Daily Reading for June 9 • Columba, Abbot of Iona, 597

Delightful it would be
From a rock pinnacle to trace
Continually
The Ocean’s face:
That I might watch the heaving waves
Of noble force
To God the Father chant their staves
Of the earth’s course.

That I might mark its level strand,
To me no lone distress,
That I might hark the seas-bird’s wondrous band—
Sweet source of happiness.
That I might hear the clamorous billows thunder
On the rude beach.
That by my blessed church side might I ponder
Their mighty speech. . . .
That I might well observe of ebb and flood
All cycles therein;. . .
That I might bless the Lord who all things orders
For their good.

The countless hierarchies through heaven’s bright borders—
Land, strand and flood
That I might search all books and from their chart
Find my soul’s calm.
Now kneel before the Heaven of my heart,
Now chant a psalm;
Now meditate upon the king of heaven,
Chief of the Holy Three;
Now ply my work by no compulsion driven
What greater joy could be?

Now plucking dulse from rocky shore,
Now fishing eager on,
Now furnishing food unto famished poor;
In heritage anon:
The guidance of the king of kings
Has been vouchsafed to me;
If I keep watch beneath His wings,
No evil shall undo me.

From “St. Columba on Iona,” quoted in A Celtic Primer: The Complete Celtic Worship Resource and Collection, edited and compiled by Brendan O’Malley. Copyright © 2002. Used by permission of Morehouse Publishing, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. www.morehousepublishing.com