Daily Gospel Reflection
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September 28, 2026
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.”
Excerpts from the Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America, second typical edition © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. Used with permission. All rights reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the copyright owner. The full readings of the day from the Lectionary are available here.
Reflection
Praying that your child makes a friend at a new school. A parent’s life-changing diagnosis. The repair bill you cannot absorb. A relationship carrying an old wound. An addiction. An immigrant neighbor living with uncertainty. Families awakened by the sounds of war. Some knots announce themselves, while others tighten quietly, constricting the heart until hope can barely breathe. On this devotional feast day, Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for us.
Carrying the ache of a recent miscarriage and tangled in loss, I rounded a corner behind the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Santa Fe, NM and stopped. There stood Mary, Undoer of Knots. A ribbon stretched between her hands, her posture purposeful, her diligent fingers tending one knot at a time. Beside her, thousands of fabric scraps covered a fence, each hand-tied by someone entrusting a sorrow, a fear, or an impossible problem to Mary’s intercession. I wanted my knot gone, and yet, Mary’s steady hands invited me into patient surrender.
St. Irenaeus wrote that Eve’s disobedience tied a knot of mistrust and Mary’s obedience undid it. Mary’s “yes” did not make suffering disappear; it made room for Christ to enter it.
Today’s gospel reveals the disciples’ two knots: comparison and exclusion. They argue over who is greatest and try to stop someone outside their circle from joining. Jesus draws a child close and widens the circle. He does more than settle their argument; he transforms greatness and belonging.
Perhaps this is how Mary works with the knots we hand her. Through her intercession, fear loosens into trust, control into openness, and worry into love that can breathe. I believe our Mother sees us in the hospital room, at the looming deadline, in the minivan, and she carries every knot to Christ. Even before the knot disappears, it no longer has to bind us. Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for us.
Prayer
Dear Lord, we pray for success in our days, but keep us mindful that true success is a sincere desire to serve. To be great is to serve in those quiet opportunities when our hearts touch another’s. Bless our eyes that we may see other people’s need; bless our hearts that we may feel other people’s pain; bless our minds that your wisdom may guide our actions. Amen.
Saint of the Day
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.
The English Christmas carol, “Good King Wenceslaus,” was written in the 19th century and is connected by popular devotion to this saint.
St. Wenceslaus, the good king who ruled with great faith and forgiveness—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Weceslaus is in the public domain. Last accessed April 3, 2025 on Wikimedia Commons.
