Be Careful What You Wish For... Aidan of Lindisfarne

Checked out a website that lists commemorations of saints, James Kiefer's Hagiographies, to find a man listed today that I had never heard of, Aidan of Lindisfarne. Aidan was a missionary, abbot, and bishop in the seventh century in northern England. He died this day (August 31) in 651.

I was surprised to read an account from Kiefer about Aidan. Kiefer wrote:

During his exile, Oswald [King of Northumbria] had lived at Columba's monastery of Iona (see 9 June), where he had been converted and baptized. Hence he sent to Iona (56:19 N 6:25 W), 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.

Evidently God has a good sense of humor. We give thanks for this servant who answered God's call and provided a holy example for us.