern of good organization throughout his lifetime.
The great and famous Father shared with so many of us, both monks and followers, his tender and humble prayers for continuing. He prayed for faith, obedience to God, gratitude, and trust that the work of Luxeuil will continue. It was no great, verbose prayer, but many private and personal prayers with each of us. He took very little with him, but he did take several cages with birds to release so that his travels could be known back here.
[footnote] The departure of Columbanus from Luxeuil is documented in many sources, as he moved on to establish other communities in Europe, but the primary sources for the “Life of St. Columban” used here is “Translations and Reprints from The Original Sources Of European History – “Life Of St. Columban,” by Monk Jonas, edited by Dana Carlton Munro, A.M.
(Continues tomorrow)
Lazarus Ink 