The Passion of St. John the Baptist - August 29th

  

Today we celebrate the memorial of the beheading of John the Baptist. Recall that John had been arrested and put into prison because he boldly denounced the adulterous and incestuous marriage of Herod. Herod married the wife of his own brother Phillip, whose name was Herodias. She harbored a grudge against John the Baptist because of his truthful denunciation of the marriage. The daughter of Herodias pleased Herod, by seductively dancing for him. Because of his shameful lust, he told her that she could have whatever she wanted, even half of the kingdom.

The daughter asked her mother what she should request. Out of revenge and hatred, Herodias told her to ask for the head of John the Baptist. When the young girl asked Herod for the head of John the Baptist, he didn’t want to do as she asked because he believed John was a holy and righteous man. Out of fear of what others would think, especially since he had given his word in front of everyone present, he relented and gave the order for John the Baptist to be beheaded.

This event shows how human respect can be result of such a terrible evil. Rather, than choosing to do the right thing, which would have been to deny the wicked request, he chose rather to do something evil. He chose to please his wife and the young girl, rather than to spare the life of a man. He chose to abuse his power, rather than to humble himself and admit he could not do anything the young girl requested which was immoral.

Behind human respect is pride and the fear of losing the friendship of others. It’s a betrayal on one’s own convictions, a betrayal of one’s neighbor and more importantly it’s a betrayal of God.

How often have we given in to human respect? Every time, we choose to please others, rather than to do what God wants us to do. It’s a failure to spread the Gospel with those we live. It’s a failure to truly love our neighbor by telling them the truth, especially if they don’t want to hear it.

John the Baptist shed his blood for the truth and the sanctity of marriage. John could have been silent out of human respect, and not said anything, but he spoke the truth instead, even to giving up his life. He was not afraid of what others think. And that’s because he was willing to suffer for them. He was concerned about their salvation and was ready to do all that he could to show them the truth, that they may come to know the truth and love the truth, who is Jesus Christ, the way, the truth and the life.

Today, let us pray that John the Baptist will help priests and all Catholics to speak out against the sins, which he so valiantly defended. That all of us may not give into human respect.

And so we pray: “O John the Baptist, you who suffered and died for the institution of marriage, we ask that you pray for priests, and help them to defend marriage today, so threatened by divorce, by same-sex marriage, and by cohabitation. Grant that priests may be authentic witnesses, and to even lay down their lives for Jesus, as you laid down your life for Him, who died for you.”