Confirming Anam Cara

I still wear green for St. Patrick’s Day; it’s tradition! It initially started for me in elementary school where the rule was if you didn’t wear green you were leaving yourself open to pinching. St. Patrick’s has also been special because it’s our dad’s birthday and one family theory explains that our last name could have been Irish with the spelling perhaps changed on immigration. I still wear green on St. Patrick’s because of my affinity with the Celts. I appreciate their awareness of the mystery, the earth, and the encompassing arms of the Trinity. Tonight what started as a web search for Celtic prayers resolved into finding an essay: “Help, Facebook is a Better Christian Than I Am.”

On Facebook, free love reigns…. My friend Don pointed out to me recently that the language of relationship on Facebook is that of invitation and grace.

The beginning of my search and the ending were as far apart in ideas as the Grand Canyon. Celtic spirituality is often associated with ancient practices and beliefs while Facebook originated in the fall of 2003. The essay addressed some of the same questions I have with the way I view my Facebook account. I couldn’t get over how disconnected the two ideas were of my initial search and the final page. The essay meant enough to me that I shared the link with a friend, and then I remembered that the first link I visited on my Celtic search was anam cara, which means “soul friend.” This Celtic understanding of friendship does not set limitations of space or time on the soul. When you have an anam cara, your friendship will cut across all convention and categories. The Celts believed that forming an anam cara friendship would help you to awaken your awareness of your own nature and experience the joys of others. Facebook certainly cuts across generations, locality and ideas. I do love a good mystery!

My prayer for the congregation?

Great is the mystery of faith! Let us value friends both old and new. From each one we learn a little more about your great workings in the world and truths revealed in your aspirations for us. When two or more are gathered your love can be reflected exponentially. Let us remain open to new possibilities of relationships, of understanding, and of praising your name. Amen.

There is no plant in the ground
But is full of God’s virtue.
There is no form in the strand
But it is full of God’s blessing.
There is no life in the sea,
There is not creature in the river,
There is not in the firmament
But proclaims God’s goodness.
Alexander Carmichael, Carmina Gadelica, Lindisfarne Press 1992