Publisher's Synopsis
Linking the mythic journeys of the ancient Celtic heroes with the Christian search for holiness, Saint Brendan the Navigator's marvelous adventures captured the imagination and inspired the faith of the early Celtic Christians. Brendan's willingness to leave the comfort and security of the familiar - relying only on God's guidance and protection as he sought the Land of the Saints with his companions - inspired generations of hermits, holy wanderers and missionaries to abandon home and family to find their own "places of resurrection" across the ocean.
Even now, centuries later, the story of Brendan's spiritual exploits remains a powerful allegory for the Christian spiritual life.
Guided by excerpts from John J. O'Meara's elegant rendering of The Voyage of Saint Brendan, Timothy J. Ray presents a cycle of spiritual readings and a sequence of prayer services in A Journey to the Land of the Saints that introduce seminal aspects of Celtic Christian spirituality by exploring the contemporary significance of Brendan's legendary travels. Illuminated by the ancient allegory of Brendan and his pilgrimage, these spiritual exercises help modern men and women of faith find the personal "places of resurrection" where they may manifest God's healing presence in the world.
A Journey to the Land of the Saints also provides a broad selection of resources for individuals as they prayerfully engage its readings and for groups as they present its prayer services, including instructions for downloading the free digital materials designed to accompany this book - audio recordings of excerpts from John J. O'Meara's The Voyage of Saint Brendan and of Timothy Ray's reflections on these selections as well as print-ready programs for the prayer services prepared for various paper sizes.
