On Columba’s feast day, 9th June, Jane Riley from Wild Goose Publications, reflects on why Columba still speaks to us today.
More than fourteen centuries after his death, Columba remains woven into the life and story of Iona, a legacy we celebrate each year on St Columba’s Day, 9 June.
When Columba arrived on the island in AD 563, he could hardly have imagined the influence his small monastic community would have on generations to come. Yet his legacy continues to shape not only the spiritual life of Iona, but also the values and vision of the Iona Community today. Founded on the belief that faith must be lived out through hospitality, justice, care for creation and life together, the contemporary Iona Community deeply echoes the themes of Columba’s own life and witness.
Columba was many things: scholar, poet, pilgrim, missionary, leader and saint. He was also deeply human. The stories told about him speak of courage and conflict, hospitality and exile, prayer and friendship. They reveal someone who understood both the beauty and the challenges of community life, and whose faith was rooted in the conviction that God could be encountered in the ordinary rhythms of daily living.
Perhaps that is why Columba still speaks to us. In a fast-moving world, his story invites us to slow down, pay attention and rediscover the sacred in creation, in one another and in ourselves. His was a vision in which prayer and action belonged together and where care for neighbour and care for the earth were inseparable. At Wild Goose Publications, we are privileged to publish works that help keep that legacy alive for new generations of readers.
Readers seeking an accessible introduction to the man himself may enjoy Columba, which explores both the historical figure and the enduring influence of his life and witness.
Columba’s Travels offers stories for young people that take us on a journey through the places associated with his story, combining history, pilgrimage and adventure.
For families and younger readers The Monk and the Mermaid is a beautifully illustrated tale from Kenneth Steven inspired by the rich storytelling traditions of Celtic Christianity.
And for those drawn to poetry, The Oratory of Light, James Harpur’s delicate lyric poems inspired by stories of St Columba and the island of Iona are redolent of an age of wonder in which the natural world and the elements were perceived to be in harmony with the divine.
Each of these books approaches Columba from a different angle, yet all point towards the same enduring truth: his story is not simply part of the past. It continues to inspire people today.
As we mark St Columba’s Day, we invite you to explore these books, revisit familiar stories, or perhaps encounter Columba for the first time.
USA North East