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We've completed our "sweep" of Ireland in a fast nine days. We learned that in the 1990's Ireland was considered a Third World economy. Several European countries did not want to include Ireland in the Common Market. Since Ireland joined, their financial outlook has steadily improved. For example, our guide, Conor, purchased his home in the early 90's for around $100,000, made about $30,000 worth of improvements, and today his home is worth $450,000.
Evidence of Ireland's recently acquired financial stability abounds. Construction cranes around the city of Dublin make their largest city look like a harbor town. Dublin, and the 2nd largest city, Cork, are growing rapidly. The population of Ireland is 4 million, with 2 million living just in and around Dublin. Roads are being vastly improved. Tourism is one of their largest industries. Offering stunning vistas, many are rushing to explore the beauty of this rare island. (Evidence of its once Third World status was the lack of internet access. Internet capabilities were hard to find especially in the country-side.)
What we didn't experience was a quiet spirituality. I longed to find a vital faith being practiced in the towns that we visited. During a three-hour conversation with Conor early last week, I asked if there were any growing churches anywhere in Ireland. He said there were none. The last church to be built in Ireland was in the 1980's. We visited several churches and cathedrals, but it was obvious that they were treated like museums or warehouses for historic relics.
Conor pointed out that there are trees that are sacred to old Ireland. The hawthrone tree is protected because of its "mystical" powers. We saw a new, four-lane highway diverted because of one small tree. They are still called "fairy trees" today. There are certain piles of stones that when positioned like table-tops or mushrooms bring good luck. Even at the ancient monastery of Clonmacnoise a legend persists that if a farmer takes a handful of sod from the St. Claran's abbey and spreads at the four corners of his farm, his crops will grow in abundance. Our guide showed us where sod had recently been removed by one of the local farmers.
In England there is one pastor for every 3,000 people. I suspect the pastor to population ratio in Ireland is even greater.
Lovely Ireland with its good-hearted people, so thoughtful and so sincere, is ripe for a harvest of the Good News. What I am beginning to discover is that the history of the early church includes many great Irish contributions. St. Patrick was just one of many contributors from 300 to 900 A.D. What Thomas Cahill did not write about in his book, How the Irish Saved Civilization, was the number of others Irish heroes of the faith involved in perserving the faith for future generations. On our trip through Ireland, we were introduced to many other wonderful examples of great faith during the life of the early church.
If that devotion to Christ could be tapped again, I'm sure that Ireland would be "white for the harvest."
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