OK, I confess I didn’t know anything about the mysterious Henry of Uppsala before I started to write this. His story is so entwined with legends that it is hard to know what’s what about him.  He seems to have been English born, a bishop in Uppsala Sweden, but not necessarily bishop of Uppsala. He accompanied King Eric of Sweden during the conquest of Finland (mid-twelfth century) but stayed there to work among the Finns. He was murdered by a man named Lalli.

I’m not sure what to do with Henry. He’s only remembered among some Finns (there’s a celebration of Heikinpaiva–Henry’s Day–in Hancock, Michigan, and he is a late addition to the calendar of commemorations among some Lutherans in the US and Canada.

Henry, whether historical or legendary, represents a couple of aspects that have been lost by many modern-day Christians. First, Christians should be sharing the good news of Jesus with others. I don’t mean inviting them to church. I mean telling them about what Jesus means to us and why we are his disciples. More and more people in out society don’t know about Jesus or what they know is twisted and distorted. Share the faith. Second, being a disciples of Jesus can bring difficulties. Henry was killed for his faithfulness. We might not face that extreme price but being ready to sacrifice for the sake of our faith is always a necessity. There is a cost of discipleship.

OK, Henry. Thanks for pointing us on the right road as disciples of Jesus.

Read Matthew 5:11 and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne