Tomorrow is the feast day of Saint Aidan of Lindisfarne, the Apostle of Northumbria who died on this date in 651. He was a gentle man called from the monastery in Iona to bring back the Christian message in the north of England. He is usually shown holding a lighted torch. What was special about him was his gentleness and his lack of taking himself too seriously. There is a story that the King of Northumbria gave him a horse so he would be able to travel faster and Aidan gave it away to a beggar. He was always giving away things that people gave him because he did not want to be burdened as he shared his faith, indeed he gave himself away.
I think of the simpleness of this man and the kind of STUFF with which we encumber ourselves in our churches as we try to get across the message. The problem is that we spend all this energy to proclaim ourselves as the the singer and not the song of love which is our main job. currently in this campus we have two organs and three pianos and we are trying to get another piano (to be fair the Lutherans who use one of our gathering spaces own one of the organs and one of the pianos.) I love music and it forms a real part of my ability to meditate on God -our choir is WONDERFUL and we give glory to God with music and our cghoir director keeps pushing the choir to do its best- not as a show or performance but as shared worship. I am continually being converted not by talent but by having people live their lives with integrity and in awe of something greater than themselves.
The Venerable Bede said of him: "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."
Do we invite people in mystery of do we shovel down dogmas and creeds and ceremonies. There is something to refer to mystery- which is something not to be solved but an unanswerable way of living in paradox. Not having ready answers but having an open heart.
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Prayer 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. .Amen
