February 3
Commemoration
Ansgar, Bishop of Hamburg,
Missionary to Denmark and Sweden,
d. 865
Reflection
Ansgar, “the Apostle of the North,” had a deep love for the
poor. He would wash their feet and serve them food provided by the parish.
Ansgar was a monk who became bishop of Hamburg.
He led a mission to Denmark
and later to Sweden,
where he was attacked by Viking pirates and robbed, arriving in Birka almost
penniless. Among the converts to Christianity was King Bjorn’s baliff in Birka,
who at his own expense built a church—the first church in all of Scandinavia. He returned to Hamburg
18 months later, where he persisted in his mission work and later helped
consecrate Gothbert as the first bishop of Sweden. The Vikings destroyed the
city of Hamburg by fire in 845, and, as a
result, Scandinavia relapsed into paganism.
Three centuries elapsed before Christianity was reestablished in Scandinavia.
Prayer
God of grace, We thank you for your servant Ansgar, who made
the good news known to the people of Scandinavia.
Raise up witnesses to your kingdom in every country, so that the world may know
of your love. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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