Maybe I’m dumb not to have seen this link before in quite this way, but Ray Simpson’s “Waymarks for the Journey” entry for August 12th gave me an ‘aha’ moment. An extract:
“The Roman troops pushed [the Celts] to the western fringes [of Europe.] Celtic Christians believe God likes to take us to the edges of life. Jesus allowed himself to be pushed to the edges of society. That is why he could communicate to so many ordinary people. Often it is only when we are willing to go to edges that we truly meet others, for many who are on edges of loneliness, anger, despair or adventure recognize and reach out to another who is on an edge. This is how the truly precious things of life are passed on – at the edges. And at the edge we see horizons denied to those who stay in their comfort zones. We are called to mold the kingdoms of earth so that they reflect the kingdoms of heaven. The edge is in fact always the center of spiritual renewal.”
There are challenges here for us who try to live an ‘edge’ lifestyle while still tied to the secular world. It highlights the ongoing question for us: how do we live like we’re on Skellig Michael, and maintain homes, possessions, families, and act as ‘salt’ and ‘light’ to society, all at the same time. Are those like Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove right when they say it’s impossible without living physically in community?