Thoughts for the Day

Jesus said, ‘Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, “Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.” Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.” But the wise replied, “No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.” And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, “Lord, lord, open to us.” But he replied, “Truly I tell you, I do not know you.” Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour."

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Etheldreda (Aethelthryth, or Audrey) played a significant part in the history of the Diocese of Ely in England. She was the daughter of the king of East Anglia. At an early age she was married to Tondberht, ealdorman of the South Gyrwas. On his death, three years later she retired to the Isle of Ely, which was her dowry. Five years later, for political reasons, she was married to Egfrith, the young king of Northumbria who was only 15 years old. Their marriage was unhappy. Finally Etheldreda, advised and aided by Wilfred, Bishop of Northumbria, left him to became a nun at Coldingham under her aunt Ebbe.

She was to restore the old church at Ely, and built a double monastery (men and women) where Ely Cathedral stands. Etheldreda died from a tumour in her neck, probably caused by the plague that also killed several of her nuns, many of whom were her sisters or nieces. Seventeen years after her death, her body was found to be incorrupt. Wilfred, bishop of Northumbria, and her physician, Cynefrid, were among the witnesses. The tumour on her neck, was found to be healed, and the linen cloths in which her body was wrapped were as fresh as the day she had been buried. Her body was placed in a stone sarcophagus of Roman origin, found at Grantchester, and reburied.

As Christians, today, we tend to read and learn about God's work in our Bible, but we can easily ignore the almost 2,000 years of Church history since then. It was significant that in my training years ago it was the one subject missing from the General Ministerial Exam! Yet without men and women like Etheldreda who set up monasteries and abbeys and trained others to carry on the torch for Christ, the Church would might not have been around and God's Kingdom still preached today.

Collect for Etheldreda
Eternal God,
who bestowed such grace upon your servant Etheldreda
that she gave herself wholly to the life of prayer
and to the service of your true religion:
grant that we, like her,
may so live our lives on earth seeking your kingdom
that by your guiding
we may be joined to the glorious fellowship of your saints;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.