THE BEHEADING OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST - TUESDAY OF WEEK 21 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2023

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Happy those who are persecuted
in the cause of right,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. MT 5:10

JEREMIAH 1:17-19 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

We live in a world where more are more the truth is called a lie and lies the truth. We live in a world where the wise are ground under the heels of fools and their voices are silenced by indoctrinated mobs who find their identity meaning and purpose for their lives by mindlessly parroting evil ideas and terrorizing and penalizing those who fearlessly stand their ground refusing to kowtow to their demonic agendas.

Today, Your Word O Lord reminds us to have courage. To brace ourselves for the onslaught of evil that threatens to mow us down. But You assure us that those who stand firmly on Your Word, those who abide in Your Word will be invincible

Today, the Church invites us to reflect on the beheading of St. John the Baptist, Your precursor and friend of the Bridegroom who prepared the Way for Your coming. He proclaimed the truth boldly. He called out sin wherever he found it even if it meant publicly renouncing the sins of Herod. He fulfilled the mission that was entrusted to him faithfully and in the end, it cost him his life which he gave up gladly. We are easily bullied and knuckle under the bluster of the mob who threaten violence and mayhem if we stand up firmly against them.  Give us the grace and the courage, O Lord that we may prefer to lay down our lives and die for the Truth rather than live cowardly lives refusing to speak up when we ought because we love our lives too much to risk standing up for the true, the good, and the beautiful.

‘I, for my part, today will make you
into a fortified city,
a pillar of iron,
and a wall of bronze
to confront all this land:
the kings of Judah, its princes,
its priests and the country people.
They will fight against you
but shall not overcome you,
for I am with you to deliver you –
it is the Lord who speaks.’