Historical Setting: The Great Skellig in an unknown time
I’m gardening with the sister. Here she sets the weed sprouts aside for the birds, lecturing me on the human numbness to the gracious gifts of Creation. And she takes from the garden only the leaves of the chard, letting the root stay in the soil. It’s been my tradition to pull and use the beets to redden the pot.
I ask, “Do you not find the beets would be good to keep for your winter stores?”
We don’t store up for days that may never come. We are gifted each day according to our need.”
“Of course.” I recite the prayer words she’s considering, “Give us this day, our daily bread, or Swiss chard, or beets, or whatever this day may bring without worry for the next.” I can agree with her frugality; it just isn’t of the world I’ve ever known.
She says, “It is the wisdom of Saint Brendan that is left in the place, to grow and grow again. When we have need of the roots, I will come for them, but here, from that root the leaves will grow back soon enough and they will keep on giving back to us for the whole season.”
“So, tell me more of this Saint Brendan.”
“It is said that he was an abbot with monks and they prepared hides, oiled to endure the sea water. Then they framed a little currach with high sides for sea tides and covered the oaken boat frame with well-oiled skins. Then they set out to release themselves onto the sea, following only the will of God. If God sent them to the little Skellig and there was no place to go ashore, they circled it three times, ‘father, son and holy ghost,’ and then by the will of God they laid eyes on the Great Skellig, which is this place.” [Footnote]
I ask, “So, they landed on this rugged rock, by the grace of God?”
She nods and smiles.
She says, “Saints don’t beg for ease. Here the saint could hear God speaking to him in the voices of the birds.”
“So, if a saint is gifted with listening to creatures, then surely Brother Timothy is a saint.”
She stifles her laugh — being the good sister she is.
She says, “Whatever that hound tells him isn’t for me to question. My task in life is only to tell him what people say.”
[Footnote] Caxton, William, Modern Spelling Version The Voyage of Saint Bredan (Published by Langley Press, Copyrght 2016, Simon Webb, noted as the author.)
(Continues tomorrow)
Lazarus Ink 