Our priest at Mass said that we can look at the reading as it presents three ways of being. Herod wants to live his life his way. He uses his power to do so. Herodias hates John the Baptist for preaching against her adultery. She wants to kill the messenger of truth. And John the Baptist stands his ground for God's law. He paid the ultimate price for being a witness to truth. He was imprisoned and later beheaded.
How do we live our lives? Which of three ways reflects what we do? Are we a true sign for Christ? What if our witness would cost us our lives? Sainthood is the true test of faith.
Here's the reading:
King Herod heard of it; for Jesus' name had become known. Some said, "John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; that is why these powers are at work in him." But others said, "It is Eli'jah." And others said, "It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old." But when Herod heard of it he said, "John, whom I beheaded, has been raised." For Herod had sent and seized John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Hero'di-as, his brother Philip's wife; because he had married her. For John said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." And Hero'di-as had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe. When he heard him, he was much perplexed; and yet he heard him gladly. But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and the leading men of Galilee. For when Hero'di-as' daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, "Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will grant it." And he vowed to her, "Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom." And she went out, and said to her mother, "What shall I ask?" And she said, "The head of John the baptizer." And she came in immediately with haste to the king, and asked, saying, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter." And the king was exceedingly sorry; but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. And immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard and gave orders to bring his head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.
We conclude with the meditation of the day from the Magnificat. It was written by Venerable Francis Xavier Nguyên Văn Thuân. He died in 2002. He was put in jail by the Vietnamese government for 13 years. While in prison, he continued to write to the faithful.
The Witness of John the Baptist
The more major a road, the more abundant and clear must be its traffic signals. If one were to take away all the traffic signs from our city streets or highways, terrible accidents would follow very quickly. Though they are silent, signals speak clearly: they take the place of a human presence; they exercise considerable influence on social and economic life; they can change the direction and daily itinerary of millions of people.
Every epoch has its signs, which transform a society’s way of living and thinking. Each time you call me to, Lord, I must have the courage to be your sign, even if others show ill will or hostility toward me. There is nothing astonishing in encountering negative reactions. After all, a signal may oblige us to stop midstream, yield to another, or, indeed, commit ourselves to a new path. Perhaps one must change directions completely and abandon a road of unrighteousness or deceit that one has been following.
John the Baptist was a sign for Herod. John insisted that Herod cease living in a way contrary to God’s law, to change his direction. And John the Baptist paid for this with his life…. The person who desires to become a sign must be dedicated to sacrifice, even as the aged Simeon prophesied of Jesus: This child will be a sign of contradiction. The person who wants to be a sign will share in the destiny of the Virgin Mary: And a sword will pierce your soul. A sign must be steady and bold, luminous and watchful, indifferent to opinions, well rooted and unshakeable, capable of facing storms and long nights, trials and dangers.
St. John the Baptist, pray for us.
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