The High Cross of Clonmacnoise https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clonmacnoise
This High Cross is an ancient monument to faith at a monastery situated in County Offaly, Ireland on the River Shannon south of Athlone. The monastery was founded in 544 by St. Ciarán, a young man from Rathcroghan, County Roscommon. The cross was made between 800 and 900 AD, roughly. There are a number of High Crosses at this site, and I’m not entirely sure which one this is. But it’s probably the Cross of the Scriptures.
Why am I writing about it? Good question. It’s a beautiful example of early faith art, wonderfully representative of the touchstones of the faith, with panels depicting the crucifixion of Christ, Christ in the tomb, and the last judgement. It’s without a doubt, a cultural treasure.
But that’s not why. I’m writing about it because it’s stood the test of time. We still have this original piece of art (a replica stands at the actual site) that records a moment in time, an era, really.
I’m a little like it. My early years were characterized by a stubborn, independent streak, not to mention a strong anti-supernaturalist streak. I believed in what I could touch, taste, smell, measure, analyze.
L’essentiel est invisible pour les yeux.
That which is essential is invisible to the eye.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery, The Little Prince
This led to a strong bias against religion, or faith of any kind. As Bill Murray’s character in Ghostbusters said, “Back Off Man I’m A Scientist.”
It got better. The story of my faith journey is long and might be told elsewhere, someday. Suffice to say here that the jaundiced and limited view of the universe I held has been updated, expanded to allow for a new viewpoint, namely that there’s more to existence that what we can analyze by scientific means. My faith is at this late date something about me that has remained part of me for a long, long time. It’s stood the test of time, and other tests as well.
I’ll write more about this later. For now, your understanding of me as a man of faith should include:
- There are some pretty rabid folks out there, that seem to use their faith as a club (as in a blunt implement) and an extension of their politics. I (mostly) do not, and strive to keep that under control, and prune it out when I find it in myself.
- There are folks out there that seem to use their faith as a club (as in a group with membership) and consequently a method to sort the “us” from the “them.” This allows them to devalue “them” and justify certain attitudes and actions. Again, I try not to be like that. Operative word: “Try.”
- My faith is important to me. I don’t expect it to be important to each and every person I interact with, but if you’re interested in me as a person, then it’s fair that you accept that I am a person of faith, though I don’t demand that you accept my faith itself. I would hope that you would seek to discover what it’s about, and see if it’s helpful to you, but of course, that’s up to you.
Thanks for reading.