Charism is a special gift or grace of the Holy Spirit. It enables and motivates a person to live out a Christian life for the good of all and to build church community through service and outreach. At Unity College, the charism of Celtic Christian Spirituality provides us with six virtues to express our understanding of how everything is connected by Christ, with Christ and through Christ.
The Virtue of Welcome
In the Celtic Christian tradition, there is a real sense of the sacredness of another person. The way that you met someone was through blessing. An initial greeting would begin with "God be with you" and a farewell with "May God come to your assistance and keep you." There is a recognition that the divine is present in others. We encourage all to welcome the ordinary and extraordinary moments in life. “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. "Matthew 10:40 'I welcome each day and the gifts it brings knowing I am exactly where God wants me to be.'
The Virtue of Hospitality
Wherever early Celtic Christians lived, they saw Christ in their neighbour. They had a great sense of reverence and friendship to all those who lived around them. They were obligated to GIVE ~ RECEIVE ~ RECIPROCATE. "Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend." Luke 10:35'I am called to be a person of service to all.'
The Virtue of Awe and Wonder
Real moments of awe and wonder connected people to God the Creator, to each other and to nature. When we take time to be truly present, to listen deeply to God speaking and to stand in awe of our surroundings and those people within it, then our way of being in the world is transformed. Amazement seized all of them, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen strange things today." Luke 5:26 'I am in awe and wonder of how every person is made in the image and likeness of God.
The Virtue of Prayer and Contemplation
For the Celtic Christians, human solitude and contemplation were a source of nourishment and restoration. They believed that if we find time to pray and contemplate, to be fully aware of our place in time, then God's revelation would not come as a surprise. “Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:9-10 'I find God in my stillness and prayer.'
The Virtue of Reverence for Nature
For the Celtic Christians, nature was a pure gift from God and a gift that required respect, reverence and attention. Creation was a reflection of God's sense of beauty and God's creative act was extremely sacred for them. “The heavens keep telling the wonders of God, and the skies declare what he has done. " Psalm 19:1 'The world around me is sacred. I see God's creativity in the beauty of nature.'
The Virtue of Circle symbolising God's infinite love
We acknowledge the infinite love of God with no beginning and no end – the alpha and omega. The circle, so prevalent in Celtic artwork, emphasises a deep sense of connectedness with God, each other and creation. “Don't you know? Haven't you heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, Creator of the earth. He never gets weary or tired; his wisdom cannot be measured." Isaiah 40:28'God's love is infinite. I am blessed in this circle of love.'
© Brisbane Catholic Education, Unity College (2024)