After a number of delays, it was wonderful to gather as a whole school for our St Columba Day Celebrations.

A service with readings, prayers, and a reflection on the life of St Columba was held in the Marsh Sports Centre. As is tradition, our newest student, Vivienne Khan, and our longest-attending student, Rosa Lines, cut the cake with Mrs Duthie. We listened to a Scherzo by Beethoven, played beautifully by Naomi Yehezkely, and we even sang the school song (with masks on). This year's stunning Columba Day bookmark was also produced by Naomi. 

In his early life, Columba let his greed and anger get the better of him. He used his political influence to start a battle in which an estimated 3000 people died. As a result, he was banished from his native Ireland.

In the second part of his life, Columba established a monastery on the Island of Iona. It became a community renowned for learning, art, music, wisdom and peace. So we need to ask: What changed?

We know that Columba realised the terrible wrong that he had done and repented of it, perhaps like the psalmist in our first reading (Psalm 25:1-10). Our second reading (Colossians 3:12-15) calls people to live with love and kindness, peace and unity. But it also notes that kindness alone is not enough. Even with our best intentions, misunderstandings and hurts inevitably arise. We cannot truly experience peace without forgiveness. 

I wonder what it was like for Columba, realising the magnitude of his mistake and calling on God's forgiveness. I wonder what it was like for him to realise how important forgiveness is to God. 

We also experience a world with disagreements, where there is a temptation to anger and a desire to have things our own way. Like those at Iona, we are called to be a community of kindness and peace. And as with the church in Colossae, the love and forgiveness of God are offered freely to us, that we might experience peace.