Readings & Reflections: Monday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time & St. Wenceslaus, September 28,2020

Wenceslaus’ father, Duke Ratislav, and his grandmother Ludmila were among the first Catholics of Bohemia. His mother, Drahomira, reverted to her heathen roots. Upon his father’s death, Wenceslaus’ mother had Ludmila murdered, and kindled the animosity of his brother, Boleslaus, toward Wenceslaus’ “gaze never moved from Jesus Christ” (Pope Benedict XVI). The son of the Christian duke Ratislav and a heathen mother, Wenceslaus was born around the year 907 A.D. near Prague. He was still a teenager when he wrested the throne from his mother, who was suppressing the Church. Wenceslaus invited Latin clergy into the country and promoted education in his realm. His policies drew the ire of his brother, who was complicit in Wenceslaus’ murder in 929 A.D. Wenceslaus’ status as a martyr comes from the manner of his death, at the hands of Boleslaus and his associates. When run through by the sword, he responded, “Brother, may God forgive you.” The “eternal” prince of the Czech people, Wenceslaus “had the courage to prefer the kingdom of heaven to the enticement of worldly power” (Pope Benedict XVI). In the year 2000 A.D., the Czech Republic declared September 28 Czech Statehood Day, honoring Wenceslaus, the country’s patron.

Or, Readings & Reflections: Tuesday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time & St. Lorenzo Ruiz & Companions, September 22,2020 http://www.pagadiandiocese.org/2020/09/22/readings-reflections-tuesday-of-the-twenty-fifth-week-in-ordinary-time-st-lorenzo-ruiz-companions-september-222020/

AMDG+

Opening Prayer

“Lord Jesus, by your cross You have redeemed the world and revealed your glory and triumph over sin and death. May I never fail to see your glory and victory on the cross.  Help me to conform my life to your will and to follow in your way of holiness.”  In your Mighty Name, I pray. Amen.

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September 28,2020 English Mass, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (Middle East)

Reading I
Job 1:6-22

One day, when the angels of God came to present themselves before the LORD,
Satan also came among them.
And the LORD said to Satan, “Whence do you come?”
Then Satan answered the LORD and said,
“From roaming the earth and patrolling it.”
And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job,
and that there is no one on earth like him,
blameless and upright, fearing God and avoiding evil?”
But Satan answered the LORD and said,
“Is it for nothing that Job is God-fearing?
Have you not surrounded him and his family
and all that he has with your protection?
You have blessed the work of his hands,
and his livestock are spread over the land.
But now put forth your hand and touch anything that he has,
and surely he will blaspheme you to your face.”
And the LORD said to Satan,
“Behold, all that he has is in your power;
only do not lay a hand upon his person.”
So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.

And so one day, while his sons and his daughters
were eating and drinking wine
in the house of their eldest brother,
a messenger came to Job and said,
“The oxen were ploughing and the asses grazing beside them,
and the Sabeans carried them off in a raid.
They put the herdsmen to the sword,
and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
While he was yet speaking, another came and said,
“Lightning has fallen from heaven
and struck the sheep and their shepherds and consumed them;
and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
While he was yet speaking, another messenger came and said,
“The Chaldeans formed three columns,
seized the camels, carried them off,
and put those tending them to the sword,
and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
While he was yet speaking, another came and said,
“Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine
in the house of their eldest brother,
when suddenly a great wind came across the desert
and smote the four corners of the house.
It fell upon the young people and they are dead;
and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
Then Job began to tear his cloak and cut off his hair.
He cast himself prostrate upon the ground, and said,

“Naked I came forth from my mother’s womb,
and naked shall I go back again.
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
blessed be the name of the LORD!”

In all this Job did not sin,
nor did he say anything disrespectful of God.

The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 17:1bcd, 2-3, 6-7
R (6) Incline your ear to me and hear my word.

Hear, O LORD, a just suit;
attend to my outcry;
hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.
R Incline your ear to me and hear my word.

From you let my judgment come;
your eyes behold what is right.
Though you test my heart, searching it in the night,
though you try me with fire, you shall find no malice in me.
R Incline your ear to me and hear my word.

I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me; hear my word.
Show your wondrous mercies,
O savior of those who flee
from their foes to refuge at your right hand.
R Incline your ear to me and hear my word.

Alleluia, Alleluia. The Son of Man came to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. Alleluia, Alleluia.

Gospel
Lk 9:46-50

An argument arose among the disciples about which of them was the greatest. Jesus realized the intention of their hearts and took a child and placed it by his side and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. For the one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest.”

Then John said in reply,
“Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name
and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow in our company.” Jesus said to him, “Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Reflection 1 – The greatest in the Kingdom

During the time of Jesus day, religious leaders wanted to be the greatest in the kingdom of God. Preferential treatment for religious leaders was the norm for the day and the disciples had been raised in a system that emphasized “greatness”. This is the reason why I am inclined to believe that the disciples were all hoping for glory the way the world knew it when they asked Jesus: “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?”

There must have been a time when the 12 disciples had been hoping that Jesus would establish an earthly kingdom that would feature each of them as leaders of this new kingdom. Thus when the disciples approached Jesus with their question, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?” I could almost see Peter boldly saying it was him since Jesus gave him the keys to the kingdom. Likewise we can also see James and John vying to be the greatest as they were there to witness His transfiguration. In fact, in Matthew 20:21 James and John wanted to be seated on the right and left hand of Jesus, a symbol of rank in the Jewish system.

The disciples erred in their focus when they asked Jesus who will be the greatest in God’s kingdom as they had a worldly perspective of greatness. The disciples gave the impression that they wanted to be considered great so that other people would see them sitting on high with Jesus and marvel at just how great they were. Maybe they were tired of seeing the religious leaders being exalted that they also wanted to have a taste of greatness!

Their whole idea of being the greatest was way off focus from what our Lord taught them: “If anyone wishes to rank first, he should must remain the last one of all and the servant of all.” Mark 9:35 This was further affirmed when our Lord said in Luke 14:11, “ He who humbles himself shall be exalted.”

Today Christians still struggle with the same thing. We want to be great in the world’s eyes. We can be so concerned on what people will say as we seek the approval of the world that we lose focus on what is truly important. We seek the world’s approval more than we seek God and His ways. We regrettably set aside our Lord and assume that in His goodness and love we will be forgiven. We place more importance on the transient rather than the eternal. We are so attached to the world that all we may care for are our achievements, the wealth we accumulate, the power we exercise and the influence we have in the world, but we set aside the salvation of our souls. That is what our hearts cherish and long for; indeed the greatness we aspire for. This is sad reality but most of us have missed the very essence of our existence.

According to our Lord, one way to greatness is by becoming like a child in responding to His call. We should be able to respond to His Word and commit to a life of servanthood as Christ served for the Father’s sake. We should have the innocence and the humility of a child as we relate to God and His people. We need to have a change of mind and will and repent of our sins and have the eagerness, simplicity and enthusiasm to learn more about God. But most importantly, we can only be great in God’s kingdom if we are totally reliant on Him and humble in our ways.

How then do we pursue a humble relationship with God and neighbor?

One way to do this is by having true humility, one that is founded on fraternal charity. Thus, anyone who is proud and carries with him a hotbed of discord fails in this test. He often prefers himself to others, is provocative, envious, haughty and disdainful of those whom he considers his inferiors. Therefore one who wishes to scale the heights of God’s glory must never be critical of him whose way is not so high, nor be scandalized at the faults of another. If duty requires one to admonish another, he should do so in sweetness and kindness. Authentic sweetness is another fruit of humility because when one corrects others, he should always take heed to ourselves: “lest thou be tempted”. This is not to mean that rigidity covered by sweetness is acceptable.

Being humble and child-like in one’s response to God is being patient and remaining hopeful in God for His blessings and being totally dependent on Him. It means positively responding to God’s Word despite difficulties and obstacles that come one’s way. One should not be discouraged by trials and tribulations in one’s spiritual life even when he does not succeed in overcoming them. We may have all the shortcomings and imperfections but God has promised His grace on those who are lowly and humble.

God continually renews one’s efforts to be a good servant although the results may not be apparent. But in God’s time He shall bless those faithful to Him in the way that pleases Him and one shall reap the great fruit of being His humble servant.

For those aspiring to be great in God’s kingdom, one should always remember that Jesus will be the greatest in God’s kingdom as no one can ever compare with our Lord. Therefore the closer our ways are to Him, the better are our chances of being considered for greatness in our Father’s kingdom.

Direction

To be great in God’s kingdom, we need the humility and simplicity of a child. Focus on Jesus and His ways.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, give me a humble heart that prefers to be last rather than first and to be lowly rather than be great. In Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Reflection 2 – Who is the greatest?         

Within every group that is constituted by people, politics prevail. This is true even within God’s very own Church. It seems that politics in God’s church has been existing from the very start, even during the time of Jesus and his first disciples as one can surmise from today’s gospel scenario. In most cases, the one who normally wields the most power and has been given some authority gets away with a lot to the detriment of a bigger number as one can see from the reactions John had on another group.

We all see that there was jealousy and rivalry between the disciples. They were all competing for the best place in terms of their relationship with Jesus. Everyone wanted to be the greatest within the group and in the eyes of our Lord. They were not able to contain this negative attitude among themselves but even allowed it to flow into other people who professed allegiance to our Lord and did work in His Name as well. From what transpired in our gospel for today, we can see that their attention was drawn away from our Lord Jesus as their focus centered on themselves. They were quite hostile to one another and suppressed other people’s spiritual endeavors for the Lord, by-products of jealousy and pride. One can experience this from the comments of John, one Jesus’ disciples when He said: “Master, we saw a man using your name to expel demons, and we tried to stop him because he is not of our company.” Regrettably John’s comments may sound familiar to some of us.

Politics as they flow from competition, rivalry and jealousy should not be given space within God’s Church, as one will realize the terrible impact it can have on God’s people. It impedes God’s work as everyone’s attention is drawn away from our Lord as the focus switches to self. We tend to makes ourselves god and in time we lord it over others whom we cannot accept as part of our own inner circle.

Today God is asking us to shy away from politics within our own smaller churches and look at others as better than ourselves. We need to humble ourselves the way Jesus did as “He emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness and found human in appearance. He humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Yes, all the way up to His Cross. We must therefore pray to our Lord for guidance as the only way to greatness is by being last. By being gracious to hostility and ably surrendering all our cares to God, He gifts us with the best way to greatness. We become humble, less militant and competitive, that love of God and neighbor becomes foremost in our hearts. Let us not strive to be the greatest in the eyes of the world but always choose to be the least and last of all as Jesus Himself said: “The one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest.”

Direction

Humbly regard others as more important than ourselves by remaining focused on Jesus.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, give me the grace to remain faithful to your divine plan for me and on NOT on what my human heart and mind may dictate. In Jesus I pray. Amen.

Reflection 3 – Jesus perceived the thought of their hearts

Are you surprised to see the disciples of Jesus arguing about who is the greatest among them? Don’t we do the same thing? The appetite for glory and greatness seems to be inbred in us. Who doesn’t cherish the ambition to be “somebody” whom others admire rather than a “nobody”?  Even the psalms speak about the glory God has destined for us. “You have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor” (Psalm 8:5). Jesus made a dramatic gesture by placing a child next to himself to show his disciples who really is the greatest in the kingdom of God.

What can a little child possibly teach us about greatness? Children in the ancient world had no rights, position, or privileges of their own. They were socially at the “bottom of the rung” and at the service of their parents, much like the household staff and domestic servants. What is the significance of Jesus’ gesture? Jesus elevated a little child in the presence of his disciples by placing the child in a privileged position of honor at his right side. It is customary, even today, to seat the guest of honor at the right side of the host. Who is the greatest in God’s kingdom? The one who is humble and lowly of heart – who instead of asserting their rights willingly empty themselves of pride and self-seeking glory by taking the lowly position of a servant or child.

Jesus, himself, is our model. He came not to be served, but to serve (Matthew 20:28). Paul the Apostles states that Jesus “emptied himself and took the form of a servant” (Philippians 2:7).  Jesus lowered himself (he whose place is at the right hand of God the Father) and took on our lowly nature that he might raise us up and clothe us in his divine nature. “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). If we want to be filled with God’s life and power, then we need to empty ourselves of everything which stands in the way – pride, envy, self-seeking glory, vanity, and possessiveness. God wants empty vessels so he can fill them with his own glory, power, and love (2 Corinthians 4:7). Are you ready to humble yourself and to serve as Jesus did?

“Lord Jesus, your grace knows no bounds. You give freely to the humble of heart and you grant us freedom to love and serve others selflessly. May my love for you express itself in an eagerness to do good for others.” – Read the source: https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/readings/2020/sep28.htm

Reflection 4 – Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you

An argument arose among the disciples about which of them was the greatest. Jesus realized the intention of their hearts and took a child and placed it by his side and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. For the one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest.” Then John said in reply, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow in our company.” Jesus said to him, “Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.”

The Gospel today gives us two important points for reflection. The first is about true greatness. In the midst of the apostles who were arguing about who is the greatest among them, Jesus brings in a little child and says, “The one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest.” 

A child in the world of adults is almost a non-entity: no voice, no power, no rights. If we look around, we see how children are treated. In all the mistakes and folly of adults – poverty, wars, injustices, crimes, immorality, exploitation, sexual abuse – the children are always the ultimate victims. Jesus is painfully aware of this. That is why He said, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.” To “receive” such persons is to treat them with the utmost dignity and respect and to accept them and lift them up.

The child represents all who are vulnerable, weak and powerless. In Jesus’ eyes, such little people are models of true greatness: humble, simple, innocent, trusting and obedient. This is precisely the image of Jesus, “who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name” (Phil 2:6-9). In other words, becoming like a little child is precisely becoming like Jesus who “did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mt 20:28). This is the key to true greatness.

The second point is the application of this lesson. Part of being childlike is to acknowledge the giftedness of others. It takes a great amount of humility to do this. To think that one has the monopoly of a certain gift, or to look down on others who have no such gift is definitely a manifestation of pride.

The Apostles received from Jesus the power to cast out demons. They thought this power was exclusively theirs. That is why, in the Gospel today, they found a man casting out demons in the Name of Jesus. They do not know him since he does not belong to their group: “he does not follow in our company.” This could be the arrogance of the insider, of the elitist. So, they “tried to prevent him.” But Jesus said to them, “Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.”

Nobody has monopoly of God’s graces. And He does not need to consult or ask the permission of anybody as to whom He can give His graces and power.  Anyone who works for God, works for good. God must have called him to be His instrument. St Josemaría Escrivá gave this important advice: ʺNever blow out any candle that has been lit for Jesus Christ.ʺ

Certainly, even ‘good’ people can be afflicted by pride. In fact, it is even a more dangerous kind of  pride. This is what is called ‘spiritual pride’. If we look at the lives of the saints, many of them were victims of persecution by ‘good people.ʹ Understandably, since the saints have conformed themselves, not with the standards of this world, but with the standards of God, many people, even ‘good’ Christians, could not understand them. As a result, they are oftentimes marginalized, ridiculed and even persecuted.

All of us want to be pleasing to God, to be considered great in His eyes. But the first step towards that is to be like a little child – humble, simple and obedient. This runs against our natural human inclinations. But we are not just humans – we are God’s children and followers of Christ. With God’s grace, we hope to grow deeper in humility, more steadfast in obedience and more authentic in love. -(Source: Fr. Mike Lagrimas, St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Amsterdam St., Capitol Park Homes, Matandang Balara, Quezon City 1119).

Reflection 5 – Who’s better than you?

How easy it is to identify with the feelings of the disciples in today’s Gospel reading! We want to know that we’ve got greatness within us, that we are not garbage, that we have important value. We all too easily feel inferior. Most of the time, we’re controlled by an unmet need to feel better about ourselves. In an effort to convince ourselves that we’re okay, we use words like a shrinking ray to diminish others.

This is why Jesus gave the disciples – and us – a couple of examples of how equally special everyone is to him, and why. It’s based on what he preached in Matthew 25: What we do to others we do to him. In this case, the caring and acceptance that we give to a child is caring and acceptance that we give to Jesus. We are not greater than (superior to) children, for through them we encounter God, who alone is superior.

Children know less than we do. But once in a while, they come up with a gem of wisdom or an insight that challenges us, and because they are children, we dismiss it with a condescending smile and “Ahhh, how cute.” But that’s not how Jesus treats them. That’s not how Jesus wants to treat them through us.

What about adults? We expect them to believe us when we tell them what’s right and what’s wrong, and when they challenge us with an insight that goes against our perception of the truth, we diminish what they said so that we can protect ourselves from feeling inferior.

But that’s not how Jesus treats them. That’s not how Jesus treats us.

At some point in our lives, we discovered that we could feel good about ourselves if we belonged to “the right group” – the “in” crowd, the “elite” club, the “high status” jobs, the “most respected” parish ministry. Christ’s disciples, because they were members of his inner circle, assumed that they’d been given special privileges. When an outsider acted as if he had the same privileges, they didn’t think he was equally qualified.

We all know people who don’t match our idea of who’s qualified, but if they’re not working against God’s kingdom, we’d better not do anything against them, for that’s the same as being against Jesus!

Know that you are not inferior. It’s only God’s opinion of you that really matters. In his eyes, you are as important as anyone else. Jesus loves you as much as he loves his own mother! Once you realize this and let it heal your wounded heart, the temptation to feel superior will diminish. And every time you feel inferior to others again, ask God what hidden wound needs more healing, and if you do whatever it takes to open up to that healing, eventually the temptation to feel superior will disappear. – Read the source: http://gnm.org/good-news-reflections/?useDrDate=2018-10-01

Reflection 6 – Putting our hand to the plow and not expecting consolation

“God wants to show (me)… that it would be mistaken in looking elsewhere for a shadow of beauty which it would be taking for beauty itself!…

“How good he is to me… how divinely lovable he is when not wanting to allow me to attach myself to any created thing. He knows well that if he were to give me a shadow of happiness, I would attach myself to it with all my energy, all the strength of my heart, and this shadow he is refusing me; he prefers leaving me in darkness to giving me a false light which would not be himself!…Since I can’t find any creature that contents me, I want to give all to Jesus, and I don’t want to give to the creature even one atom of my love. My Jesus always makes me understand that he alone is perfect joy when he appears to be absent!…

“Today more than yesterday, if that were possible, I was deprived of all consolation. I thank Jesus, who finds this good for my soul, and that, perhaps if he were to console me, I would stop at this sweetness; but he wants that all be for Himself!… Well, then, all will be for him, all, even when I feel I am able to offer nothing; so, just like this evening, I will give him this nothing!

“Although Jesus is giving me no consolation, he is giving me a peace so great that it is doing me more good!…

“Joy is to be found only in suffering and in suffering without any consolation!” (St. Therese of Lisieux, +1897 A.D.).

Reflection 7 – Humility’s true greatness

“When the disciples were arguing about greatness, our Lord, that master of humility, took a little child, saying: Whosoever of you shall not have been converted and become as a little child cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. And that he might not seem merely to teach this and not do it, he fulfilled the precept by example when he washed the disciples’ feet, when he received his betrayer with a kiss, when he spoke with the Samaritan woman, when he discussed the Kingdom of heaven as Mary sat at his feet, when he rose from the dead and appeared first to mere women.

“Moreover, Satan fell from the height of the archangels for no other reason save pride – the opposite of humility. And [those who], because they claimed for themselves the chief seats and greetings in the marketplace, [were] succeeded by the people… who had previously been accounted as a drop of a bucket. Likewise, Peter and James, the fishermen, were sent to oppose the sophists of their time and the wise men of this world, wherefore the Scripture says: God resists the proud, but to the humble he gives grace (Source: St. Jerome, +420 A.D., Magnificat, Vol. 21, No. 7, September 2019, pp. 405-406).

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Reflection 8 – St. Wenceslaus (907?-929 A.D.)

If saints have been falsely characterized as “other worldly,” the life of Wenceslaus stands as an example to the contrary: He stood for Christian values in the midst of the political intrigues which characterized 10th-century Bohemia.

He was born in 907 near Prague, son of the Duke of Bohemia. His saintly grandmother, Ludmilla, raised him and sought to promote him as ruler of Bohemia in place of his mother, who favored the anti-Christian factions. Ludmilla was eventually murdered, but rival Christian forces enabled Wenceslaus to assume leadership of the government.

His rule was marked by efforts toward unification within Bohemia, support of the Church and peace-making negotiations with Germany, a policy which caused him trouble with the anti-Christian opposition. His brother Boleslav joined in the plotting, and in September of 929 invited Wenceslaus to Alt Bunglou for the celebration of the feast of Sts. Cosmas and Damian (September 26). On the way to Mass, Boleslav attacked his brother, and in the struggle, Wenceslaus was killed by supporters of Boleslav.

Although his death resulted primarily from political upheaval, Wenceslaus was hailed as a martyr for the faith, and his tomb became a pilgrimage shrine. He is hailed as the patron of the Bohemian people and of former Czechoslovakia.

Comment:

“Good King Wenceslaus” was able to incarnate his Christianity in a world filled with political unrest. While we are often victims of violence of a different sort, we can easily identify with his struggle to bring harmony to society. The call to become involved in social change and in political activity is addressed to Christians; the values of the gospel are sorely needed today.

Quote:

“While recognizing the autonomy of the reality of politics, Christians who are invited to take up political activity should try to make their choices consistent with the gospel and, in the framework of a legitimate plurality, to give both personal and collective witness to the seriousness of their faith by effective and disinterested service of men” (Pope Paul VI, A Call to Action, 46).

Patron Saint of: Bohemia

Read the source:  http://www.americancatholic.org/features/saints/saint.aspx?id=1152

SAINT OF THE DAY
Catholic saints are holy people and human people who lived extraordinary lives. Each saint the Church honors responded to God’s invitation to use his or her unique gifts. God calls each one of us to be a saint. 

WENCESLAUS I, DUKE OF BOHEMIA
Statue of Saint Wenceslaus in St. Vitus Cathedral, Prague. The head of the statue apparently fits the measurements of Wenceslaus’ skull.
MARTYR
BORN	c. 907 Prague, Bohemia
DIED	September 28, 935 Stará Boleslav, Bohemia
VENERATED IN	Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church
MAJOR SHRINE	St Vitus Cathedral, Prague
FEAST	September 28
ATTRIBUTES	Crown, dagger, burning eagle on a banner
PATRONAGE	Bohemia, Czech Republic,Prague

Cardinal Miloslav Vlk with the skull of Saint Wenceslaus during a procession on September 28, 2006

Wenceslaus I (Czech: Václav [ˈvaːtslaf] ( listen); c. 907 – September 28, 935), Wenceslas I, or Václav the Good^[1] was the duke (kníže) of Bohemia from 921 until his assassination in 935, in a plot by his younger brother, Boleslaus the Cruel.

His martyrdom, and the popularity of several biographies, quickly gave rise to a reputation for heroic goodness, resulting in his being elevated to sainthood, posthumously declared king, and seen as the patron saint of the Czech state. He is the subject of “Good King Wenceslas“, a Saint Stephen’s Day carol.

Contents

 [hide] 

• 1Biography
  • 1.1Reign
  • 1.2Murder
• 2Veneration
  • 2.1Wenceslaus in legend
• 3Legacy
  • 3.1In popular culture
• 4Genealogy
• 5See also
• 6Footnotes
• 7External links

Biography[edit]

Wenceslas was the son of Vratislaus I, Duke of Bohemia from the Přemyslid dynasty. His grandfather, Borivoj I of Bohemia, was converted by Saints Cyril and Methodius. His mother, Drahomíra, was the daughter of a pagan tribal chief of Havolans, but was baptized at the time of her marriage. His paternal grandmother, Ludmila of Bohemia, oversaw his education, and at an early age, Wenceslas was sent to the college at Budweis.^[2]

In 921, when Wenceslas was thirteen, his father died and his grandmother became regent. Jealous of the influence which Ludmila wielded over Wenceslas, Drahomíra arranged to have her killed. Ludmila was at Tetín Castle near Beroun when assassins murdered her on September 15, 921. She is said to have been strangled by them with her veil. She was at first buried in the church of St. Michael at Tetín, but her remains were later removed, probably by Wenceslas,^[3] to the church of St. George in Prague, which had been built by his father.^[4]

Drahomíra then assumed the role of regent, and immediately initiated measures against the Christians. When Wenceslas came of age, he took control of the government. He placed the duchy under the protection of Germany, introduced German priests, and favoured the Latin rite instead of the old Slavic, which had gone into disuse in many places for want of priests.^[2] To prevent disputes between him and his younger brother, Boleslav, they divided the country between them,^{[clarification needed]}assigning to the latter a considerable territory.^[4]

Reign[edit]

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After the fall of Great Moravia, the rulers of the Bohemian duchy had to deal both with continuous raids by the Magyars, and the forces of the Saxon duke and East Frankish king Henry the Fowler, who had started several eastern campaigns into the adjacent lands of the Polabian Slavs, homeland of Wenceslas’s mother. To withstand Saxon overlordship, Wenceslas’s father, Vratislaus, had forged an alliance with the Bavarian duke Arnulf the Bad, at that time, a fierce opponent of King Henry; however, it became worthless when Arnulf and Henry reconciled at Regensburg in 921.

In 924 or 925, at the age of 18, Wenceslas assumed leadership of the government, and had Drahomíra exiled.^{[citation needed]} He then defeated a rebellious duke ofKouřim named Radslav.^{[citation needed]} He also founded a rotunda consecrated to St. Vitus at Prague Castle in Prague, which exists as present-day St. Vitus Cathedral.

Early in 929, the joint forces of Duke Arnulf of Bavaria and King Henry I the Fowler reached Prague in a sudden attack, which forced Wenceslas to resume the payment of a tribute which had been first imposed by the East Frankish king, Arnulf of Carinthia in 895. Henry had been forced to pay a huge tribute to the Magyars in 926, and needed the Bohemian tribute, which Wenceslas probably refused to pay after the reconciliation between Arnulf and Henry.^{[citation needed]}Another possible reason for the attack was the formation of the anti-Saxon alliance between Bohemia, the Polabian Slavs, and the Magyars.

Wenceslaus’ assassination: the duke flees from his brother (with sword) to a church, but the priest closes the door. (Gumpold von Mantua, 10th century)

Murder[edit]

In September 935, a group of nobles allied with Wenceslas’s younger brother, Boleslav, plotted to kill Wenceslas. After Boleslav invited Wenceslas to the feast of Saints Cosmas and Damian in Stará Boleslav, three of Boleslav’s companions, Tira, Česta, and Hněvsa, fell on the duke and stabbed him to death.^[5] As the duke fell, Boleslav ran him through with a lance.^[4]

According to Cosmas of Prague, one of Boleslav’s sons was born on the day of Wenceslas’s death, and because of the ominous circumstance of his birth, the infant was named Strachkvas, which means “a dreadful feast”.^[5]

There is a tradition which states that Saint Wenceslas’s loyal servant, Podevin, avenged his death by killing one of the chief conspirators, but was executed by Boleslav.^{[citation needed]}

Veneration[edit]

Wenceslas was considered a martyr and a saint immediately after his death, when a cult of Wenceslas grew up in Bohemiaand in England.^[6] Within a few decades of Wenceslas’ death four biographies of him were in circulation.^[7][8] Thesehagiographies had a powerful influence on the High Middle Ages conceptualization of the rex justus, or “righteous king”—that is, a monarch whose power stems mainly from his great piety, as well as from his princely vigor.^[9]

St. Wenceslas Chapel in St. Vitus Cathedral

Referring approvingly to these hagiographies, the chronicler Cosmas of Prague, writing in about the year 1119, states:^[10]

But his deeds I think you know better than I could tell you; for, as is read in his Passion, no one doubts that, rising every night from his noble bed, with bare feet and only one chamberlain, he went around to God’s churches and gave alms generously to widows, orphans, those in prison and afflicted by every difficulty, so much so that he was considered, not a prince, but the father of all the wretched.

Several centuries later the legend was claimed as fact by Pope Pius II.^[11]

Although Wenceslas was, during his lifetime, only a duke, Holy Roman Emperor Otto I posthumously “conferred on [Wenceslas] the regal dignity and title” and that is why, in the legend and song, he is referred to as a “king”.^[2]

The hymn “Svatý Václave” (Saint Wenceslas) or “Saint Wenceslas Chorale” is one of the oldest known Czech songs in history. Its roots can be found in the 12th century and it still belongs to the most popular religious songs to this day. In 1918, in the beginning of the Czechoslovak state, the song was discussed as one of the possible choices for the national anthem.

His feast day is celebrated on September 28,^[12][13] while the translation of his relics, which took place in 938, is commemorated on March 4.^[14]

Since 2000, the feast day of Saint Wenceslas (September 28) is a public holiday in the Czech Republic, celebrated as the Czech Statehood Day.

Wenceslaus in legend[edit]

According to one legend one Count Radislas rose in rebellion and marched against Wenceslas. The latter, sending him a deputation, made offers of peace, but Radislas viewed the king’s message as a sign of cowardice. The two armies were drawn up opposite each other in battle array, when Wenceslas, to avoid shedding so much innocent blood, challenged Radislas to single combat. As Radislas advanced toward the duke, he saw, by the side of Wenceslas, two angels who cried to him: “Stand off!” This cry acted like a thunderbolt upon Radislas, and changed his intentions. Throwing himself from his horse, he fell at the Saint’s feet, and asked for pardon. Wenceslas raised him and kindly received him again into favor.

A second enduring legend claims a huge army of knights sleep inside Blaník, a mountain in the Czech Republic. The knights will awake and under the command of St. Wenceslaus and bring aid to the Czech people when they face ultimate danger (see also King in the mountain legends). There is a similar great legend in Prague which says that when the Motherland is in danger or in its darkest times and close to ruin, the equestrian statue of King Wenceslaus in Wenceslaus Square will come to life, raise the army sleeping in Blaník, and upon crossing the Charles Bridge his horse will stumble and trip over a stone, revealing the legendary sword of Bruncvík. With this sword, King Wenceslaus will slay all the enemies of the Czechs, bringing peace and prosperity to the land.^[15] Ogden Nash wrote a comic epic poem—”The Christmas that Almost Wasn’t”, loosely based on the same legend—in which a boy awakens Wenceslaus and his knights to save a kingdom from usurpers who have outlawed Christmas.^[16]

Legacy[edit]

	Good King Wenceslaus MENU 0:00 Christmas carol “Good King Wenceslas”
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Wenceslaus is the subject of the popular Saint Stephen’s Day (celebrated on December 26 in the West) Carol, “Good King Wenceslas“. It was published by John Mason Neale in 1853, and may be a translation of a poem by Czech poet Václav Alois Svoboda. The usual American English spelling of Duke Wenceslas’ name, Wenceslaus, is occasionally encountered in later textual variants of the carol, although it was not used by Neale in his version.^[17]Wenceslas is not to be confused with King Wenceslaus I of Bohemia (Wenceslaus I Premyslid), who lived more than three centuries later.

Statue of Saint Wenceslas on the eponymous square in Prague

An equestrian statue of Saint Wenceslaus and other patrons of Bohemia (St. Adalbert, St. Ludmila, St. Prokop and St. Agnes of Bohemia) is located on Wenceslaus Square in Prague. The statue is a popular meeting place in Prague. Demonstrations against the Communist regime were held there.^[18]

His helmet and armour are on display inside Prague Castle.^[19]

In popular culture[edit]

The 1994 television film Good King Wenceslas is a highly fictional account of his early life. The film stars Jonathan Brandis in the title role, supported by Leo McKern, Stefanie Powers, and Joan Fontaineas Ludmila.^[20]

A 1987 BBC radio play by Alick Rowe, Crisp and Even Brightly, starring Timothy West as Wenceslas, is a comic re-telling of the story of the carol, involving a page called Mark and spies seeking the downfall of the King.^{[citation needed]}

Genealogy[edit]

Bořivoj I born between 852 and 855 died between 888 and 891

Saint Ludmila born c. 860 died 15 September 921

?

?

Vratislav I born 888 died 13 February 921

Drahomíra of Stodory? died po 935

Václav I born about 907 died apparently 28 September 935

See also[edit]

• Saints portal

• Crown of Saint Wenceslas
• Sword of Saint Wenceslas
• Statues of Saints Norbert, Wenceslaus and Sigismund

Footnotes[edit]

1. Jump up^ Christiansen, Rupert. “The story behind the carol: Good King Wenceslas”, The Telegraph, 14 December 2007
2. ^ Jump up to:^a b c Mershman,Francis. “St. Wenceslaus.” The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 15. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 8 January 2016
3. Jump up^ Ott, Michael. “St. Ludmilla.” The Catholic EncyclopediaVol. 9. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 8 January 2016
4. ^ Jump up to:^a b c Butler, Alban. “St. Wenceslas, Duke of Bohemia, Martyr”, The Lives of the Saints, Vol. IX 1866
5. ^ Jump up to:^a b Newton, Michael. “Wenceslaus I (907-935)”, Famous Assassinations in World History, ABC-CLIO, 2014, ISBN 9781610692861
6. Jump up^ Describing the Codex Gigas, a thirteenth-century manuscript from Bohemia in the Swedish National Library in Stockholm, it is stated: “All this bears witness to the outstanding importance of the cult of Vaclav in Bohemia at the time of the Devil’s Bible’s compilation. Moreover, all three festivals are inscribed in red ink, denoting their superlative degree.”
7. Jump up^ The First Slavonic Life (in Old Church Slavonic), the anonymous Crescente fide, the Passio by Gumpold, bishop of Mantua (d. 985), and The Life and Passion of Saint Václav and his Grandmother Saint Ludmilla by Kristian.
8. Jump up^ Hastening Toward Prague: Power and Society in the Medieval Czech Lands – Lisa Wolverton – Google Boeken. Books.google.com. 2001-07-25. Retrieved2013-11-20.
9. Jump up^ “Defries—St. Oswald’s Martyrdom”. Mun.ca. Retrieved2013-11-20.
10. Jump up^ Book I of the Chronica Boëmorum, Quoted in Wolverton, op. cit. Not to be confused with Saint Cosmas.
11. Jump up^ “Good King Wenceslas”. Kresadlo.cz. Retrieved 2013-11-20.
12. Jump up^ September 28/October 11. Orthodox Calendar (PRAVOSLAVIE.RU).
13. Jump up^ Martyr Wenceslaus the Prince of the Czechs. OCA – Lives of the Saints.
14. Jump up^ March 4/17. Orthodox Calendar (PRAVOSLAVIE.RU).
15. Jump up^ Košnář, Julius (2008). Staropražské pověsti a legendy. Prague: Nakladatelství XYZ. p. 289. ISBN 978-80-86864-86-0.
16. Jump up^ Ogden Nash, The Christmas that Almost Wasn’t, Little, Brown and Company, 1957OCLC 1211904
17. Jump up^ Wencesla-us is the Mediaeval Latin form of the name, declined in the Second Declension.
18. Jump up^ “St. Wenceslas Monument in Prague”, Prague.cz
19. Jump up^ “Prague Castle: St Wenceslas Chapel”