Find an Island of Solitude

Eight miles off the rugged coast of Ireland rises an island with a history richer than fiction. If you're a Star Wars fan, you may know this as the Temple Island of Ahch-To. Ahch-to is important in Star Wars history as the birthplace of the Jedi Order and the island of exile for Luke Skywalker. But long before it was a cinematic landmark, it was home to a different type of exile.
 
1400 years before it found its way into a Star Wars film, this island was home to a group of Christians known as the Green Martyrs. Unlike red martyrs, who died for their faith, Green Martyrs made a different type of sacrifice. These martyrs took the command of Jesus to "take up [their] cross" seriously. Green martyrs chose to die to this world and live wholly for Christ.
 
Their idea was to die to the world by sailing to the far-off island of Ahch-to… I mean Sceilg Mhichíl (That's the actual Irish name). On this island, they lived a solitary life completely focused on God. These Green Martyrs would be among the earliest monks in the Christian tradition. But they didn’t invent the idea of coming to know God through solitude, they got it from Jesus! It was Jesus who often went off alone to commune with his Father.
 
While I may disagree with the extent to which the Green Martyrs sought solitude, we can learn a lot from them about the beauty and value that comes from it. Tomorrow, we'll explore our next essential practice of solitude. As we do, we'll discover that if Jesus viewed it as an essential practice of his life, how much more should we? In a world filled with noise, distractions, and endless demands, perhaps the most radical thing we can do is be still. Join us in worship tomorrow and rediscover the power of sacred solitude.