A walk across an island

Yesterday was one of those rare sunny all day long days on Iona, and my friend and I took a walk across the island. The small paved road turns into a gravel road which turns into a path which ends at the sea. The shore is covered in extraordinary rocks, all colours, large and small, all worn smooth by water and wind. Like baptism and the Holy Spirit.

It is a custom on Iona to take one of those rocks and throw it into the sea, throwing with it those things we want God to help us let go of in our lives. The tossing of the rock is the prayer.

I carefully chose my prayer rock and gave God all that was hurting in my heart and threw it into the waters of the blue sea.

As is also the custom, as I walked from sea to shore and back to the path, I chose one rock to take with me to remind me of new beginnings in Christ.

Today we hike to the north end of the island to yet another beach. Along the way, the plan is to scale the highest point on Iona, all three hundred feet. Rain or shine we walk and see what God has in store.

As St Augustine said, "All shall be Amen and Alleluia."