Suffer for Doing Good

 Suffer for Doing Good

 Memorial of Saint Wenceslaus, martyr

 But even if you should suffer because of righteousness, blessed are you. Do not be afraid or terrified with fear of them, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to explain to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame. It is better to suffer for doing good if that be the will of God than for doing evil. 1 Peter 3:14-17

"Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; whoever does not take up his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." Matthew 10:37-39 

Piety

Lyrics from the Christmas Carol “Good King Wenceslas”

By John Mason Neale (1853)

"Sire, the night is darker now

And the wind blows stronger

Fails my heart, I know not how

I can go no longer"

"Mark my footsteps, my good page

Tread thou in them boldly

Thou shalt find the winter's rage

Freeze thy blood less coldly" 

In his master's steps he trod

Where the snow lay dinted

Heat was in the very sod

Which the Saint had printed

Therefore, Christians, be sure

Wealth or rank possessing

Ye who now will bless the poor

Shall yourselves find blessing 

Study

Yes, Sisters and Brothers of Cursillo!  That piety section is a selection of the lyrics of the popular Christmas carol.  If you check the calendar, yes, it is still 87 days until December 25. However, if you look into the Lectionary or Universalis, today, the church celebrates the (optional) Memorial for Saint “Good King” Wenceslaus.  And perhaps the Irish Rovers will take your minds off the Pandemic, the elimination of the ‘Nationals AND Capitals from their playoffs, and the slow 1-2 start of the Washington football team.

The carol “Good King Wenceslaus” is a song for the Feast of St. Stephen (the first martyr) on December 26, the very day after Christmas. Right after the joy of the Nativity, the readings make an abrupt turn to the trials we may face when we commit to following Jesus.    

Wenceslaus was a 10th-century Catholic and was the Duke of Bohemia.   People also knew his as Vaclav the Good, but we can consider him the first famous Bohemian.  His brother and a band of disgruntled subjects disagreed with the king.  They assassinated Vaclav on the way to join in the consecration of a church.

In the heart of Prague, stands a statue of the now revered worldwide Duke of Bohemia. People who know this story look upon St. Wenceslaus as a caring Christian ruler and patron Saint, representing kindhearted generosity and selfless giving. Because these qualities are supposed to be at the heart of Christmas, it’s not surprising that good King Wenceslas is also the subject of a 167-year old, beloved Christmas carol. 

The song we know takes place on the feast day after Christmas. However, the King Wenceslas is not feasting; instead, he looks out the window onto the wintry landscape and discovers a poor man gathering whatever meager firewood he can find in the deep snow. Filled with compassion, Wenceslas calls his page and tells him to bring food and wood for the needy man. Then, instead of sending his page on the errand alone, Wenceslas leaves his comfortable home and goes with the page into the cold night to deliver the gifts personally.

At one point, the snow becomes so deep, and the wind so fierce that the page wonders if he can carry on. However, the page continues to suffer while doing good. Wenceslas invites the page to walk in the king’s footsteps, and as he does, the page finds the strength to endure. Together they brave the storm and fill the poor man’s humble home with generous gifts. 

Action

Aren’t we all somewhat like Wenceslas’s page? We joyfully accept the invitation to generous giving that comes with the Christmas season. It won’t be long until we fill baskets with food for Thanksgiving families and buy gifts for children in the county's foster care system and sell Christmas trees with the Knight of Columbus.

But sometimes meaningful giving, which makes a difference, requires sacrifice, which can be difficult. When this happens, we can find strength as we walk in the steps of the Master-Giver. 

“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 quickly identify with his struggle to bring harmony to society.

These days, Christians everywhere heed the call to become involved in social change and political activity to spread the values of the gospel today.