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| Image by Tony Armstrong-Sly |
Ita
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A GREETING
O Lord my God, in you I take refuge.
(Psalm 7:1)
A READING
My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped. I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me, hear my words. Wondrously show your steadfast love, O saviour of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand. Guard me as the apple of the eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings
(Psalm 17:5-8)
MUSIC
A MEDITATIVE VERSE
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?
(Psalm 27:1)
A POEM PRAYER
We, unaccustomed to courage
exiles from delight
live coiled in shells of loneliness
until love leaves its high holy temple
and comes into our sight
to liberate us into life.
- from "Touched by an Angel" by Maya Angelou
VERSE FOR THE DAY
But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
so that those who love your name may exult in you.
(Psalm 5:11)
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| "Scorned of timber; beloved of the sky," by Emily Carr (1935) |
The story of Ita is both famiiar and unique in the tradition of Celtic women abbesses. Like Melangell, Ita knew from a young age that she wanted to be a nun. But unlike Melangell’s father, Ita’s father had a dream in which he was told he must let her go. Ita was scholarly and eventually founded a convent in Limerick where women could find an education they might never otherwise have.
Young Celtic women of the sixth century knew the stories of the Celtic goddesses by heart, but often had few options in their own day to day lives. Christianity changed that, by opening up new alternatives. A convent in these early days was a way to leave the home and preserve one’s own internal sense of identity and destiny. But it was not an easy life. The women who chose it did so with the commitment of disciples.
Ita's convent at Killeedy (Irish for 'church of Ita') also became an important sanctuary for those who had been enslaved, as both Patrick and Brigid were in their early days. Ita took in mostly women and gave them a place to take refuge until they could become officially freed, participating in the negotiations to free them. She was the first renowned woman confessor, and was sought after for confession far and wide.
The convent Ita founded in Limerick became a hub for the growing number of women and men who were seeking vocational life. One of those who joined her was Brendan of Clonfaert (see New Year’s Day), the maritime monk who eventually left her monastery for his seven year journey to find the paradise island. Ita and Brendan had what was known as an anam cara, a soul friendship. Soul friendships were a deeply embedded tradition in Celtic Christianity. These friends upheld each other’s spiritual wellbeing, mentoring each other and offering support and encouragement.
In Psalm 17, we hear the psalmist ask God to be held as “the apple” of God’s eye. The ancient saying is believed to refer to the reflection of oneself that can be seen in another's eye when standing very close. Being guarded or held as the apple of God's eye is a symbol of how closely we are held by God. It can be comforting to know that God holds all of us as the ‘apple’ of God’s eye, that God sees in us a reflection of God’s love for the world and holds us very close. At the same time, we can hold the close people in our lives with the same kind of love, but also be prepared like Ita and Brendan to let them go when they need to.
Who are the soul friends in your life whom you hold like the apple of your eye? How much are you also able to let them go, as they live the lives they need to live?
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| Image by Tony Armstrong-Sly |
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LC† Come Holy Darkness is a project of Lutherans Connect, supported by the Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada and the Centre for Spirituality and Media at Martin Luther University College. To receive the devotions by email, write to lutheransconnect@gmail.com. The devotional pages are written and curated by Deacon Sherry Coman, with support and input from Pastor Steve Hoffard, Catherine Evenden and Henriette Thompson. Join us on Facebook, and on Twitter. Lutherans Connect invites you to make a donation to the Ministry by going to this link on the website of the ELCIC Eastern Synod and selecting "Lutherans Connect Devotionals" under "Fund". Devotions are always freely offered, however your donations help to support extended offerings throughout the year.
Thank you and peace be with you!