Saint Brigid and Soul Care

Brigid’s feast day (and the festival of Imbolc) were last week. They began on January 31st which is the evening prior to the celebration on February 1st. Both celebrate the beginning of new life following the winter season of darkness. The days are getting longer and new life begins to spring forth. The snowdrop flower (pictured below) is one of the signs of spring and is closely associated with Brigid.

Christine Valters Paintner shared this story of Brigid in one of the lessons from a year-long course I am taking through the Abbey of the Arts. Abbey of the Arts

“On the way back to Kildare, Brigid and the Bishop stayed for a night in the house of the king of Teffia. It happened that a servant broke a most precious cup that belonged to the king, for which he was thrown into prison. When Brigid heard of this she asked that he be set free, but the king refused her. ‘Then give me the shards of the cup,’ requested Brigid. ‘Those you may have,’ said the king. When Brigid took them in her hands and breathed upon them they were restored as if they had never been broken. ‘Thus is the life of the soul,’ Brigid said. ‘Though it may be easily broken yet it may be restored.’ At this the king sent word to release his servant.” – Story found in Drinking from the Sacred Well by John Matthews

As I pondered this story this is what came to my heart:

Thus the life of the soul… Though it may be easily broken yet it may be restored.

We woke up on this first morning of our intentional time of Sabbath rest feeling a lightness of heart. No agendas, no appointments or places to be, no bulletin preparation or church meetings… just a simple agenda to be with each other and breathe in peace and breathe out love.

We knew that we were exhausted but the full effect didn’t hit until after I turned in my keys to the church. It hit after the last goodbye after church. It hit once we started driving to Florence, Alabama where we would spend two nights before heading to Minnesota. It hit while we played Farkle and enjoyed a glass of wine and hummus and veggies at the hotel.

Yes, dear Brigid, Thus is the life of our soul. Though it may easily be broken, yet it may be restored.