Better far than praise of men
‘Tis to sit with book and pen.

I get wisdom day and night
Turning darkness into light.
~in the century Irish monk

Our final day was spent in Dublin before we fly home tomorrow. I admit some weariness; we’ve seen and learned so much in our time here. I wasn’t sure I could take in one more thing into my overwhelmed brain but am grateful Dan gently led me to the exhibit at Trinity College of the Book of Kells and the incredible library right above it. I needed to see the amazing things of which man is capable. My weariness is paltry compared to the immense effort of these dedicated writers and artists.

The Book of Kells is an intricately illustrated copy of the Gospels from the ninth century, meticulously decorated by Irish monks with quill pens and the finest of brushes. Two original pages are on display at the library and the brief look one is allowed scarcely does justice to the painstaking detail contained in every letter and design.

Upstairs, is the “Long Room” of 200,000 antiquarian books dating back centuries, lined by busts of writers and philosophers. It is inspiring to think of the millions of hours of illuminated thought contained within those leather bindings.

The written word is a precious but so transient on earth; it takes preservationist specialists to keep these ancient books from crumbling to dust, lost forever to future generations.

The original Word is even more precious, lasting forever in the hearts and minds of men, and exists everlasting sitting at the right hand of God, never to disintegrate to dust. He is the inspiration for the intricate beauty of the illustrated Gospels we saw today. He is the source of wisdom for civilization’s greatest writers and poets.

He alone has turned darkness into light even in man’s most desperate hours.
Our weariness dissipates along with the shadows.