Eternal Flame of Hope

Have you ever been on a pilgrimage to a sacred place that lingers in your heart for years? Saint Brigid’s Well in Kildare, Ireland, is one of those exceptional places for me.

At the entrance of the garden, a statue of Saint Brigid holding an eternal flame of hope greets pilgrims. The day that Spiritual Directors International pilgrims journeyed to the well, the sky was Ireland-overcast, but not brooding. Bright orange and yellow leaves of autumn welcomed us as if Brigid had painted the colors of sunrise onto the silent trees. No wind. It was the perfect setting to contemplate, absorb, and be enlightened by the Celtic goddess and Christian saint, Brigid.

In a grassy field, five large boulders mark places to pray next to the well. One stone at a time, Regina Roman, our pilgrim guide, led us in contemplating five story prayers about Brigid’s life:

Brigid, a woman of the land;  

Brigid, the peacemaker;

Brigid, friend of the poor;  

Brigid, woman of the hearth;

Brigid, woman of contemplation.

By the time we reached the fifth boulder, I felt a warm sensation in my heart and an overwhelming sense of who Brigid was and continues to be for Ireland and increasingly for people around the world and across traditions. It was Brigid’s commitment to her contemplative life that made possible her servant leadership: bridging wealthy and poor, healthy and sick, new worlds and old. Of course—I thought—Brigid, woman of contemplation!

As a way of integrating our journey to the well, Brigid’s light was ritually offered by Regina to each pilgrim. I remember standing in a silent circle, basking in radiant light. Brigid is always with us, eternally offering hope and encouraging us to pass it on.   

Reflection:

Brigid’s feast day is celebrated at the beginning of February, in the middle of dark winter in the Northern Hemisphere. In Ireland, the whole month of February, known at Min a Feile Bride (Month of the Festival of Brigid) honors her spirit of hope and light, reminding us that spring will soon arrive. How might February be a time of receiving light and passing it on?