St Aelred of Rievaulx: Patiently Suffered

 Today in the book In Caelo et in Terra, we read about St Aelred of Rievaulx. This poor guy is the patron saint of kidney stones. 

But he was a good man. He had the opportunity to be a bishop, but he felt that God was calling him to a more humble position. He worked among the Cistercian monks for years. In his later life, he suffered patiently with several afflictions. That's why he's the patron of bladder stones. You can read more about him here.

Several lessons we can learn from him, but I'll focus on two: one, he had the chance to be someone rich and famous (for his day) and he chose instead to be poorer and more anonymous. Sometimes that's what God calls us to do. Second, he suffered illness patiently. See, that's something that the Catholic church teaches very well - the value of suffering. It flies in the face of prosperity gospel preachers and those who favor euthanasia... because it teaches that there is value in suffering itself. It's not to be "avoided at all costs", but it can be a valuable instrument of redemption. 

So if you are obscure today, or if you are suffering... or both? Take heart. You're in the very good company of St Aelred of Rievaulx.

God, thanks for giving us the good example of this monk. St Aelred of Rievaulx, pray for us.