Monday, September 28, 2015

Homily: Sept 28 2015 - St. Wenceslas, Christian King of Bohemia and Martyr



Today we celebrate the feast of Good King Wenceslaus.  He was the son of a Christian Duke of Bohemia, and a pagan mother who was a harsh cruel woman.  His holy grandmother saw the danger to the life of this future king, so she asked permission to raise the child.  So Wenceslaus was educated in the true faith and through the example of his grandmother developed a very strong devotion to the Blessed Sacrament.

When his father died, Wenceslaus was still a minor, so his mother assumed the government, and she passed a series of anti-Christian laws, persecuting Christianity.  In the interest of the faith, and at the encouragement of his grandmother, Wenceslaus claimed and obtained the support of a large portion of his countrymen. Even though he was still a minor, he ruled as King of Bohemia.  His mother allied herself with another son, Boteslaus, a Pagan, and plotted to one day kill Wenceslaus, and out of spite and hatred for the faith, the grandmother was assassinated, martyred while she was praying in thanksgiving after receiving Holy Communion.

Once, when his kingdom was attacked, there was a prince from the invading army, who was charging toward Wenceslaus with a lance to kill him.  And the prince saw the king make the sign of the cross, and two celestial spirits appeared at the king’s side. The prince heard a voice saying, “do not strike him”.  So astonished was the prince, that he got off of his horse and knelt at the feet of King Wenceslaus and asked his pardon establishing peace between the two kingdoms. 

King Wenceslaus attended Mass every day. He crushed the wheat and crushed the grapes for the bread and wine used at Mass.  He also provided food for the poor, bringing them provisions by night so they would be spared any public shame because of their poverty. 

On the feasts of the dedication of the churches in various cities, the king would visit those cities.  One Sunday, he entered the city on the Feast of Saints Cosmas and Damian, which was controlled by his brother Boteslaus.  And after hearing Mass, Boteslaus struck Wenceslaus with a sword, while two of his counselors stabbed Wenceslaus to death, murdering him at the entrance to the church.

Wenceslaus lived his faith in a time of political upheaval.  He sought to unify his countrymen under the banner of the Christian faith. And even though he knew that some conspired against him, that did not keep him from deep faith: devout recourse to the Eucharist and fervent compassion toward the poor.


The powers and principalities plot and conspire against each of us.  And our greatest defense ought to be the same as the Saintly King we honor today: submission to the providence of God, friendship with God’s holy angels, deep Eucharistic faith, fervent charity towards those in need, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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