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| “Beheading of Saint John the Baptist” (detail) by Caravaggio, 1608 |
Reading 1: 1 Thessalonians 4:9-11
Brothers and sisters:
On the subject of fraternal
charity
you have no need for anyone
to write you,
for you yourselves have been
taught by God to love one another.
Indeed, you do this for all
the brothers throughout Macedonia
Nevertheless we urge you,
brothers and sisters, to progress even more,
and to aspire to live a
tranquil life,
to mind your own affairs,
and to work with your own
hands,
as we instructed you.
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Commentary on 1 Thes 4:9-11
CCC: 1 Thes 4:11 2427
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 98:1, 7-8, 9
R. (9) The Lord comes to rule the earth with
justice.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous
deeds;
His right hand has won
victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
Let the sea and what fills it
resound,
the world and those who dwell
in it;
Let the rivers clap their
hands,
the mountains shout with them
for joy.
R. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
Before the LORD, for he
comes,
for he comes to rule the
earth;
He will rule the world with
justice
and the peoples with equity.
R. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
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Commentary on Ps 98:1, 7-8, 9
Psalm 98 is a song of thanksgiving. This selection gives thanks
for God’s creation and reminds the community that all things are subject to Him
and all the world rejoices under his rule. . In our Christmas context we see
God’s victory accomplished through Jesus who is the Christ, God’s right arm. In
consequence of that victory, all of God’s creation rejoices with us.
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Gospel: Mark 6:17-29
Herod was the one who had John the Baptist
arrested and bound in prison
on account of Herodias,
the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had
married.
John had said to Herod,
"It is not lawful for you to have your
brother's wife."
Herodias harbored a grudge against him
and wanted to kill him but was unable to do
so.
Herod feared John, knowing him to be a
righteous and holy man,
and kept him in custody.
When he heard him speak he was very much
perplexed,
yet he liked to listen to him.
She had an opportunity one day when Herod, on
his birthday,
gave a banquet for his courtiers,
his military officers, and the leading men of
Galilee.
Herodias' own daughter came in
and performed a dance that delighted Herod
and his guests.
The king said to the girl,
"Ask of me whatever you wish and I will
grant it to you."
He even swore many things to her,
"I will grant you whatever you ask of
me,
even to half of 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 back to the king's presence
and made her request,
"I want you to give me at once
on a platter the head of John the
Baptist."
The king was deeply distressed,
but because of his oaths and the guests
he did not wish to break his word to her.
So he promptly dispatched an executioner with
orders
to bring back his head.
He went off and beheaded him in the prison.
He brought in the head on a platter and gave
it to the girl.
The girl in turn gave it to her mother.
When his disciples heard about it,
they came and took his body and laid it in a
tomb.
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Commentary on Mk
6:17-29
The story of St. John the Baptist
life from St. Mark’s Gospel gives a concise picture of St. John’s end.
Especially here we note the similarities between the passing of St. John and
the passion of Jesus in Mark 15:1-47 . The rationale in both cases was the anger
and guilt felt at the truth proclaimed; in the case of John the guilt of
Herodias, in the case of Jesus, the Jewish leaders. Both Herod and Pilot
acknowledge the holiness of the ones they are to put to death. In both cases
following the executions, faithful followers insure the body is given a
respectful burial. St. Matthew’s Gospel gives a more complete introduction of
Herod and Herodias (see Matthew 14:1-3). The
actual account presented here is done as a flashback as Herod questions the
identity of Jesus whose disciples have just been sent into his region with
great authority.
CCC: Mk 6:17-29 523
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Reflection:
We continue to marvel at God’s plan for us as
we are given the end of St. John the Baptist. From the womb he was chosen to be
a forerunner of Jesus Christ. He was the one predicted by the prophets – the
new Elijah who prepared the way for Jesus’ mission on earth – the ultimate
revelation of God in human flesh. He preceded Jesus in life, in ministry, and,
as we see in Mark’s Gospel, his death at the hands of those he invited to
repent and return to the path to God’s Kingdom.
In his martyrdom St. John the Baptist shared
in Christ’s victory. Victory? One might think that being beheaded by a
lecherous, hedonistic, and sadistic ruler like Herod was not a victory. Yet, as
St. Paul points out in his First Letter to the Corinthians, Jesus used the
cross to redefine victory. His death became a defeat for death for all who lay
aside the wisdom of the world and have faith.
And what practical lesson do we take away
from this “redefinition”; this incredible act that defies the wisdom of the
world and changes the perspective of those struggling to know God? First, with
intense humility, we thank God for giving us the faith needed to understand how
his love expressed itself through the sacrifice of His Son; foreshadowed by St.
John’s own death. We see in the events that unfold in the Gospel that we must
not expect the world to welcome the love we offer as followers of Christ. We know Jesus obediently followed St. John in
death at the hands of his captors.
We thank God for the examples of St. John the
Baptist and all the Saints who have gone before us in faith for their examples
of heroic fidelity to the Lord and their unswerving dedication to passing on
the message they were given. We pray today that our own examples of faith will
give encouragement to our brothers and sisters who, like St. John, are
persecuted for their faith and demonstrate for those who have not heard the
Lord’s call that his hand is our-stretched to them as well.
Pax
[2]
The picture today is “Beheading of Saint John the Baptist” (detail) by Caravaggio,
1608
[3]
The readings are taken from the New American Bible hyperlinked to the
Vatican.VA site with the exception of the Psalm and its response which were
developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This
re-publication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
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