Passion of Saint John the Baptist
The gruesome account of King Herod having John the Baptist beheaded and brought to him on a platter elicits a feeling of repulsiveness.
Our Gospel reading is not unlike a modern-day shoddy soap opera plot: it’s the truly “culpable” who are highly offended and seek revenge on their truly “guiltless” enemies! John the Baptist spoke truth to power – and suffered the unfounded consequences. King Herod cowardly relinquished his power and ordered John to be beheaded because he had criticized a man being married to his brother’s wife. Herod could have had the courage to speak the truth – but didn’t. He could have swallowed his pride and not be concerned about saving face – but he didn’t.
Instead, he allowed an innocent man to be executed.
Might the gospel narration of Herod ordering the beheading of John the Baptist also serve as an analogy for one of our contemporary rituals? In our country, capital punishment – that of executing a person as punishment for allegedly committing a crime, is still a legal practice in 27 states. Over 2000 human beings are currently on Death Row. How many innocent John Doe will be killed due to a skillful prosecuting lawyer convincing a jury that a potentially innocent defendant is guilty?
What role do we play in our present-day social dramas? Do we foster vengeance? Are we like Herod and yield to the whims of others, even though we know in our hearts what the right thing to do is? Or do we pray for the courage to do good and work for justice? May eating the body and drinking the blood of our Savior Jesus Christ strengthen us to speak truth to power as we advocate God’s commandment: “Thou shall not kill.”
Prayer:
O God, who willed that Saint John the Baptist should go ahead of your Son
Both in his birth and in his death, grant that, as he died a Martyr for truth and justice,
We, too, may fight hard for the confession of what you teach. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. (Office of Readings, The Passion of Saint John the Baptist)
