Living God's Kingdom Mandate Saint Brigid by Judith Ellis
Living God's Kingdom Mandate
Saint Brigid
by Judith Ellis
I have just come back from a 3 week tour with 3 friends from Washington State, USA, praying round Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England. The tour focused on some of the key saints in the history period of 400-700 AD who walked out God's Kingdom Mandate in these nations. We looked at what can we learn from the saints about God's Kingdom. We prayed to unearth that which has been forgotten and for what is still to be accomplished that the saints prayed for to be on earth as it is in heaven.
One of my favourite saints is Saint Brigid. Her life is an inspiration to me as she lived a naturally supernatural life empowered by the Holy Spirit. She was famous for her generosity and hospitality, willing to give away all she had and trust in the Lord's provision for herself and the community she managed. Furthermore she was a strong and courageous female leader. Leading both men and women at her Abbey where she was the Abbess. She was highly respected by St Patrick, the local Chieftain's and Bishops who asked her to set up her kind of Kingdom communities in some of their districts.
She was born in Ireland about the middle of the fifth century to a petty Chieftain. In the Ireland of Brigid’s day there is no evidence of injustice or subjection for most women, although another class, the bond maids or slave-girls were less fortunate. They had no rights and many were badly treated. Adamnan’s Law recounts the injustices these girls suffered.
As a young woman she would often give away the food that she was meant to be preparing for the household. If someone in need came to the door she would not hesitate to give them what she had. This infuriated her father, yet the Lord would always provide another chicken or meal miraculously for the household. Her father tried to sell Brigid as she was his daughter through a bond-servant. Here is an extract from Brigid's life written by Kathie Walters.
Taking Brigid to be sold to the King of Leinster, Dubthach, her father, arrived and left Brigid in the chariot while he went to haggle over the price with the king. He placed his sword on the seat near her. Then a person suffering with leprosy appeared at the side of the chariot begging for alms. Unlike other countries, the people with leprosy in Ireland were not treated as outcasts but rather, because of their misfortune, were privileged members of society. They went about freely, were compassionately tolerated and received bountiful alms. When
Brigid saw the face looking at her with mournful eyes, she
gave the only thing near her, which was Dubthach’s sword.
At that very moment the King of Leinster was asking the
chieftain why he wanted to sell the child, and Dubthach was
explaining that he could not keep her because of her openhandedness to the poor, saying that nothing was safe in her keeping. Upon his return, and finding his sword missing he was “mightily enraged” as told by the old Life. Brigid was taken before the king who having become a Christian, was nearer to understanding her. Poor Dubthach’s bad day reached a climax when the king said, “Leave her alone, for her merit before God is greater than ours.” Brigid was taken back home by her father.
When Brigid decided to devote herself to living as the bride of Christ (a nun) her father was relieved that she would no longer be living with him and giving away all they had! This is the 13th Century Cathedral on the site of Brigid's Community in Kildare, Ireland.
When Brigid needed land to set up the type of community the Lord had revealed to her she went to one local Chieftain and asked for some land, he refused to give her the amount she asked for to establish the community at Kildare. She then asked if he would give her the amount of land that her cloak covered. He agreed. She got 4 of her female companions to each take a corner of the cloak and start walking. The cloak miraculously grew and grew so the Chieftain quickly said stop as he feared it would cover all his lands. He then gave her what she asked for. This reminds me of the verse in Psalm 24 that the earth is the Lord's and everything in it. Thus, when He has land or territory for us He will provide a way to receive it for His glory, His plans and His purposes.
As a nun, Brigid dressed in white with her hair uncut. She
did not live an enclosed life as this was not the type of community that the Lord showed her to set up. In her community men and women were treated equally. Hospitality, healing and generosity marked these communities that were wealthy in resources as well as creativity. She lived an apostolic lifestyle and was one of the most traveled people in Ireland and beyond.
I had the privilege of visiting the sacred space of the Isle of Iona in Scotland on my travels. I sat in the weighty presence of God at a well St Brigid had blessed. This well has seen many healed through God's goodness and love throughout the centuries. God's Kingdom continues to advance. The well on Iona just happens to be heart shaped :).
As Brigid was officially received by the bishops as a nun, a column fire descended over her head and was seen by the assistants of the church. She rested her hand for an instant on the edge of the wooden altar and all that part of the dry seasoned timber became green. This column of fire marked her life showing that the Holy Spirit consistently rested on her and the communities she set up. I love how God demonstrates how connected earth and heaven are by people seeing this heavenly fire and also Brigid setting up a physical fire pit or temple in her communities as a reminder of God's Holy fire. The one at Kildare still exists but the physical flame was put out after 700 years in the reign of Henry XIII. We prayed for the fire to be ignited in us and spread fall to the nations. The photo is of us just after we prayed in the 4 corners of St Brigid's fire temple.
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