Meáchan na n-uiscí whelm an domhain (Weight of waters whelm the earth)

The divine gift of life is a bittersweet one. Although it has lovingly been granted by the Lord to an arbitrary person, that life, due to the perverted and wicked spiritual state of the world, is quite a race to endure. Even though the maelstroms have plagued the brothers and me, it is with spiritual confidence I can declare that the ‘light at the end of the tunnel,’ so that saying goes, can be seen. Trusting in the Lord with wholehearted faith is not only vital for the pious Christian, but also is necessary to survive this life, which is rampant with lusts and temptations. As Bréanninn has said, we are not to doubt the real presence of that serpent of old, for thus it is written: “And the Lord said to Satan, ‘From where do you come?’ So Satan answered the Lord and said, ‘From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it’” (Job 1.6-7). However, the truth that lies behind the idea of looking to Christ to overwhelm the agents of Satan cannot be denied: “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe - and tremble!” (James 2.19). With the gift of life, one is faced with two choices: Either one can choose to submit oneself wholeheartedly to the omnipotence of the Lord or one can succumb to the wiles of Lucifer, that serpent of old. It is my prayer and hope that not only would all people would choose the former option, but also that this aquatic voyage would help affirm my intent to choose that former option.

[Source: http://bertan.gipuzkoakultura.net/23/argazkiak/g/022.jpg]

The voyage is producing spiritual fruit, despite that our frugal approach to managing what rations of fruits and water we have is being undermined by the long stretch of time on the sea without having spotted a shoreline. My yearning to serve the Lord Christ Jesus has merely grown more profound since the brothers and I set from the shore of our home in County Galway, particularly in the past week. The necessary perseverance to endure dwindling staples would be an apt method by which to describe my true and most pertinent situation. As the weeks have passed by without a graduate assistantship, let alone any sort of job, through which not only to sustain myself but also to fund my education, I have been tempted to give up my hope in the loyal provision of Christ. However, thanks to the support of His holy church, pertinently through the church which I attend each Sunday morning, along with reassuring words from my pastor, I wholeheartedly comprehend that I shall survive “and my God shall supply all [my] need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4.19). Spiritual doors have cracked ajar recently, thanks to my trust in He who is unfathomably wealthy.

The Lord has not brought me on this mission viz. to Providence without properly equipping me for what tasks He would have me undertake. In more general terms, the Lord shall honour those who strive to honour Him by actively longing for the perfection of the Father. When Samuel was about to be raised into the priesthood by the Levite Eli, the priest was told, “‘for those who honour Me I will honour, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed’” (I Samuel 2.30). Under the terms of spiritual surrender to an unconditionally-loving God, it is vital to heed the words of His apostle Peter: “[Cast] all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (I Peter 5.7). It is by His unfathomable caring for the transpirations in my life that I am able to be assured that He shall grant me what tools I shall need to ensure, including perseverance.

I must stop here for the moment, for one of the brothers has spotted something of significance in the horizon. Although he believes that speck to be land, I cannot confirm such a speculative remark for myself. However, we have been drifting by the winds of the Lord for quite a number of weeks now. I choose to trust that He shall being us to land, whenever that may truly be, in His timing. He understands the needs of the band, and He shall replenish our staples according to His purpose. Perhaps He shall have us undertake a fast for a certain number of days. Maybe that speck is truly land. Even though I honestly hope the latter is true, I choose to be content with the will of God. With patience shall we soon see what that distant smote is, that grain appearing amidst the flows and ebbs of the vast ocean of trials....

Maker of earth and sky, from age to age

Who rul'st the world by reason; at whose word

Time issues from Eternity's abyss:

To all that moves the source of movement, fixed

Thyself and moveless. Thee no cause impelled

Extrinsic this proportioned frame to shape

From shapeless matter; but, deep-set within

Thy inmost being, the form of perfect good,

From envy free; and Thou didst mould the whole

To that supernal pattern. Beauteous

The world in Thee thus imaged, being Thyself

Most beautiful. So Thou the work didst fashion

In that fair likeness, bidding it put on

Perfection through the exquisite perfectness

Of every part's contrivance. Thou dost bind

The elements in balanced harmony,

So that the hot and cold, the moist and dry,

Contend not; nor the pure fire leaping up

Escape, or weight of waters whelm the earth.

- Boethius, 'Invocation' 1-19.*

[Source: http://50essentialexperiences.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/OceanThumb.jpg]

*[Source: http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/B/Boethius/Invocation.htm]

Ar an drear seoltóireachta dorcha Aigéan (On the dark Ocean sailing drear)

On the subject of the incomprehensibly great act of creation that our Lord so undertook many millennia ago, I do have at least one inquiry to make that has likely rested on the hearts of many other curious souls. Did the Lord God have a specific purpose in mind by primarily colouring a given vast ocean-scape with various shades of blue? Forgive the brashness of the pen of this poor, wretched, and undeserving servant of the Lord. However, the Lord did lovingly create this world not only to be well-populated by that race which initially encompassed both His image and likeness but also to serve as an avenue by which that intelligent race may offer Him well-deserved psalms, hymns, and odes. Besides, it is written that Christ said to “ask, and it will be given to [one]; seek, and [one] will find; knock, and it will be given to [one]” (Matthew 7.7). In this case, I ask about the similarity in hue between the open ocean and the clear sky. Given my situation, that is being in the ocean for about a week (since the brothers and I left that blessed isle), it is not surprising that I ponder such things. No matter what His answer to my inquiry is, I can certainly praise Him for crafting such a beautiful world, pertinently the ocean-scapes that cover a majority of it.

[Source: Darcy Ireland]

As I previously indicated, Bréanninn, the other brothers, and I left that blessed and green isle approximately a week ago. The abbot of the monastic community there oversaw a humble, yet tasteful meal, which his brothers helped prepare. After the blessed occasion, the brothers saw us off with provisions, including fresh water, loaves of brown soda bread, and several varieties of fruit, and a prayer of prosperity. Relating the author’s own life, my family and I had a blessed and wonderful time together. I am thankful for what provisions they gave me, including furnishings for my frugal and lightly furnished dwelling-place. Although I shall see them at the end of the semester, I am grateful still for the ten days’ time we spent in one another’s company.

[Source: https://plus6.safe-order.net/magellannarfe//Iceland/charrier_raiders.jpg]

An increasing number of maelstroms have plagued our wee leather vessel these past few days, which surprises neither Bréanninn nor myself. Being Christians, we know what great lengths we must go through to “be perfect” as our Lord is (cf. Matthew 5.48). Given the unfathomable sacrifice Christ made to atone for the sins of mankind, I would argue that making temporal sacrifices of my own ought not to be seen as terrible. After all, the choice to carry one’s own cross for the sake of honouring our Lord is just that; one chooses to follow Him (cf. Luke 14.27). However, Scripture does provide the unfortunate, yet just, consequences to one who “‘...does not bear his cross and come after [Him]...’” that he “‘...cannot be [His] disciple’” (Luke 14.27). Christ charges all to follow Him through all maelstroms, that is through all trials, and be faithful until the end. Really, He does not ask much, for the average life span of a man is insignificantly small in the eyes of the Lord After all, to God, “...a thousand years in [His] sight are like yesterday when it is past, and like a watch in the night” (Psalms 90.4). Before one even considers doubting the awesome power of the Lord, was it not He who honoured the covenantal promise of Abraham by delivering his descendants from the oppressive grip of the Egyptians through marvels and wonders? Also, was it not Christ who fulfilled a multitude of prophesies by being a man and performing spectacular feats before all? I believe that He was, is, and always shall be omnipresent and omnipotent. With that stated, I trust that He shall grant us the necessary gifts to persevere through these physical and spiritual maelstroms.

This day, the one during which I am writing this entry, the water is surprisingly calm. Given the maelstroms that have attempted to wash me and my company out, that the ocean is calm seems eerily sublime. However, for such a temporary peace, I thank our Lord. After all, offering such thanksgiving, complimented with many odes and psalms, are what I, a petty and unworthy servant of the Lord, can give to He who “fearfully and wonderfully made” me (Psalms 139.14). Through trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ, I have the strength and confidence to face the waves, along with Bréanninn and my other brothers. The words of Joshua are on my heart and on my lips: “‘But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord’” (Joshua 24.15b). As for me, I can do nothing but refocus my attention on the Lord and the ensuing maelstroms that visibly loom on the horizon of this beautiful ocean-scape.

"I die but when the grave shall press

"The heart so long endeared to thee

"When earthly cares no more distress

"And earthly joys are nought to me

"Weep not, but think that I have past

"Before thee o'er a sea of gloom

"Have anchored safe and rest at last

"Where tears and mourning cannot come

"'Tis I should weep to leave thee here

"On the dark Ocean sailing drear

"With storms around and fears before

"And no kind light to point the shore

"But long or short though life may be

"'Tis nothing to eternity

"We part below to meet on high

"Where blissful ages never die

"For life is but a passing breeze

"Nothing that we gain can we enjoy

"Nor can we delight in its devulgant pleasures

"Above waiteth thy bliss of glory

"Above waiteth thy noble hearts peace

"Thy victory in the grave shall be proclaimed

"For thou art converted in splendour."

- Emily Brontë, 'Lines' (Dec. 1837).

[Source: http://www.blogstaugustinelighthouse.org/blog/storm.jpg]

An Oileán na Sléibhte Glas (The Isle of the Green Mountains)

Those people among my audience who are familiar with my musings, writings, and patterns have rightfully expected my latest - and my most wretched - timed entry to have been completed this past Lord’s Day, that is Sunday. An apology is in order for those people who would benefit from it, for I have neglected my self-imposed obligation to write an entry for this past Sunday. This green island, and the adventures which have occupied virtually all my free time, has distracted me from my writing. However, I have been working on this hypothetical entry for the past handful of days now. My recent distractions have deterred me from successfully completing my latest entry at the target date. Yet, I did indicate when I began my writings on my voyage with my brothers that certain scenarios would occur which would quite likely prevent me from completing a given target entry. Apparently, this visit to this island is one of those times. Please forgive this tired and wretched servant of the Lord for his failure to complete an expected entry for this past Lord’s Day. It is my hope that this latest timed entry would be an acceptable token not only of my undeterred love for my audience but also of my undying care for the continuation of this series of, well, nautical writings.

[Credit: http://floridairishheritagecenter.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/6f2f2a6550353efb1d78c22b7f621dd7.jpg?w=300]

Regarding my most recent escapades, I must say that I have never before seen such luscious green landscapes as those that cover this island. Slightly amusing, that admission is for me to utter. This island seemed familiar to me from afar. Having spent a week’s time scouting this beautiful island with Bréanninn and the brothers, I can conclude that that plausibility is simultaneously a reality and a fantasy. Perhaps the time I have spent both in allowing myself to be further immersed in the presence of the Lord Christ Jesus and in being encompassed by the physical beauty of the island has tempted me to lose myself completely. Bah, but a mere monk - a humble servant of the Lord - ought not to think as such. After all, the vows I am bound by perpetually remind myself of what unnecessary, yet admirable, lengths I have chosen to undertake to serve He who lovingly created me.

[Windsor, VT. Credit: Darcy Ireland.]

As I have indicated, our divinely-orchestrated visit to this island has satisfied my heart and soul. Exploring this lively island has enchanted my spirit. Through enjoying the natural beauty that encompasses this island, the Lord has found an avenue by which to minister to me. Over the past handful of days, the brothers and I have seen such sights as maple trees, jays, and nestled barns. The serenity and warmth the island has provided to us certainly has edified my soul, if not any one of the other brothers. More realistically, my earthly family has spent the past week visiting my sorry self, this petty author. We have been been sightseeing on a vacation. Sights such as Colby College (Waterville, ME), Bowdoin College (Brunswick, ME), Dartmouth College (Hanover, NH), and Cape Cod (MA) have caught a majority of my total attention this past week. It has been a delight not only to enjoy the company that is my family, but also to use the gift of astute navigation the Lord granted me to show them about my favourite region of the United States of America that is New England. Playing tour guide and traveling about the great region with my family was a great chance for my pious Irish persona to see how much the Lord loves an earthly family he has created. But my character, through his still brief voyage with Bréanninn and the brothers, is beginning to realize for himself, with the Lord’s aid and strength, what true love is. After all, the Holy Scriptures has this to say regarding His love: “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love” (I John 4.8). Also, is the Christian not to “Honor [his] father and [his] mother, that [his] days may be long upon the land which the LORD [his] God...” grants to him? (Exodus 20.12). Finally, it is written that a Christian loves “because He first loved us” (I John 4.19). As surely as I was reminded of the great spiritual warmth the Holy Spirit provided to me and continued to kindle due to the chaste love I expressed (and still do) to my family, my Irish monastic archetype is truly beginning to thrive in a spiritual love of his own for his fellow Christian brothers.

[Hanover, NH. Credit: Darcy Ireland.]

Although the sights of the green island have been nostalgically wonderful to me, one particular feature raises special attention in my mind. Coláiste Dartmouth, that is Dartmouth College, is a place I had once previously longed to visit, if not attend for a duration of time with the purpose of earning a certain degree of higher learning, such as a doctoral degree. Well, certain circumstances have played out in my life that have prevented me from fulfilling that bid (I refer not to earning such an advanced degree, but to attending Coláiste Dartmouth particularly). Perhaps the Lord means to tell me that the possibility of my attending that certain prestigious institution is not part of His will for my life. If so, then I choose to be content with my having seen the place with my own eyes and nothing more. It seems that it is not meant to be, that is my enrolling as a postgraduate student at this school. To me, Coláiste Dartmouth represents an unattainable fantasy that will likely not be realized and is likely not of the Lord’s Will, as I have already indicated and supposed. Still, to have the chance to be familiar with such a sight as Dartmouth leaves the author content.

Of all the islands the brothers and I could possibly have landed upon, I am particularly thankful that we are here, on An Oileán na Sléibhte Glas. The Lord certainly willed us to be here, that we may be a spiritually-edifying type of blessing to the monastic community here, and vice versa. The abbot of the community has been quite hospitable and caring to me and my merry band of soldiers (as Bréanninn likes to refer to the lot). Our brother Bréanninn did convince us to believe that this nautical voyage is ordained by the Lord as one that is righteous and good. This week has been beneficial not only for me but also for Bréanninn. This visit has been a great opportunity to live out the word of the Lord through the apostle Paul: “[Pray] always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints” (Ephesians 6.18).

[Wellfleet, MA. Credit: Darcy Ireland.]

Bréanninn and the abbot both seem to agree that the Lord would desire to see the former, the brothers and myself set sail for whatever he may have for us on the seas by the end of the day that is third from today. From what Bréanninn has told me, the Lord foreknows the outcomes of many more maelstroms and waves of trials the brothers and I have yet to encounter. Already from this time on this lush, prosperous island, I have envisioned and asked the Lord about the upcoming tribulations I must face. I am not afraid to face such trials, for I know that the Lord was, is, and always shall be with me. He cares for nothing less than the best for me. After all, it is written that as a Christian, I must “[cast] all your care upon Him, for He cares for [me]” (I Peter 5.7). Additionally, I need to “trust in the LORD with all [my] heart, and lean not on [my] own understanding” (Proverbs 3.5). He and I both know that by honestly confiding in Him, I shall not falter, but will spiritually thrive. My prayer is that the song that would fall from the lips of everyone is that which I hope to sing even should I fail in my bid to make it through all these maelstroms fully intact (cf. I Chronicles 29.11):

“Yours, O LORD, is the greatness,
“The power and the glory,
“The victory and the majesty;
“For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours;
“Yours is the kingdom, O LORD,
“And You are exalted as head over all.”

For now, I must rest. The maelstroms, those trials that flow and ebb in waves, loom ahead.....

Maelstroms trialacha (Maelstroms of trials)

It has been a week’s time since we cast off from the beloved shores of County Galway, from our home. Even so, I am tempted to think that it has been a year’s time, if not that of a fortnight and a half. Such realistic entertainment of a false truth is one example of what damage a nautical voyage can induce to one’s spirit, provided one allow such erosion. In all fairness, these bland thoughts are in mere infancy. After all, the sheer excitement of sailing the open ocean had enchanted me this past week. As I noted to my Christian brother Bréanninn a few days after we had cast off from our native Eire, I am grateful and thankful before our Lord to be a part of such a voyage. To that, Bréanninn concurred, but with a word of caution. This voyage will try your soul, he warned. It is like life: As a wave is a potential hindrance to the progress of a ship, so a given trial in life is a plausible stoppage to one’s advancement towards entrance into the eternal paradise that is heaven. In my prayer to the Lord, I pondered these words of caution. Indeed, I heed my brother Bréanninn’s words like as if they were from the Lord Himself. As I’m sure Bréanninn would have told me had he spoken further, it is with the Lord’s help that any wave can be overcome. After all, Christ once said, “‘If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea, and it would obey you’” (Luke 17.6). Through the Scriptures, I also understand the consequences that would ensue should I ask for the Lord’s help without faith: “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind” (James 1.6). It is all too fitting that the very waves that this leather boat has been cutting through this past week have failed to stop our holy voyage. They are aimlessly tossed about by the wind. Without my faith in the Lord, I would be as one of those waves.

[Credit: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4012/4354455719_aabe072193_b.jpg]

One sea wave differs from another in size and intensity. Similarly, one tribulation differs from another one. Although all trials require the Lord’s aid, some waves, or tests, can be lightly tackled and overcome. Recently, I was tasked to write my first critical essay as a postgraduate theology student. Initially, handling this assignment didn’t seem easy, for a number of months had passed since I had completed my last academic essay. Complimenting this excuse was a shred of anxiety at the knowledge that this essay would be my first as a postgraduate student. Excitement and nervousness attempted to cloud my thoughts. That the construction of an academic essay is like riding a bicycle would be a fair simile to use to describe the outcome of this situation. Once I sat down to begin the necessary research to structure and write this paper, the anxiety departed from my being (with His aid). The result - a seven-page analysis on Genesis 18-19 - put to rest any doubts that clouded my thoughts. To me, the process of writing such an essay is like an ‘easy’ wave, or a light trial, that must be overcome. Compared to other tests, this one proved not to be as heavily taxing on my soul as I had initially surmised. Despite that conclusion, the trial still required me to trust in the Lord. As the apostle Paul once wrote, “‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’” (Philippians 4.13).

In contrast to the light 'wave' of writing an essay, the Lord also expects me to overcome more significant ones. The larger waves are typically found during thunderstorms or hurricanes in the open ocean. It is how one approaches these sort of waves that one experiences the greatest spiritual growth - or decrease. The Lord particularly enjoys helping one through the more powerful waves, for His desire is to see all men love Him dearly. Even though He realizes that a man cannot undeniably be “‘perfect, just as [He who] in heaven is perfect’” (Matthew 5.48), He also knows that a believer ought not to err simply because the state of perfection by a carnal man (sans Christ Jesus) is impossible to attain. After all, Christ Jesus did utter this: ‘“If [one] loves Me, keep My commandments’” (John 14.15). These commandments are rooted in true love: “This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it” (II John 1.6). The test of overcoming my diagnosis of autism with the Lord’s help is arguably the greatest wave I have had to pass through. The Lord has taught me that not even the most gifted medical doctors, whose profession and experience gives them license to prognosticate the outcomes of patients, can correctly forecast the ‘logical’ effect of a given medical cause. One such doctor, who was employed by the medical center of a prominent university, predicted that I would be so mentally low-functioning that I would likely be confined to a sort of resting-home for the rest of my life based on that medical diagnosis. Instead of being angry at that doctor, I choose to forgive him for incorrectly forecasting my fate. He is only a man; I let the lady Fortune place me as she wills, for she is limited by the mighty hand of the Lord. From such a bleak prediction, here I stand. I am not entirely sure whether this particularly rough wave was just that or if it was really a series of several rough waves that became due to a maelstrom. My uncertainty notwithstanding, I still need the Lord to help me, “That the genuineness of [my] faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (I Peter 1.7).

My friends, there is at least one more aspect to this metaphorical interpretation of my walk with the Lord that is crucial. The waves of the unpredictable ocean of life are chaotic, with no apparent pattern, as perceived by man. Now, a set of tools is available to combat any given intensity of wave, or of trial, no matter the positioning of one’s ship in the waters. To add to the metaphor, a navigator’s reliance on the alignment of the stars in the sky, and trust in that alignment, is a Christian’s reliance on the Lord in the spiritual realm, and trusting His existence. As a navigator must look to both the positioning of the stars and to his maps, so a Christian must look to both the Lord and to the Scriptures. Although the Lord Christ once said, “‘...do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on’” (Luke 12.22b), it is also wise to do what one must do in a given day to be as prepared for whatever the Lord has for the next day as one can possibly be. With these notes, one of the Lord shall be ready to allow Him to be the “...shield and the One in whom [one may] take refuge” (Psalms 144.2) against whatever waves one may have to subdue. In the end, the Lord blesses those who tackle a given wave in His name with the assurance of the maps, or Scriptures, and the affirmation of the positioning of the stars, or His eternal presence.

The Lord initially created man to lovingly worship Him. With that in mind, He understands that even though the world has fallen into the clutches of corruption and iniquity, the occasional event that somewhat mirrors heavenly paradise can be known by man. Knowing that the Lord created man to be happy, He allows such occasional times, so long as they are in line with His master plan. One could compare these moments in life to calm stretches of seawater. Such a type of time is one in which “...the wind [drops] and the sea [coagulates], as it were - it [is] so smooth” (Anon., Voyage xiv.). Without a wave to be seen for many knots ahead, one savours such a time that evokes feelings of serenity and security. As for me, I celebrate such times by doing as I ought: To lift up words of thanksgiving to the Lord God, who knows the afflictions of all mankind and honours those who long after His own righteous heart. It was in a similar calm that the patriarch Noah sent from his ark the dove that would find the “freshly plucked olive leaf” by which Noah “knew that the waters had receded from the earth” (Genesis 8.10-11). By that olive branch, Noah knew that the Lord was confirming to him that his faith in Him through the myriad of waves - physical and spiritual ones - had its reward, that is life...

[Credit: Darcy Ireland]

Ah, my friends! Although I would like to expand on this subject, I need to cease. My brother St. Bréanainn calls for my attention now. I thought I heard him thank the Lord for something a mere few seconds ago. Oh, he has spotted a shoreline! It’s still several knots afar - it may take a couple days to reach - but provided it be the Lord’s will, this leather boat shall soon strike land. It is strange, though. This particular shoreline reminds me of a pleasant time in my past....