saint of the week

St. Columba

 

We have two dogs Star and Lucy. Both are therapy dogs.  Lucy is a 1 year old Golden Retriever who never leaves my side and has already been on a mission trip. Star appears to be a lab collie mix.  My son, not wanting her to feel like a mutt and taking note of breeds like Golden Doodles, calls her a Labradollie. We are not sure how old Star is because we rescued her.  We think that she is around nine.  When we adopted Star she was nothing but bones and flinched any time my husband or I moved quickly.  Clearly this dog had been neglected and abused.  I thought to myself, when we brought her into our home 6 years ago: What is the worst thing tha t could happen?  We should at least give her a chance.  For Star the worst had already happened, now she had a new life.

The very next morning I was working at my computer and looked down to see my then 3 year old daughter giving Star a new hairdo.  I knew then and there, she was going to be a good dog.  It was trying at times.  We had to go to basic obedience training twice because I could not get her to eat (take rewards) from my hands.  We had to fence in the yard because she liked to run away. But slowly we have earned her trust.  As I write this she is snoring laying on the bed beside my also snoring, son.  Ahh.  Doggie Paradise.

 

Even through the extra pound or two of dog hair that I clean up everyday, Star has enriched the life of our family.  When my son who has trouble with peer relationships is lonely, who does he talk to?  Who does he play with?  Star.  When our Golden Retriever that we had before Lucy passed away, who mourned with us?  Star.  When my daughter needs to try out a new hairdo, who is there?  Star.  When we brought a tiny puppy home, who patiently tolerated the innumerable puppy antics?  Star.  Who runs to the bus every afternoon?  Star.  Who is the one of the very few dogs that I have ever seen smile?  Star. 

Truly, she has a lot to smile about.  She came from a life of certain death to being a welcome part of this family and a therapy dog at the Veteran's Hospital.

 

St. Columba was born in Ireland around 521.  He left his wealthy family to become a priest.  He loved to read the gospels.  Books however were hard to come by.  He asked a local nobleman if he could borrow his in order to copy it.  The man refused so Columba would sneak in at night and copy a little at a time.  One night his luck ran out and Columba was caught.  The man was furious and wanted the copy.  Columba refused so the two took it to the king.  The king ruled in favor of the nobleman.  Columba was so angry that he incited his clan to go to war against the clan of the noblemen.  In the ensuing war it is said that 2000 men were killed.  Columba was ridden with guilt.  For his penance he was told to leave Ireland forever and spend the rest of his life bringing souls to God to make up for those who were killed in the war.  So he got a boat and set sail.  He landed in a small island off the coast of Scotland.  There he build a monastery a nd spent his days praying, reading and bringing as many souls to Christ as he could.  He must have done a great job, because as you can see, he is a saint.

 

Like Star, Columba too arose from certain death.  Columba's however, was certain death of his soul.  Even though he was in his forties, he saw the error of his thinking and the results of his actions and repented.  He changed dramatically for the better. 

 

That is what being a Christian is all about.  Mother Theresa used to say that "every day we must conquer ourselves".  St. Theresa of Avila said that our spiritual growth is like working our way through various rooms of castle, getting closer and closer to Christ.

 

Change is not easy.  Sometimes lessons need to be repeated in order to be learned.  But if we can trust our Master, we may find paradise.

 

His feast day is June 7.

 

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"All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well". St. Julian of Norwich


Jamie Dillon