Today I heard a rather humorous story about the saint of the day – Saint Romedio. The church recognizes so many different people as saints, which makes sense since everyone is different. The story goes like this, from the Aleteia website:

“St. Romedio lived during the 4th century and was an heir in a wealthy family near Innsbruck, Austria. Romedio felt called to give up his many possessions and lead a life dedicated to God. Leaving his inheritance behind, he journeyed to Italy. But a very unfortunate situation occurred — which was quickly turned into a positive. Pope John Paul I narrates the humorous story in a collection of his letters called Illustrissimi.

According to the legend, when he was on his way back from a pilgrimage to Rome, Romedio stopped to rest with his two faithful companions, Abraham and David. After a while he said to David: “It’s time to get back onto the road. Go and fetch our horses in the field.” David went off, then came back terrified: a bear was eating Romedio’s horse. Romedio rushed into the field, saw what was happening, and said quite calmly … “Bear. Obviously you’re hungry as you’re eating my horse. That’s all very well, but I can’t walk home, you know, so you’ll have to be my horse.” And he put the saddle, bridle and reins of the horse [the bear] had eaten on [the bear] … climbed on to [his] back as if [the bear was] the most peaceable mule in the world, and set off in the direction of Trento.

At the end of the story John Paul I left this short little prayer.

Tame me, Lord! Make me more helpful and less of a bear.“

You can actually visit the place where St. Romedio lived. On the grounds is a wildlife sanctuary for bears, which shouldn’t be surprising. Many times the stories of the lives of the saints are gruesome, or horrifying to me. So, I loved hearing the story of this saint of the day with it’s whimsical nature.

I Found God today in a whimsical story of a saint and his bear.