I’m writing this quite late on Saturday night after an amazing time with friends/family in a (new to me) restaurant. Throughout the day I have reflected on today’s reading which talks about the difference, or not, of the words discipline and discipleship.

In our culture the word discipline is usually thought of as something quite negative. Discipleship is seen as some long term endeavour whilst discipline is seen more as a set of rules and regulations. The Celtic Christians did not recognise any distinction. Instead they saw discipline as practices that helped you on your journey as a disciple. Rather than rules to restrict they were seen more as areas to express and to learn and, a real part of there relationship with God.

I have grown to quite like this ‘both/and’ approach from the early Celtic Christians. Where else, I wonder, is a both/and attitude both powerful and enabling?