Texture, Colour, Wonder

Tobermory

We paid a final visit to Kilmartin Glen this morning, bidding farewell to sites that have become familiar and dear over the past couple of days.There is a beautiful carving on the side of one of the Templewood stones; as with all petroglyphs, it can be hard to see unless the light hits it at just the right angle. We searched in vain for it yesterday, but today it was as clear as day, giving us the sense of a mischievous trickster lurking within the stone. Can you see the spiral there at the bottom?

Petro

Our ferry to Mull was delayed for over two hours while a stuck dustcart was dislodged from a compromising position on the ship. Humorous, but a bit annoying to be sit in a tight queue of cars for so long. The irony of a boatload of Iona-bound spiritual trekkers being held up by a garbage truck was not lost on us! But by the time we sailed, the afternoon was warm and we were able to sit out on deck, luxuriating in the gentleness of the day. We made a brief stop in colourful Tobermory before heading towards the interior of the island for a visit to a controversial, but peaceful spot.

Dervaig

There is a wonderful church here on Mull, in the little village of Dervaig. Intended to look old, it is actually Victorian, as a new church was built on an old site in 1904. A pretty place, it boasts two features that make it truly memorable. First, it has a pencil tower, a tall round tower situated at one end of the church, a replica of those found throughout Celtic lands, particularly in Ireland. Second, amongst its beautiful stained glass windows is one that gives voice to a growing belief that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married. In this beautiful window, Jesus holds hands with a seemingly pregnant Mary. While I have my own opinions about this, what I love most is that the question is brought into the open in this out-of-the-way village church. How wonderful the world can be when we allow ourselves to converse with a range of views and beliefs!

What do you see when you look at this window?

Dervaig Window2

 

3 Replies to “Texture, Colour, Wonder”

  1. What a wonderful way to start my morning… I love this stained glass window. I see the outside pillars and Jesus and Mary in the door way of what almost looks like they are emerging from the depths within… but that inward place could also be a garden, a secret garden. The outer daylight, the inward sunset, or dusk. Mary’s eyes still inward, Jesus’s eyes looking outward, guiding Mary forward… crossing the threshold into life…

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