Historical Setting: 793 C.E. Lindisfarne
I arrive back at Lindisfarne to find Brother Ealdwin and several of the others still chipping images into sandstone to make markers for the graves of the monks who were slaughtered in the raid. They don’t allow my intrusion to stop their work. Even though the work they are doing is timeless there really is no hurry to make grave markers. The dead will be dead forever — maybe.
My message to them is that Bishop Higbald, along with an entourage of other prominent supporters of the monastery, will be crossing the land bridge at low tide the day after tomorrow. These could even include the king’s envoy.
The monks continue working in silence, barely flinching with the annoyance of my disruption. Is a visit from this local king’s representatives not regarded as important here? Or do they not need to prepare? Things in the priory are still in a brash state of dishevelment. And what food have we here for guests?
“Perhaps, while you are doing this important work of preparing the graves for all the world to understand this tragedy, I could be useful in making preparations for guests.”
“Let the king’s men fast with us.” One answers.
“In two days, those who fast would be fainting. We should have some food here. The peas left in that one bag are nearly gone.”
The daily chores yield milk and eggs. The cow grazes on fresh growing grasses and the chickens still find wild seeds and perhaps a leftover crust. But other food will be needed.
The garden is ready for harvest. I know because we removed vines of squash plants to make room for the new graves. We had to create a new area for these burials to set them apart from the old cemetery, due to that concern over the sinful novice who was buried here after he had taken part in the regicide then in his remorse committed suicide. In the opinion of the king’s men, Lindisfarne became corrupted in sin. It may have been a political error to bury his body here, but only God knows if it was actually a sin. As for me, friend of Jesus and perhaps the abbot, now deceased, and for Bishop Higbald as well, forgiveness and grace — unconditional love—are more holy than retribution and punishment. So, the gracious burial of a sinner may not be sin, rather an act of grace. Of course, grace isn’t the way of politics.
(Continues tomorrow)
Lazarus Ink 