Thin Places, Thin Spaces

Celtic pilgrimages visit many thin places - holy sites and holy moments that find us so close to heaven, a threshold from the physical to the spiritual, a closeness to the divine, to the presence of the Holy Spirit.

In the Cursillo tradition we call these “moments closest to God”.

On our Celtic pilgrimage to Wales, Isle of Man, and Iona, thin places abound.

For me, the profound holy moment came during the Holy Eucharist service at the Bishop’s House on Iona. We entered early in silence, the altar prepared, enjoying a lovely quiet time of prayer.

I sat at the back of the chapel because I had been suffering from horrible congestion and feared the coughs may return.

Slowly the chapel began to fill up with mostly Asian faces. The couple next to me welcomed me and expressed empathy for my illness.

The Asian priest entered and welcomed us all, noting his Singapore congregation there on Iona for pilgrimage.

What moved me so was the manifestation of God’s church around the world. We read scriptures from Acts, the Psalms, and John. We followed our familiar liturgy. We sang Amazing Grace and Be Thou My Vision. We were one with Christ.

It struck me that this ancient tradition with faithful witnesses like 5th and 6th century Columba, Maughold, and David paved the way for the worship we experienced at that moment.

Boy what a thin space. What a holy moment so very close to God. What an expression of the Holy Spirit throughout the ages.

God is real y’all. I pray you find your thin spaces, your thin places, your holy moments close to God.

Blessings from the Holy Island of Iona,

Judy Q +