Saint Boniface had great successes in his mission and ministry but he also failed. On his first mission to Frisia he was not able to be successful at all. He would later go to the Germany and have excellent results there building the church and organizing others. He would go on to the Frankish people and have more successes for the Lord. He continued in success until he was 80 and then he retired from all positions he held and went back to Frisia. He would be martyred there while reading a book. His remains and that book are in the Cathedral at Fulda in Germany now as the center of devotion.
There are many reasons I have read for his returning to Frisia but the one that resonates the most is that he was always a missionary at heart and wanted to return to the work and to the people he had started with and where there were the seeds of the mission he began on that first assignment.
He began and ended his ministry as a missionary and of course a martyr.
He is an example for us that nothing should be held above serving and reaching out to those who have not heard the Good News. Nothing, not our successes and position in life. Not even our successes in ministry. We listen and go where we are called by God to serve. St Boniface held nothing back and truly loved God above all else and loved others above himself.
Deacon Tony Pynes 
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