The Celtic Book of Days: Ancient Wisdom for Each Day of the Year From the Celtic Followers of Christ

774 Pages·2013·3.2 MB·English

DAILY LIGHT
FROM THE CELTIC SAINTS
a year’s worth of ancient wisdom
to bring new meaning to modern life
Ray Simpson
ANAMCHARA BOOKS
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First published in the UK as Celtic Daily Light. Used by permission of Kevin Mayhew Ltd, Buxhall,
Stowmarket, IPI4 3BW, UK. Copyright: 2010 Kevin Mayhew Ltd
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INTRODUCTION
The readings in this book are taken from the words of Celtic pilgrims, poets, or
saints. In addition, however, I have included the sayings of people from many
lands who are natural soul friends to the Celtic saints. Throughout the year,
interweaving with the cycles of the church year and natural seasons, you’ll find
themes like these:
• God’s guidance
• spiritual disciplines
• wisdom from the Desert Christians
• stories of saints and angels
Scripture Readings Every book in the Bible is covered during the year. If you
read the scripture readings for each date, by the end of the year, you will have
worked your way through the entire Bible.
Easter Readings Readers who wish to synchronize readings with Easter should
start the Easter readings on April 1 if Easter Day falls after April 1. Count the
number of days after April 1 that Easter falls. Choose the same number of
days’ readings from the period July 1 through 27, and use these from March
21 to April 1. (If Easter Day falls before April 1 transfer the right number of
days’ readings from March 21.) Readings about the Cross will then
synchronize with Holy Week. This will allow you to synchronize the readings
with all the church seasons without losing any readings chosen for a
particular saint’s anniversary, except for the anniversary of John Wesley on
May 24. When you reach July, omit those readings you used in April; the
Daily Light date will again correlate with the date in your diary.
Helpful Resources At the back of the book, you’ll find:
• Who’s Who in the Celtic World: to help you keep track of the many
individuals who inhabited the world of both the ancient and modern
Celts.

• Index of People: so that you can find material on a favorite Celtic saint,
particular author, or specific source.

• Index of Subjects: to help you find readings particularly linked to areas
of interest or need, such as anger, healing, depression, evangelism.
• Index of Bible Texts: identifying the particular Bible passages used on
each date.

• Map: showing key places mentioned in the book and the historical
geographic location of the Celtic saints (for example, St. Petroch in the
southwest and St. Mungo in Scotland).
Please note: The term “Celtic church” is used as shorthand for “churches in
Celtic lands” within the one, universal Christian Church during the fifth to tenth
centuries after Christ.
—Ray Simpson
WINTER
REACHING OUT
Following God is a pilgrimage of faith.
The road ahead is only revealed as we step out in trust,
with God the Creator, the Son, and the Spirit before us.
JANUARY 1 LET US GO FORWARD PSALM 105:1–22; JOSHUA 1;
PHILIPPIANS 3:12–4:1
Forgetting what lies behind,
and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal of God’s
upward call, my high vocation in Christ.
P 3:13–14
HILIPPIANS
A new year. New resolutions. Yet, if we just go forward into this year with
nothing but our own flimsy resolutions, they are likely to come to nothing. We
can carry so much more forward with us into the new year if we respond to this
Celtic call: