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,
When we take God at His Word, we will discover that we are strong, invincible, and the enemy cannot bring us down. John the Baptist, from the moment he leaped with joy in his mother's womb upon coming into Your Presence, was filled with the Holy Spirit. From then on, he belonged wholly to God. Zechariah, his father, prophesied about his son and the extraordinary mission that would be entrusted to him. He was to prepare the way of the Lord. He was to call sinners to repentance. He was a voice in the wilderness, urging all who heard him that the time of indifference was over, God was coming, and they had to prepare to see You, hear You, touch You, obey You, and be saved by You.
John the Baptist was filled with zeal, unafraid to stand before anyone and speak the truth, even the Pharisees, that Herod, calling out their sins in public, and urging them to set aside their evil and repent, for the day of the Lord was at hand.
My Lord and my God, we are the people of God, privileged to have been born into the Catholic faith. We are blessed to receive grace upon grace through the Sacraments. We have opportunity after opportunity to rise again, no matter how deep we fall into sin, how frequently or how gravely, You are always ready to forgive. Thank You, Lord, for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, where we encounter You personally and You forgive all if we are truly repentant, contrite of heart, and resolve with Your help to sin no more and avoid the near occasion of sin. The Holy Eucharist gives us all the strength and power we need to overcome temptation, and in the Sacrament of Confirmation, we are filled with the Holy Spirit and equipped by Him with all His Gifts to fulfill the mission entrusted to us to preach the Good News of salvation by the witness of our lives.
Lord Jesus Christ, we are not friends of the Bridegroom as St. John the Baptist was; we are the Bride. We have intimacy with the Bridegroom and You, Beloved, will fight our battles for us, help us overcome the powers of darkness that are arrayed against us, and You will accompany us safely home to remain with You forever.
The word of the Lord was addressed to me, saying:
‘Brace yourself for action.
Stand up and tell them
all I command you.
Do not be dismayed at their presence,
or in their presence I will make you dismayed.
‘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.’
PSALM 70(71):1-6,15,17
My lips will tell of your help.
In you, O Lord, I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
In your justice rescue me, free me:
pay heed to me and save me.
Be a rock where I can take refuge,
a mighty stronghold to save me;
for you are my rock, my stronghold.
Free me from the hand of the wicked.
It is you, O Lord, who are my hope,
my trust, O Lord, since my youth.
On you I have leaned from my birth,
from my mother’s womb you have been my help.
My lips will tell of your justice
and day by day of your help.
O God, you have taught me from my youth
and I proclaim your wonders still.
The word of the Lord was addressed to me, saying:
‘Brace yourself for action.
Stand up and tell them
all I command you.
Do not be dismayed at their presence,
or in their presence I will make you dismayed.
‘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.’
PSALM 70(71):1-6,15,17
My lips will tell of your help.
In you, O Lord, I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
In your justice rescue me, free me:
pay heed to me and save me.
Be a rock where I can take refuge,
a mighty stronghold to save me;
for you are my rock, my stronghold.
Free me from the hand of the wicked.
It is you, O Lord, who are my hope,
my trust, O Lord, since my youth.
On you I have leaned from my birth,
from my mother’s womb you have been my help.
My lips will tell of your justice
and day by day of your help.
O God, you have taught me from my youth
and I proclaim your wonders still.
My lips will tell of your help.
MARK 6:17-29
My Soul's Beloved,
My Soul's Beloved,
In today's Gospel reading, as the Church celebrates the feast of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist, who was unafraid to speak truth to power. We also have on full display the treachery and wickedness of women who have given themselves fully to wanton concupiscence. Herodias, the wife of Herod's brother Philip, lived openly and publicly in an adulterous relationship when she left her husband to marry Herod. The religious authorities of the day remained silent and did not condemn the sinful relationship of their king, but John the Baptist did so loudly, publicly, and in their presence. Herodias seethed with anger but was not satisfied to have him arrested, put in chains, and locked up in prison. She wanted him dead, but could not convince Herod to do the evil deed because his troubled conscience would not permit it.
Herod was a weak man, and weak men are easily manipulated. She bided her time and had no qualms using her daughter to carry out her murderous plot. She knew Herod all too well. At a banquet given in honor of his birthday and in front of many important guests, her daughter danced before them. So taken was Herod by her that at the end of her performance, he made many foolish and rash oaths. ‘Ask me anything you like and I will give it you.’ And he swore her an oath, ‘I will give you anything you ask, even half my kingdom.’ She went out and said to her mother, ‘What shall I ask for?’ She replied, ‘The head of John the Baptist.’ The girl hurried straight back to the king and made her request, ‘I want you to give me John the Baptist’s head, here and now, on a dish.’
No one is bound to keep an oath made unwisely, even if it is made in public, and even if we will look foolish and will open ourselves to ridicule when we do not keep it. It is better to appear foolish than to commit a gravely evil act. Sadly, Herod cared more for his public image than for his immortal soul.
What about me, Lord? How often have I made big promises to You and did not keep them, whereas I have foolishly said and done things I am ashamed of simply because I wanted to be part of the crowd? Grant me the wisdom I need to seek to please You and do all You ask of me rather than go with the stream that will lead me to lose my soul forever.
Herod sent to have John arrested, and had him chained up in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife whom he had married. For John had told Herod, ‘It is against the law for you to have your brother’s wife.’ As for Herodias, she was furious with him and wanted to kill him; but she was not able to, because Herod was afraid of John, knowing him to be a good and holy man, and gave him his protection. When he had heard him speak he was greatly perplexed, and yet he liked to listen to him.
An opportunity came on Herod’s birthday when he gave a banquet for the nobles of his court, for his army officers and for the leading figures in Galilee. When the daughter of this same Herodias came in and danced, she delighted Herod and his guests; so the king said to the girl, ‘Ask me anything you like and I will give it you.’ And he swore her an oath, ‘I will give you anything you ask, even half my kingdom.’ She went out and said to her mother, ‘What shall I ask for?’ She replied, ‘The head of John the Baptist.’ The girl hurried straight back to the king and made her request, ‘I want you to give me John the Baptist’s head, here and now, on a dish.’ The king was deeply distressed but, thinking of the oaths he had sworn and of his guests, he was reluctant to break his word to her. So the king at once sent one of the bodyguard with orders to bring John’s head. The man went off and beheaded him in prison; then he brought the head on a dish and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. When John’s disciples heard about this, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
An opportunity came on Herod’s birthday when he gave a banquet for the nobles of his court, for his army officers and for the leading figures in Galilee. When the daughter of this same Herodias came in and danced, she delighted Herod and his guests; so the king said to the girl, ‘Ask me anything you like and I will give it you.’ And he swore her an oath, ‘I will give you anything you ask, even half my kingdom.’ She went out and said to her mother, ‘What shall I ask for?’ She replied, ‘The head of John the Baptist.’ The girl hurried straight back to the king and made her request, ‘I want you to give me John the Baptist’s head, here and now, on a dish.’ The king was deeply distressed but, thinking of the oaths he had sworn and of his guests, he was reluctant to break his word to her. So the king at once sent one of the bodyguard with orders to bring John’s head. The man went off and beheaded him in prison; then he brought the head on a dish and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. When John’s disciples heard about this, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
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