He became a Benedictine monk at Corbie in France.
When the King of Denmark became a Christian, Ansgar went there as a missionary. He managed to have some ‘success’.
The King of Sweden asked for Christian missionaries, and Ansgar went there having many challenges and hardships, including being captured by pirates on the way.
After two years he was made Bishop of Hamburg. After thirteen years, as Bishop of Hamburg, he saw it burned to the ground by invading Northmen (Vikings). Sweden and Denmark both returned to paganism.
He did not give up and managed to return to both Denmark and Sweden.
He was a great preacher, devoted to the poor and the sick, imitating Jesus in washing feet and waiting on them at table.
Ansgar was a tireless missionary. Despite many setbacks, he did not stop in his missionary endeavours.
Ansgar was able to be resilient and committed to his mission because of his relationship with God.
The service of the Gospel is not an easy task. It is not about achievements or scoring points. It is about love.
There needs to a dying to the ‘ego’ for a disciple of Jesus.
There are those who dismiss Christian claims without really looking at them.
There is a lot of misinformation about Christian beliefs and practices.
People are often on the run, so busy, often not giving themselves time to reflect.
However, regarding Church outreach and contemporary mission work, God can write straight in the crooked lines.
Christ can take care of the effects of mission work in His own way. We do not always see the fruit of our labour.
The most important thing for those who wish to speak the Christian message, and to proclaim it to others, is to be right in their hearts themselves.
The more centred we are, the more connected we are with God, the more we can live in trust and faith, and not measure ‘success’ just by externals.
Jesus apparently died a failure but brought eternal life to us all.
