Urlaur Abbey lies in ruin. Its walls have crumbled and roof has long since collapsed but its floor – foundation – remains solid. Many people come here to spend a bit of time at the lake, to say a prayer in the cemetery and to imagine (pray) the sacred past of this place. On the 4th August every year, the place fills and the familiar sounds of Eucharist echo from the walls “do this in memory of me.”
At the Pattern Mass some years ago, a Dominican priest spoke of the positioning of the Abbey. He said the water’s edge was often a chosen spot for the building of a monastery. Is there a link somewhere with Jesus standing on the shore? Is there a connection with his calling people to come from the water, spend time with him and be nourished by him? Only then could he send them on mission.
The priest that day spoke too about cemeteries developing around these monastic settlements and that somewhere there’s an image of and a connection with the journey from the waters of baptism to the final resting place. The structure and the sacraments of the church seeking to be the bridge between the two.
Today we celebrate the Feast of The Chair of St Peter “You are Peter and on this rock I will build my church” … Peter’s “rock”, no more than Urlaur Abbey’s walls, crumbled but his foundation was solid. We are still walking on the floor he laid.
A Lenten thought! Gratitude for an ongoing faith, a present church – even if walls and structures aren’t as solid as they might have been or wished for. There’s a rock beneath.
Lovely thoughts there Fr Vincent ,it is truly a sacred place lovely spot to spend awhile for quite meditation.