Jesus Life 90 - Jesus Army

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SOUL FRIENDS Trevor Saxby explores the depths of spiritual friendship mined by Christians in Celtic Britain FROM THE 5th to the 7th centuries, a powerful renewal took place in the churches of Britain. From their coastal bases in Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Cornwall, courageous evangelists known today as the Celtic Christian missionaries planted churches and communities around the British Isles. From the biographies of these pioneers we quickly see what importance they gave to deep relationships. Each brother or sister was to have an anamchara, or “soul friend”: a mixture of mentor, spiritual director and close friend. The abbess Brigid (died 525) said that “a person without an anamchara is like a body without a head” – lacking true sight and sense. A soul friend is a person who will allow me to tell the whole truth about myself, and to encourage me to seek healing and restoration. In 6th century Ireland, all the movers and shakers of Celtic Christianity had their “soul friends” and were, in turn, “soul friends” to others. They had a particular way of befriending that intentionally honoured and nurtured the life of the soul. It involved mutual encouragement, confession and telling the truth in love. Even a century apart, they had a common vision of reality. They also seem 14 Jesus Life to have shared intuitions and discernment, particularly regarding future leaders. One story goes that Brendan of Emly in Munster, where the patriarch Ailbe had presided for many years. Brendan burned with questions, but Ailbe’s was a silent order! The monastery schoolmaster (who was allowed to speak) had to rebuke Brendan and his companions for chatter. But Brendan persisted and Ailbe, recognising in the young man all the qualities of a future leader, broke his own rule and spoke, teaching him many things. What shines clearly from the written lives of the Celtic saints is the profound respect which they showed for each other’s wisdom and guidance – despite age or gender differences. They genuinely saw each brother or sister as a potential source of precious blessings from God. The biographies often convey this symbolically, through the gesture of giving gifts. Although they lived poor, special gifts conveyed profound respect and mutuality: a ring, a bell, a hand-made wooden box, or maybe a horse. A trail-blazer was Finnian (died 549), founder of the big monastery of Clonard. If Patrick had been the pioneer, Finnian was the spiritual father, who guided many of the early Celtic missionary leaders, like Columba of Iona and Ciaran of Clonmacnoise. He genuinely loved these sons and brothers. In his letters to Ciaran, he would call him “dear one” and “o little heart”, always adding a personal blessing. Continued overleaf s s www.jesus.org.uk
a person without a ‘soul friend’ is like a body without a head – lacking true sight and sense JL www.jesus.org.uk Jesus Life 15
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