May 28th - Gizur of Iceland B (AC)
Died 1117. Both Gizur's father and grandfather had been bishop of Iceland.
Often such dynasties degenerate to the point of offering a successor
unworthy of the position; however, Gizur was a man suited to be king,
Viking
leader, or bishop. Bishop Gizur divided the nation into two dioceses:
Skaholt in the southwest and Holar in the north. He also recorded
Iceland's
laws, which had previously only been handed on orally. He may have been
connected with Iceland's development of sagas, poetry, and history, as
well
as the people's exploration of Greenland and Newfoundland. Gizur
introduced
tithes and provided for the poor, carrying out a taxation census to make
this policy possible.
Gizur's family had been pivotal in the country accepting Christianity. In
1000, the Icelandic Althing (assembly), composed of a pagan majority and a
Christian minority who had been converted through English, Norwegian, and
German settlers, had been deeply divided about the future of the nation.
The
Althing decided that the country needed to have only one religion to be
determined by a single wise man chosen by the assembly and accepted by
all.
The wise man decided that Iceland must have Christianity for its religion
and the Icelandic law. The only concessions to paganism to be permitted
were
the exposure of unwanted children to the elements, and the private
practice
of sacrifice to the traditional gods. After a few years these concessions
were abolished.
Foreign priests were soon replaced by native ones after Gizur the White,
who
had been one of the first to accept baptism, was consecrated bishop. He
may
or may not have been a widower at the time of his episcopal ordination-an
unim****tant matter except to those who do not believe that an exception
proves the rule. His son and grandson followed in his footsteps. Reformers
in the Church disapproved of hereditary succession to episcopal offices,
but
it was the custom in much of Scandinavia until the time of Saint Eystein
of
Trondheim.
Saint Gizur's cultus was approved for Reykjavik and Iceland (Farmer).
Of The Coming of Christ's Faith To Iceland.
Online Medieval and Classical Library Release #33
Next it befell that Gizur the White and Hiallti his son-in-law came out to
preach Christ's law; (1) and all men in Iceland were christened, and the
Christian faith was made law at the Althing. And Snorri the Priest brought
it chiefly about with the Westfirthers that Christ's faith was taken of
them; and as soon as the Thing was over, Snorri let build a church at
Holyfell, and Stir, his father-in-law, another at Under-the-Lava. Now this
whetted men much to the building of churches, (2) that it was promised
them
by the teachers, that a man should have welcome place for so many men in
the
kingdom of Heaven as might stand in any church that he let build. Thorod
Scat-catcher withal let make a church at his homestead of Frodis-water,
but
priests could not be got for the serving at the churches, though they were
built, for in those days but few mass-priests there were in Iceland.
Saint Quote
Beware of becoming vexed or impatient at the faults of others; for it
would
be folly when you see a man falling into a ditch, to throw yourself into
another to no purpose.
-St. Bonaventure
Bible Quote
23 And you, O children of Sion, rejoice, and be joyful in the Lord your
God:
because he hath given you a teacher of justice, and he will make the early
and the latter rain to come down to you as in the beginning. 24 And the
floors shall be filled with wheat, and the presses shall overflow with
wine
and oil. (Joel 2:23-24)
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That day of wrath, that dreadful day, shall heaven and earth
in ashes lay, as David and the Sybil say. What horror must
invade the mind when the approaching Judge shall find and
sift the deeds of all mankind! The mighty trumpet's wondrous
tone shall rend each tomb's sepulchral stone and summon all
before the Throne. Now death and nature with surprise
behold the trembling sinners rise to meet the Judge's
searching eyes. Then shall with universal dread the Book of
Consciences be read to judge the lives of all the dead.
For now before the Judge severe all hidden things must plain
appear; no crime can pass unpunished here. O what shall I,
so guilty plead? and who for me will intercede? when even
Saints shall comfort need? O King of dreadful majesty! grace
and mercy You grant free; as Fount of Kindness, save me!
Recall, dear Jesus, for my sake you did our suffering nature
take then do not now my soul forsake! In weariness You
sought for me, and suffering upon the tree! let not in vain
such labor be. O Judge of justice, hear, I pray, for pity take
my sins away before the dreadful reckoning day. You
gracious face, O Lord, I seek; deep shame and grief are on
my cheek; in sighs and tears my sorrows speak. You Who did
Mary's guilt unbind, and mercy for the robber find, have filled
with hope my anxious mind. How worthless are my prayers I
know, yet, Lord forbid that I should go into the fires of endless
woe. Divorced from the accursed band, O make me with Your
sheep to stand, as child of grace, at Your right Hand. When
the doomed can no more flee from the fires of misery with the
chosen call me. Before You, humbled, Lord, I lie, my heart
like ashes, crushed and dry, assist me when I die. Full of
tears and full of dread is that day that wakes the dead, calling
all, with solemn blast to be judged for all their past.
Amen.
Lord, have mercy, Jesus blest,
grant them all Your Light and Rest.
Amen.
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