Readings:
Psalm 97:1-2,7-12 or 85:8-13
1 Corinthians 9:16-23
Matthew 19:27-30Preface of Apostles
PRAYER (traditional language)
O loving God, who didst call thy servant Aidan from the peace of a cloister to re-establish the Christian mission in northern England, and didst endow him with gentleness, simplicity, and strength: Grant, we beseech thee, that we, following his example, may use what thou hast given us for the relief of human need, and may persevere in commending the saving Gospel of our Redeemer Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, for ever and ever.
PRAYER (contemporary language)
O loving God, who called your servant
Aidan from the peace of a cloister to re-establish the Christian mission
in northern England, and gave him the gifts of gentleness, simplicity,
and strength: Grant that we, following his example, may use what you have
given us for the relief of human need, and may persevere in commending
the saving Gospel of our Redeemer Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
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AIDAN
MISSIONARY, ABBOT, BISHOP OF LINDISFARNE (31 AUGUST 651)
The Gospel first came to the northern English in 627, When King Edwin of Northumbria was converted by a mission from Canterbury led by Bishop Paulinus, who established his see at York. Edwin's death in battle in 632 was followed by a severe pagan reaction. A year later, Edwin's exiled nephew Oswald gained the kingdom, and proceeded at once to restore the Christian mission.
During
his exile, Oswald had lived at Columba's monastery of Iona (see 9 June),
where he had been converted and baptized. Hence he sent to Iona, rather
than to Canterbury, for missionaries. The first monk to preach was a man
named Corman, who had no success, and returned to Iona to complain that
the Northumbrians were a savage and unteachable race. A young monk
named Aidan responded, "Perhaps you were too harsh with them, and they
might have responded better to a gentler approach." At this, Aidan found
himself appointed to lead a second expedition to Northumbria. He centered
his work, not at York, but in imitation of his home monastery, on Lindisfarne,
an island off the northeast coast of England, now often called Holy Isle.
With his fellow monks and the English youths whom he trained, Aidan restored
Christianity in Northumbria, King Oswald often serving as his interpreter,
and extended the mission through the midlands as far south as London.
 |
Ruins
of the medieval monastery at Lindisfarne [photo by author] |
Aidan died at the royal town of Bamburgh, 31 August,
651. The historian Bede said of him: "He neither sought nor loved anything
of this world, but delighted in distributing immediately to the poor whatever
was given him by kings or rich men of the world. He traversed both town
and country on foot, never on horseback, unless compelled by some urgent
necessity. Wherever on his way he saw any, either rich or poor, he invited
them, if pagans, to embrace the mystery of the faith; or if they were
believers, he sought to strengthen them in their faith and stir them up
by words and actions to alms and good works."