The Cabin: Canada

I am in Canada. The Cabin lies at the end of a path, beyond the pond, beside a wood. No electricity diminishes what it has to offer. Frogs provide the music.  I read Kahlil Gibran's  masterpiece The Prophet and think of my house and garden chalet at home. I tweet  'In our houses give us remembrances, simple beauty, tokens of love and pointers to what lies beyond.'   I swim in the pond, but the Cabin is but a brushing acquaintance for me.

My food and sleep and company are at Farne Retreat, Elmwood, Ontario.  Barb is a soul friend with the Community of Aidan and Hilda. To this farmland retreat come seekers wearied by city strains or thirsty for Celtic streams. The first day I meet Karen. Another day Norm comes.

He tells how  testosterone-driven Type A Alpha males find Christ. Through spiritual friendship they eventually find themselves. As they drink from pure, deep streams within they cease to posture and shout.  Norm is writing about this spiritual friendship through his Touchstone Ministries.

Another day. Rick arrives. He has a rare spiritual gift. He has spent 25 years - with intervals - studying Irenaeus, who is a key link between the apostle John and the east, and the church of the Celts in the west. We discuss the disintegration of the church as it has been organised for 1500 years, the mushrooming of believers who do not see Christ within it, and of D.I.Y people of the Spirit who know nothing of communion. Ireneus knew that the charisms of prophets and healers and the charisms of pastors and oversees were like the two arms of God.  Where these remain as one, there is the Body of Christ. They have become separated.  So we pray for bishops who discern the Spirit in each person, whether they are within his formal structure or are on  the edges.  We pray for apostles, new monastics, pioneers who humbly seek that which is of the Spirit in the keepers of unity, who keep them informed.

Christ did not only leave a message. He desires to be embodied in our world.  Let us learn from Ireneus to become truly human, an earth community, one with the Cosmic Christ.

A new day dawns. May God's dew fall.  Shortly Dana arrives. It surely will be so.