Coracle

A coracle is a small hollowed out boat typically found in Wales, southeast England, and Ireland. The coracle was used by ancient celtic pilgrims to begin a "peregrinatio". This compelling image of ancient people of faith climbing into small boats full well accepting the winds would decide their destination. These pilgrims set out on a journey where the destination was not geographical but spiritual. The ancient celtic pilgrim went where the winds directed them but their spiritual quest was to discover their "true resurrected selves", that is to discover what new life God might have for them.

This was the image Esther DeWaal put forth to our pilgrims today. The image of peregrini climbing into coracles and letting the spirit take us to where we might find new life in God.

We began this morning with our morning prayers. Esther joined us for breakfast and spoke to us about the Celtic understanding of pilgrimage. She reminded us of the spiritual disciplines of St. Benedict and suggested that he too leaned somewhat into a Celtic spirit as peregrinatio in that he as a young man left his university studies so that he might discover wisdom. In a pursuit the. Of silence, reflection, and wandering he "held himself before the grace of God".  We too began a journey then with Esther DeWaal as our guide. We visited with Esther three holy places and spaces nestled in the rural rolling hills of Hereforshire. First Dore Abbey, a 12th century Cistercian Abbey, now mostly ruins, but the nave still standing and home to St.Mary's Parish church. Then to St. Peter's church Kilpeck, also dating to the 12th century and remarkable for its dramatic and beautiful carvings and Korbels.

Remarkable for these two visits to be engaged in a holy dialogue with generations of faithful prayers and acts of faith. To stir in one's imagination the courage of Cistercian monks journeying to the valley in this remote place and to grow and prosper in spirit and in material. Esther reminded us that the Cistercians were rooted in a faith that connected to real life always. Working the land that surrounded the Abbey, being faithful in their ordered prayers, and asking the question of any who would be among them, "what is the material that you work with"?  For the Cistercians faith was connected to life in a real way. If you farmed, you brought life, if you were a carpenter you created, if you were a stone mason, you builder of foundation and all of what "materials" you brought were ways to grow closer to God.

St. Peter's Kilpeck brought us into discovery of telling story through carvings. One cant help but imagine what the stone carver was like? What he was thinking, praying, feeling, impassioned by as you gaze on the ancient carvings in this small church edifice. It is here at St. Peter's where a well of water sits under the altar area, beneath the ground but flowing out into an underground stream and flowing toward the river. Three ancient carved faces carefully carved into the ceiling with three crafted ribs flowing down the sides of the ceiling. The warden of the church who appeared wonders, " are they perhaps not the three rivers of Eden flowing perfectly from a heavenly perch"?  Esther asking us about the rivers of life giving water in our lives? How we would recognize them, name them,  how we remain in their life-giving flow.

The end of our afternoon was spent at Esther deWaal's cottage. How amazingly generous of her to open her home to us, provide us with afternoon tea, and embrace us with the beauty of her home and surroundings. I was reminded of the wellspring of Gods goodness that overflows in the presence of this brilliant, peace minded, generous spiritual companion. Pilgrims explored the natural beauty and wonderful windflowers found on Esther's property and we journeyed to the waterfall that flows,on a power path near the cottage. The sound of flowing water and a burst of sun sang out like a holy canticle and one pilgrim danced in a meadow of sun drenched grace.

We finished our evening back at Belmont Abbey joining the Benedictine brothers in their pattern of prayers at vespers. Again at days end their chants lifted our prayers.

Tomorrow we enter our Coracles and drift to Hereford Cathedral then to Tintern Abbey. We pray that God might draw us closer.