anskar

Anskar

Bishop of Hamburg

A woman named Edna finds herself in dire trouble. Her business has gone bust and she's in serious financial trouble. She's so desperate that she decides to ask God for help. She begins to pray...' God, please help me. I've lost my business and if I don't get some money, I'm going to lose my house as well. Please let me win the lotto.'

Lotto night comes and somebody else wins it.

Edna again prays.... 'God, please let me win the lotto! I've lost my business, my house and I'm going to lose my car as well.'

Lotto night comes and Edna still has no luck.

Once again, she prays, 'My God, why have you forsaken me?? I've lost my business, my house, and my car. My children are starving. I don't often ask you for help and I have always been a good servant to you. PLEASE, just let me win the lotto this one time so I can get my life back in order.

Suddenly there is a blinding flash of light as the heavens open and Edna is confronted by the voice of God Himself:

'Edna, meet Me halfway on this. Buy a ticket.'

The moral of the story is: You have to plant a seed to reap a harvest.

The saint who we remember today, Anskar, (Latinized as Ansgarius) was one of those valiant early Christians of whom it also could be said "These shall plant the seed, but others shall reap the harvest"

As Archbishop of Hamburg,, he was papal legate for missionary work among the Scandinavians. The immediate results of his devoted and perilous labors was slight: two churches established on the border of Denmark and one priest settled in Sweden. He also participated in the consecration of Gotbert, first Bishop in Sweden.

Anskar was born in Corbie, in France in 801 AD, and educated in the outstanding monastic school there. His teaching skill led him to be chosen master of a new monastery school, sent out by Corbie, in Saxon Germany. His strongest call, however was to be a missionary.

He was stirred , his biographer, Rimbert says, by a prolonged vision, in which a voice said, "Go and return to me crowned with martyrdom"

When King Harald of Denmark sought missionaries for that country in 826, Anskar was one of those selected. Rimbert notes that Anskar's missionary purpose caused astonishment among his contemporaries.

Why should he wish to leave his brothers to deal with "unknown and barbarous folk?"

Some of the brethren tried to deter him; others just considered him a freak.

Steadfast in his resolve, Anskar established a school and mission in Denmark, working conscientiously but unsuccessfully to convert and evangelize.

He was not totally discouraged, however. Another vision appeared, a voice saying, "Go and declare the work of God to the nations."

Shortly afterward, about 829, he was called to Sweden and eagerly accepted.

Meager aid from both the monastery and the emperor frustrated his efforts.

While still a young man, Anskar was consecrated Archbishop of Hamburg in 831, and continued his work among the Scandinavians. At one time, when Hamburg was burnt by the Northman, he lost his church, his monastery, his library, and other property; but he only said, with the patriarch Job, "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord!"
Then he set to work again, without being discouraged by what had befallen him, and he even made a friend of the heathen king who had led the attack on Hamburg

Anskar built a church in Jutland and introduced the use of bells, which the pagans regarded as instruments of magic.

He was noted for his piety, mortification, and observance of the monastic rule. In addition to preaching the Gospel of salvation, he did much in such charitable works as the building of hospitals and the redemption of captives; he sent immense alms abroad and he persuaded the chief men of the country north of the Elba to give up their trade in slaves, which had been a source of great profit to them, but which Anskar taught them to regard as contrary to the Christian religion.
He revived also the abbey of Turholt in Flanders, and established a school there
He is quoted as saying that: "he regretted only that he had not been found worthy of martyrdom."

The seeds of his efforts were not to bear fruit until over one hundred years later, when Viking devastation, weakness in the Frankish Church, and the lowest ebb of missionary enthusiasm came to an end.
It is told that when some of his friends were talking of miracles which he was supposed to have done, he said, "If I were worthy in my Lord's sight, I would ask of Him to grant me one miracle--that He would make me a good man."
Anskar retired in 848, and went to live in Bremen. He died on the 5th of February, 865 AD.

The Church of Sweden honors him as its apostle, and he serves as symbol of the historic friendship and present-day connection between the Anglican Churches and the Church of Sweden.

So in closing, remember: You have to plant a seed to reap a harvest.