Celtic Praise
If you know anything at all about Celtic spirituality you already know that there is much there that I find appealing. In my office at home I have a Celtic cross hanging next to my computer. For those who may not know, a Celtic cross is a circle imposed on a cross. The symbolism is clear—the circle represents the world and the cross the redemption of it made possible by Jesus Christ.
Central to Celtic spirituality is the interconnection of redemption and creation. As Esther De Waal points out in her book Every Earthly Blessing, “Celtic spirituality is deeply incarnational. It is through his world, in its totality, however mundane and down to earth, that God reveals himself. So the Celtic way of seeing the world is infused with the sense of the all-pervading presence of God. This is God’s world, a world to be claimed, affirmed and honored.”
The close connection between God and nature is evident in many of the ancient Celtic prayers. Below is one example found in the Carmina Gadelica:
There’s no plant in the ground
But is full of His blessing.
There’s no thing in the sea
But is full of His life.
There is nought in the sky
But proclaims His goodness.
Jesu! O Jesu! It’s good to praise thee!
The ancient Celts have much to teach us about “seeing Creation” and worshipping God. If you would like learn more about Celtic spirituality let me know and I’ll be glad to recommend some excellent resources for you.
–Chuck Summers
*The picture above was one I recently took of Bad Branch Falls in southeastern Kentucky.