Our readings in this series are from the book, The Church Captive. Here is a brief excerpt from pages 36 and 37:
“The Church [in Gaul, Columbanus wrote to Pope Boniface], was taking on water. The clergy were neither loving nor caring, but were angry at the Irish mission and captive to the things of the world. Columbanus insisted that he was only interested in ‘the edification of the church’, which he saw to be in grave trouble and sailing ‘in perilous straits’. The sheep were terrified and in need of succor, for they were being tended by wolves, rather than true shepherds. Through ‘the carelessness of their shepherds’, the sheep in Gaul were ‘cast down’ and being oppressed by the enemy of the Church.
“The shepherds of Gaul were building with wood, straw, and stubble on the ‘marvelous foundation’ which Christ had laid. [Columbanus wrote]: ‘Oh, what fuel for hell-fire is everywhere made ready from these unhappy buildings, on the burning of which that sparkling word of the Lord, describing the vastness of that ever-living fire, fell with the saying, “Take heed to yourselves, lest perhaps your hearts be hardened.”’”
Now, and for a limited time, you can order The Church Captive together with the next book in our Read Moore series, Revived!, at no cost. Order copies for yourself and for a study group or companion. A free discussion guide is available as well.
T. M. Moore.
