Theological musings/personal reflections

Good King Wenceslas

The patron saint of the Czech Republic, the country in which IBTS is situated, is St Wenceslas, svaty Václav in Czech. In English, he’s probably best known as the subject of the Christmas carol, Good King Wenceslas. He wasn’t, however, a king, and as most of what we know about him is legend more than fact, it’s not entirely clear just how good he was either.
He was probably born around 907, grandson of the first ruler to have been baptised by Cyril and Methodius when they came to the Czech lands in 862-3. Wenceslas was a Duke, the ruler of the area of Bohemia. It would appear that, like most of the nobility before and since, he had a somewhat dysfunctional family, with relations between his grandmother, St. Ludmila, and his mother (Ludmila’s daughter-in-law) somewhat strained.
It is not even quite clear when he died. It is known that it was Monday 28th September, which makes it either 929 or 935, the latter date being now the most commonly accepted. At any rate, it’s another good reason to stay in bed on Monday morning! online sales valium Ambien Online Pharmacy Discount buy ambien online without rx
buy alprazolam online; Ambien No Prescription Fedex Overnight Delivery cheap ativan buy pharmacy online now
cheapest alprazolam? Buy Xanax Cod “buy valium phillipines”
buy alprazolam Mail Order Valium buy valium us pharmacy
buy non genaric ambien online Buy Cheap Valium Uk xanax order online no prescription
xanax cheap no prescription Xanax Cheap Without A Prescription xanax sales online;
what color is generic xanax Were To Buy Xanax “buy xanax without perscription”
cheap alprazolam order now no prescription Buy Lorazepam No Prescription Overseas ambien fedex
discount generic xanax Lowest Price Ativan Get It Now buy brand name xanax,
cheapest xanax pills Ambien Cr For Sale ativan lorazepam buy cheap ativan online
lorazepam on line fedex? Buy Xanax Without A Prescription ambien cr buy fed ex delivery
buy alprazolam from mexico Buy Xanax Fedex cheap generic overseas ativan
cheap ambien without prescription Buy Xanax Online Without buy diazepam saturday delivery
buy valium madre natura Buy Zolpidem ativan for sale
cheap diazepam; Buy Cheap Xanax Img xanax generic price?
order ambien from canada? Buy 2mg Xanax Online cheapest xanax no prescription,
xanax peach pill Zolpidem Price valium cheap
all about buy xanax Zolpidem Tartrate Buy buying xanax without presciption
ambien blue pill Buy Alprazolam No Prescription Fast xanax compare prices
prices for sleep aid ambien! Ambien Price Boards Chongqed “valium online order”
buy xanax from india no rx! Buy Non Genaric Ambien Online buy cheap ambien
pharmacies that send xanax by fedex Mexican Xanax Sales order xanax online?
lorazepam depresses hiccups Fedex Overnight Ambien buy ativan from discount store?
cheap ativan online discount pharmacy Xanax Money Order buy xanax by electronic check
ativan for panic disorder Mylan Generic Ambien buy ativan 2.5 mg from india
online sales valium Discount Ambien Cr buy ambien online without rx
buy alprazolam online; Order Phentramine Ativan By Phone cheap ativan buy pharmacy online now
cheapest alprazolam? Purchase Ambien Cheaper “buy valium phillipines”
buy alprazolam Buy 10 Mg Valium Online buy valium us pharmacy
buy non genaric ambien online Buy Xanax Cod Payment xanax order online no prescription
xanax cheap no prescription Buy Valium Uk xanax sales online;
what color is generic xanax Buy Valium No Presciption “buy xanax without perscription”
cheap alprazolam order now no prescription Buy Xanax No Prescription ambien fedex
discount generic xanax Brooks Pharmacy Price Lorazepam buy brand name xanax,
cheapest xanax pills Order Oklahoma Ambien Cod ativan lorazepam buy cheap ativan online
lorazepam on line fedex? Order Klonipin And Xanax ambien cr buy fed ex delivery
buy alprazolam from mexico Generic Ambien Cheap cheap generic overseas ativan
cheap ambien without prescription Buy No Prescription 2mg Xanax buy diazepam saturday delivery
buy valium madre natura Order Generic Ambien ativan for sale
cheap diazepam; Cheapest Zolpidem Ambien xanax generic price?
order ambien from canada? Discount Diazepam No Prescription cheapest xanax no prescription,
xanax peach pill Generic 2mg Xanax valium cheap
all about buy xanax Search Results Cheap Xanax buying xanax without presciption
ambien blue pill Buy Xanax With Online Consultation xanax compare prices
prices for sleep aid ambien! Order Xanax Paying Cod “valium online order”
buy xanax from india no rx! Order Oklahoma Ambien buy cheap ambien
pharmacies that send xanax by fedex Bac Cheap Comment Leave Xanax order xanax online?
lorazepam depresses hiccups Xanax For Sale Overnight Delivery buy ativan from discount store?
cheap ativan online discount pharmacy Nrop Ambien Prices Good Find buy xanax by electronic check
ativan for panic disorder Order Diazepam buy ativan 2.5 mg from india
online sales valium Ambien For Sale No Prescription buy ambien online without rx
buy alprazolam online; Buy Ambien Online Without A Prescription cheap ativan buy pharmacy online now
cheapest alprazolam? Buy Diazepam Cheap “buy valium phillipines”
buy alprazolam Lorazepam Sleeping Pill buy valium us pharmacy
buy non genaric ambien online Buy Xanax Online Information xanax order online no prescription
xanax cheap no prescription Buy 2mg Alprazolam Without A Prescription xanax sales online;
what color is generic xanax Buy 0.25 Mg Alprazolam “buy xanax without perscription”
cheap alprazolam order now no prescription Search Results Wholesale Mg Xanax ambien fedex
Wenceslas was allegedly killed by his brother, possibly for political reasons, possibly for religious reasons, possibly by accident.
All of this leaves the legends. The legend is of the good and just ruler, killed by the scheming (later repentant) opponent. Legends, of course, are not necessarily always entirely untrue, and they do help to give a picture of what we want and desire. So, this story of Wenceslas, seen as the protector with his life of the Czech people, remains a powerful one. Here was a man who sought to follow Christ in all he did, even to the extent of laying down his life for his people. He wanted to act justly, to be someone who did good. He serves as a sign of what it is possible for the committed disciple to do.
The Czech Republic today is not a country where people have much time for institutional religion, for churches and church membership. This is not quite the same as saying that it is without faith or belief, since many people hunger for God, even if they often don’t even quite know how to name that hunger. They can understand someone like St. Wenceslas, even if they don’t have much time for any of the Christian churches. The witness of a life of faith, of devotion to others, of service and love, remains a powerful reminder to the people of this country of what being a follower of Christ can bring. On this Monday 28th September we at IBTS hope that in our own very small way we too can carry on this witness – it may make it worth getting up on a public holiday after all!

– Tim

Leave a Reply