Daily Gospel Reflection

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September 28, 2023

Thursday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Lk 9:7-9
Listen to the Audio Version

Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening,
and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying,
“John has been raised from the dead”;
others were saying, “Elijah has appeared”;
still others, “One of the ancient prophets has arisen.”
But Herod said, “John I beheaded.
Who then is this about whom I hear such things?”
And he kept trying to see him.

Reflection

Claire Cataldo ’24
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Today’s passage can be divided into three distinct responses from Herod. First, Herod hears about all that is happening. Second, he is perplexed by what people are saying. Third, he keeps, or continues, trying to see Jesus.

Though Herod is not commonly perceived in Scripture as an archetype for the spiritual life, his actions here not only model a shared experience of perplexion during discernment but also demonstrate an appropriate response: perseverance.

In this passage, we first hear of Herod as a listener: “Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening.” This line demonstrates Herod’s attentiveness to the events occurring around him. Like Herod, we are called to be alert to the events in our lives and the ways the Lord moves.

Second, Herod enters a state of perplexion. Perceptive to claims being made on the identity of Jesus Christ, he is troubled by the incoherence of these statements. The information he has received does not align with what he knows to be true about John the Baptist, nor does it sit right with him. In this life, we, too, are faced with conflicting information and challenged to discern the truth.

The third movement that Herod makes in this passage is a movement toward perseverance. The last line of today’s passage states, “and he kept trying to see him.” In this line, Herod does not allow himself to get bogged down in the distracting details but maintains focus on his question: who is this man “about whom I hear such things.”

We are called to persevere in the questions that we propose to the Lord, for he has a mysterious way of answering our questions. And if we remain attentive to Christ’s actions, learn how to sit in periods of perplexion, and find strength in him to persevere, keeping our eyes on him the entire time, we will, in the Lord’s timing, receive the gift of progress from a state of perplexion to a state of clarity.

Prayer

Rev. Tim Mouton, C.S.C.

Almighty God, you are the source of our love and our faith. May your gifts help us strive to see your Son and follow him with courage. May our lives reflect the faith of the great women and men who have gone before us proclaiming the good news. May your strength be with us, that we may stand against whatever storms and terrors may come. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Saint of the Day

St. Wenceslaus

As the popular carol goes, St. Wenceslaus was, indeed, a good king, but not an English king. Wenceslaus was a ruler in an Eastern European kingdom, site of the present-day Czech Republic, and was killed by his younger brother who usurped the throne.

Wenceslaus was born in 907 near Prague into the Bohemian royal family. His grandparents were baptized Christians, and spread Christianity throughout their kingdom. Wenceslaus was raised by his grandmother, St. Ludmilla, who educated him and formed him as a Christian.
When Wenceslaus’ father died, anti-Christian forces began to develop throughout the kingdom. Knowing him to be a faithful, devoted Christian, Wenceslaus' mother suggested he enter a monastery. She also feared that upon assuming the throne, Wenceslaus would start a civil war with the pagan factions in the country. Ludmilla protested and continued to train Wenceslaus to be a Christian ruler, but she was banished from the court as Wenceslaus ascended to the throne. Wenceslaus announced that he would rule as a Christian who would abide by the law of God and the church. As an act of mercy, Wenceslaus restored his mother's place in court to her. Soon after, Ludmilla became a victim of court politics when she was strangled by two court nobles.

When Wenceslaus married and his wife bore a son, his younger brother, Boleslaus, lost his chance at succession. The discontented Boleslaus joined a group of dissidents who plotted against Wenceslaus' government.

In September of 929, Boleslaus invited Wenceslaus to celebrate the feast of Sts. Cosmas and Damian. Wenceslaus was warned that his life was in danger, but he paid the warnings no heed. He toasted Michael the Archangel, said his prayers, went to bed and slept peacefully through the night. The next morning, Wenceslaus met Boleslaus and embraced him, thanking him for his hospitality. Suddenly, Boleslaus and his allies attacked Wenceslaus, cruelly assassinating him. Wenceslaus last words were, “Brother, may God forgive you.”

Almost instantly, the Bohemian people honored the popular king as a martyr. Boleslaus was worried about reports of miracles taking place at Wenceslaus' tomb and moved his body to Prague, where it eventually became a pilgrimage site. St. Wenceslaus is the patron of the Czech people, and some of his relics rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica. His image above appears with permission from Catholic.org.

The English Christmas carol, “Good King Wenceslaus,” was written in the 19th century and is connected by popular devotion to this saint. You can read more about the development of that folk song more here.

St. Wenceslaus, the good king who ruled with great faith and forgiveness—pray for us!