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| “The Martyrdom of St Agatha” by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, c. 1756 |
Reading I: Sirach
47:2-11
Like the choice fat of the
sacred offerings,
so was David in Israel
He made sport of lions as
though they were kids,
and of bears, like lambs of
the flock.
As a youth he slew the giant
and wiped out the people’s
disgrace,
When his hand let fly the
slingstone
that crushed the pride of
Goliath.
Since he called upon the Most
High God,
who gave strength to his
right arm
To defeat the skilled warrior
and raise up the might of his
people,
Therefore the women sang his
praises,
and ascribed to him tens of
thousands
and praised him when they
blessed the Lord.
When he assumed the royal
crown, he battled
and subdued the enemy on
every side.
He destroyed the hostile
Philistines
and shattered their power
till our own day.
With his every deed he
offered thanks
to God Most High, in words of
praise.
With his whole being he loved
his Maker
and daily had his praises
sung;
He set singers before the
altar and by their voices
he made sweet melodies,
He added beauty to the feasts
and solemnized the seasons of
each year
So that when the Holy Name
was praised,
before daybreak the sanctuary
would resound.
The Lord forgave him his sins
and exalted his strength
forever;
He conferred on him the
rights of royalty
and established his throne in
Israel
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Commentary on Sir 47:2-11
This selection is part of the
eulogy of Israel
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm
18:31, 47 and 50, 51
R. (see 47b)
Blessed be God my salvation!
God’s way is unerring,
the promise of the LORD is
fire-tried;
he is a shield to all who
take refuge in him.
R. Blessed be God my salvation!
The LORD live! And blessed be
my Rock!
Extolled be God my savior.
Therefore will I proclaim
you,
O LORD, among the nations,
and I will sing praise to
your name.
R. Blessed be God my salvation!
You who gave great victories
to your king
and showed kindness to your
anointed,
to David and his posterity
forever.
R. Blessed be God my salvation!
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Commentary on Ps 18:31, 47 and 50, 51
Psalm 18 is a hymn of thanksgiving
for God’s salvation. While in its full form it is in thanks for victory following
a physical battle, here we see that thanks given for heavenly aid in difficult
situations.
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Gospel: Mark
6:14-29
King Herod heard about Jesus,
for his fame had become widespread,
and people were saying,
“John the Baptist has been
raised from the dead;
that is why mighty powers are
at work in him.”
Others were saying, “He is
Elijah”;
still others, “He is a
prophet like any of the prophets.”
But when Herod learned of it,
he said,
“It is John whom I beheaded.
He has been raised up.”
Herod was the one who had
John 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.
Herodias 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 .
His 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?”
Her mother 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
6:14-29
Mark’s account of the capture and execution of St. John the Baptist is presented in this pericope, or excerpt. We note the story has many similarities with Jesus’ encounter with Pilate later in the Gospel (Mark 15:1-47). Both Herod and Pilate 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:
If we were unfamiliar with
the saga of our savior and were hearing this story for the first time, told as
it was in the centuries following Jesus’ death, when the storyteller relates
the death of St. John the Baptist, the audience would react with surprise. It would have been clear to them that this
eccentric prophet was a major player in the story of Jesus. St. John had recognized Jesus before his
birth. He knew who Jesus was when the Lord came to him to be baptized in the
Jordan. He must surely have recognized Jesus’
purpose in God’s plan as he languished in Herod’s prison.
Even before Salome’s dance,
the Baptist knew his part of the story was done. He had left clues for the careful
listener. He had said, “…he must increase, I must decrease,” as the disciples of Jesus were baptizing at the
Jordan (John 3:29-30). Even so, some listeners might be shocked that
one so mighty in God’s eyes would be killed in such a way, beheaded to satisfy
the wicked vanity of a harlot.
The first-time listeners
might have wondered then: if God sacrificed St. John in such a way, can the Son
of God be headed for a happy ending?
There might have been some suspense. They may have been waiting to see
if Jesus would strike down the evil Herod in revenge. “Ah, but that was not the Lord’s way,” the
story teller would have explained. Jesus
was sad at the loss of his cousin, but remember, he came to forgive sin, not as
the vengeful God understood by the Jews who only had the Law and Prophets.
We, in our time, hear the
story of the death of St. John and are reminded (because we know the whole
story) that Jesus too will suffer and die at the hands of such people. We recall that it was for this purpose the
Savior was sent into the world. Today as
we consider the roles of St. John
Pax
[2]
The picture is “The Martyrdom of St Agatha” by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, c.
1756
[3]
The readings are taken from the New
American Bible 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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