Saturday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time

(Optional Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary)

On Saturdays in Ordinary Time when there is no obligatory memorial, an optional memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary is allowed.[1] Mass texts may be taken from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary, from a Votive Mass, or from the special collection of Masses for the Blessed Virgin Mary. Suggested for this date: #28 The Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

“The Parable of the Talents” by Willem de Poorter, c. 1630’s.

Readings for Saturday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time [2]

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]

Readings and Commentary:[4]

Reading 1: 1 Corinthians 1:26-31

Consider your own calling, brothers and sisters.

Not many of you were wise by human standards,

not many were powerful,

not many were of noble birth.

Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise,

and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong,

and God chose the lowly and despised of the world,

those who count for nothing,

to reduce to nothing those who are something,

so that no human being might boast before God.

It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus,

who became for us wisdom from God,

as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption,

so that, as it is written,

Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord.

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Commentary on 1 Cor 1:26-31

St. Paul continues his attack on “worldly wisdom” by reminding the members of the church at Corinth that the community is comprised of all strata of society. He points out that all are called to the same Lord, and that the wisdom that is Jesus (“who became for us wisdom from God”) makes them righteous, sanctified, and redeemed in him. It is for this reason that the only boast a Christian should make is in God. The evangelist does so, paraphrasing Jeremiah 9:23.

CCC: 1 Cor 1:27 489; 1 Cor 1:30 2813

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 33:12-13, 18-19, 20-21

R. (12) Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

Blessed the nation whose God is the Lord,

the people he has chosen for his own inheritance.

From heaven the Lord looks down;

he sees all mankind.

R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

But see, the eyes of the Lord are upon those who fear him,

upon those who hope for his kindness,

To deliver them from death

and preserve them in spite of famine.

R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

Our soul waits for the Lord,

who is our help and our shield,

For in him our hearts rejoice;

in his holy name we trust.

R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

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Commentary on Ps 33:12-13, 18-19, 20-21

Psalm 33 is a hymn of praise in which God as creator is celebrated. In this selection, those justified in God's sight are invited to share the Lord’s salvation, and are promised his protection. The psalm rejoices in the active help God gives to his chosen people.

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Gospel: Matthew 25:14-30

Jesus told his disciples this parable:

“A man going on a journey

called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them.

To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one–

to each according to his ability.

Then he went away.

Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them,

and made another five.

Likewise, the one who received two made another two.

But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground

and buried his master’s money.

After a long time

the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them.

The one who had received five talents

came forward bringing the additional five.

He said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents.

See, I have made five more.’

His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant.

Since you were faithful in small matters,

I will give you great responsibilities.

Come, share your master’s joy.’

Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said,

‘Master, you gave me two talents.

See, I have made two more.’

His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant.

Since you were faithful in small matters,

I will give you great responsibilities.

Come, share your master’s joy.’

Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said,

‘Master, I knew you were a demanding person,

harvesting where you did not plant

and gathering where you did not scatter;

so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground.

Here it is back.’

His master said to him in reply, ‘You wicked, lazy servant!

So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant

and gather where I did not scatter?

Should you not then have put my money in the bank

so that I could have got it back with interest on my return?

Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten.

For to everyone who has,

more will be given and he will grow rich;

but from the one who has not,

even what he has will be taken away.

And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside,

where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’”

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Commentary on Mt 25:14-30

The Parable of the Talents comes to us as part of Jesus’ dialogue about being prepared and vigilant. It combines two different but connected logions or morals/teaching points. The first is to use the gifts God has given for the benefit of God, who is represented by the “master” in the parable. The second is vigilance. This parable, directed at the disciples, exhorts his servants to use the gifts God has given them to the fullest, for the benefit of others (as well as God). It is an exclamation point to Jesus' earlier statement: “those to whom much is given, even more will be expected” (see also Luke 12:48).

CCC: Mt 25:14-30 546, 1936; Mt 25:21 1029, 1720, 2683; Mt 25:23 1029, 1720

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Reflection:

Have you ever done something that you think is really spectacular and it seemed that no one noticed or appreciated your effort? Have you ever been asked to do something very difficult and, in spite of the obstacles, accomplished that task, but the person who assigned it didn’t even say thanks, let alone praise you for your work? It is only natural that we take pride in our work or study. Success in tasks set before us motivates us and invigorates us. So it stands to reason that when we do something we feel deserves recognition and it goes unrecognized we become unmotivated, less apt to extend the same effort the next time.

What was described above is pretty typical of what most secular literature would say about motivating people in the work place, or in an educational setting. If you want someone to really maximize the use of their abilities, praise them publicly when they succeed using behaviors you wish to encourage (and chastise privately those you want to discourage).

For the Christian, receiving praise for effort which glorifies God should not be required. In fact praising one’s abilities is like telling a sunset what great color it has. The sunset is a reflection of the beauty of God’s creation. Likewise, for us as faithful members of a faith community dedicated to following Jesus who is the Christ, if we are praised for our efforts or abilities, our response should be to thank God for the gifts that made that accomplishment possible. To take pride in such things is like taking pride in our ability to breathe air – it is a natural consequence of the life God gave us. Quoting St. Paul “Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord.”

The Parable of the Talents from St. Matthew’s Gospel takes that idea further. The Lord’s example, because it is being addressed to his disciples, makes it clear that the gifts they have been given include the gift of Christ’s teachings, of his revelation of the kingdom of God. Those gifts are meant to be passed on. It is only in that way that the Kingdom of God on earth can grow. The knowledge of the incredible love God has for us is not some special, private knowledge, or some powerful secret meant to be kept hidden away. That, my friends, is called Gnosticism. That knowledge is intended to be passed on and to grow.

And when we do this well, through word or example, we should be careful to give praise where praise is due – to God who first gave the gift to us. Our expectation is that the merciful Lord, like the master in the parable, will see what we have done and give us His gratitude which is peace and joy beyond all understanding.

Today our message is clear. Through Jesus we have been redeemed and sanctified. We have been given a gift greater than golden talents, the gift of the knowledge of the Kingdom of God, and we are charged to see that what was given to us grows and flourishes. By word and example, may we faithfully extend that love and understanding to all we meet.

Pax

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[1] General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar Miscellaneous Notes no. 5

[2] The picture used today is “The Parable of the Talents” by Willem de Poorter, c. 1630’s.

[3] S.S. Commemoratio

[4] 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 republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.

Friday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time

“Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins“
by Hieronymus Francken II, c. 1616

Readings for Friday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time [1]

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]

Readings and Commentary:[3]

Reading 1: 1 Corinthians 1:17-25

Brothers and sisters:

Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the Gospel,

and not with the wisdom of human eloquence,

so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning.

The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,

but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

For it is written:

I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,

and the learning of the learned I will set aside.

Where is the wise one?

Where is the scribe?

Where is the debater of this age?

Has not God made the wisdom of the world foolish?

For since in the wisdom of God

the world did not come to know God through wisdom,

it was the will of God through the foolishness of the proclamation

to save those who have faith.

For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom,

but we proclaim Christ crucified,

a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,

but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike,

Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom,

and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

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Commentary on 1 Cor 1:17-25

This passage from St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians begins with an announcement of his own mission: to proclaim the “unvarnished” truth of the Gospel, “not with the wisdom of human eloquence.”

He continues refuting those who point to Christ’s crucifixion as proof of Jesus’ fallibility by saying that faith, graciously given by God, allows the Christian to see the victory in what appears to the scoffers to be a defeat. (“The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”) St. Paul supports his premise by quoting Isaiah 29:14, attacking the “wisdom of the wise.” He calls Jesus a stumbling block for the Jews (probably because they expected a royal messiah taking power like King David), and foolishness for the rational Gentiles (Greeks) who pride themselves on logic. The cross is not logical for a savior.

St. Paul concludes by telling the community (“those who were called”) that it is God who acts in them giving them faith (see also Romans 9:16), and that in the face of God’s omnipotence all the wisdom and strength of humanity pales in comparison.

CCC: 1 Cor 1:18 268; 1 Cor 1:24-25 272

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm. 33:1-2, 4-5, 10-11

R. (5) The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

Exult, you just, in the LORD;

praise from the upright is fitting.

Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;

with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.

R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

For upright is the word of the LORD,

and all his works are trustworthy.

He loves justice and right;

of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.

R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

The LORD brings to nought the plans of nations;

he foils the designs of peoples.

But the plan of the LORD stands forever;

the design of his heart, through all generations.

R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

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Commentary on Ps. 33:1-2, 4-5, 10-11

Psalm 33 is a song of praise and thanksgiving. In this selection the emphasis is on faithfulness to God who has saving power, combined with hope which is a central component of faith in God.

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Gospel: Matthew 25:1-13

Jesus told his disciples this parable:

“The Kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins

who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

Five of them were foolish and five were wise.

The foolish ones, when taking their lamps,

brought no oil with them,

but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps.

Since the bridegroom was long delayed,

they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

At midnight, there was a cry,

‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps.

The foolish ones said to the wise,

‘Give us some of your oil,

for our lamps are going out.’

But the wise ones replied,

‘No, for there may not be enough for us and you.

Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’

While they went off to buy it,

the bridegroom came

and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him.

Then the door was locked.

Afterwards the other virgins came and said,

‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’

But he said in reply,

‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’

Therefore, stay awake,

for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

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Commentary on Mt 25:1-13

St. Matthew’s Gospel gives us the parable of the Ten Virgins, continuing the Gospel theme of preparedness and vigilance (although strictly speaking this parable is about foresight). In this story the idea of vigilance is expanded to include being prepared. The Jewish wedding customs of the time would have dictated a procession [at night] from the house of the bride to the house of the groom. The whole act is symbolic of the coming of the messianic era also portrayed as a wedding in Matthew 9:15, Matthew 22:1-14 and John 3:29. The wise virgins brought oil for their lamps while the foolish ones did not. The oil is interpreted by some scholars as referring to good works.

The overarching symbolism is the lamp of faith (light of the indwelling Holy Spirit) being kept burning with oil (good works). Hence, without good works (oil), the lamp will not continue to burn (James 2:17) and the virgins, so deprived of light, are excluded from the heavenly kingdom.

CCC: Mt 25:1-13 672, 796; Mt 25:1 672; Mt 25:6 1618; Mt 25:13 672

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Reflection:

"Watch with the heart, watch with faith, watch with love, watch with charity, watch with good works [...]; make ready the lamps, make sure they do not go out [...], renew them with the inner oil of an upright conscience; then shall the Bridegroom enfold you in the embrace of his love and bring you into his banquet room, where your lamp can never be extinguished"

(St Augustine, Sermons, 93) [4]

Think about what St. Augustine tells us in his sermon.  The act of vigilance is not  passive; the be-on-guard attitude it is an active outward facing lifestyle that not only recognizes there is a banquet that must be attended, but also understands there is a state of readiness that must be attained.  We once more think of an analogy.  It is like the athlete who prepares for an event.  The athlete does not simply think about the upcoming competition, although that is certainly part of the preparation process.  The athlete practices for long periods of time, until the muscles that must be used in competition know, without being mentally told, what they must do.

Similarly, the Christian recognizes that, at the end of their earthly lives, there will be a banquet, a wedding feast they hope to attend.  But the guests at that feast must come by a lighted path, and the lamp they bring must be bright.  Clearly, part of the Christian’s preparation for that event is contemplating the joy of the celebration.  But we also recognize that total preparation is needed if we are to arrive well prepared for the wedding feast of the lamb.

Our attitudes and behaviors must act in concert to provide fuel for the lamp of faith.  As St. Augustine says; “Watch with the heart, watch with faith, watch with love, watch with charity, watch with good works.”  Our whole being must be brought into readiness so our lamps do not dim and go out.  Using the analogy of the lamps in an outdoor procession, they do not burn long or well unattended.  There is wind in the world that would extinguish those lamps. The flame must be protected lest some errant breeze extinguish the lamp just when it is needed.

Alas, all analogy breaks down at some point, and the analogy of the athlete breaks down as well.  You see, the athlete prepares for an event whose schedule is known.  The date and time are set, and the athlete knows they have so much time to train.  We, on the other hand, do not know the time or the place when the banquet invitation will be extended.  Our prayer today then is that we keep our eyes constantly focused on our preparations.  No matter what our health or age, we do not know when we will be called home.  We must be ready and ask the Lord to help us as we work to keep our lamps filled.

Pax

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[1] The picture is “Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins“ by Hieronymus Francken II, c. 1616.

[2] S.S. Commemoratio

[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 republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.

[4] The Navarre Bible, Gospels and Acts, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002, p.189.

Thursday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time

“Sacrilegious Robbery” by Alessandro Magnasco, 1731

Readings for Thursday of the Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time [1]

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]

Readings and Commentary:[3]

Reading 1: 1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Paul, called to be an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

and Sosthenes our brother,

to the Church of God that is in Corinth,

to you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy,

with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father

and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I give thanks to my God always on your account

for the grace of God bestowed on you in Christ Jesus,

that in him you were enriched in every way,

with all discourse and all knowledge,

as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you,

so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift

as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

He will keep you firm to the end,

irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God is faithful,

and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

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Commentary on 1 Cor 1:1-9

This reading is the beginning of St. Paul’s first letter to the church he founded in Corinth. News has reached him of some issues within the community that must be addressed, as well as some external situations for which guidance must be given.  In typical letter format, he gives thanks to God for the gift of faith given to this community, and continues his fervent wish that they (and we) be steadfast in the faith: “He will keep you firm to the end, irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.“  His introduction, emphasizing his own call as apostle, and the call each of the faithful has received, hints at the letter’s purpose.

CCC: 1 Cor 1:1-6 401; 1 Cor 1:2 752, 1695

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 145:2-3, 4-5, 6-7

R. (1) I will praise your name for ever, Lord.

Every day will I bless you,

and I will praise your name forever and ever.

Great is the Lord and highly to be praised;

his greatness is unsearchable.

R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.

Generation after generation praises your works

and proclaims your might.

They speak of the splendor of your glorious majesty

and tell of your wondrous works.

R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.

They discourse of the power of your terrible deeds

and declare your greatness.

They publish the fame of your abundant goodness

and joyfully sing of your justice.

R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.

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Commentary on Ps 145:2-3, 4-5, 6-7

Psalm 145 is a hymn of praise. These strophes (because it is in the acrostic form, each verse beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet) although loosely assembled, praise God for his mercy and compassion and give thanks for his creation and redemption

CCC: Ps 145:3 300

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Gospel: Matthew 24:42-51

Jesus said to his disciples:

“Stay awake!

For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.

Be sure of this:

if the master of the house

had known the hour of night when the thief was coming,

he would have stayed awake

and not let his house be broken into.

So too, you also must be prepared,

for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.

“Who, then, is the faithful and prudent servant,

whom the master has put in charge of his household

to distribute to them their food at the proper time?

Blessed is that servant whom his master on his arrival finds doing so.

Amen, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property.

But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is long delayed,’

and begins to beat his fellow servants,

and eat and drink with drunkards,

the servant’s master will come on an unexpected day

and at an unknown hour and will punish him severely

and assign him a place with the hypocrites,

where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”

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Commentary on Mt 24:42-51

This discourse from St. Matthew’s Gospel follows his reflections about the end times, and the need for vigilance.  The Lord speaks to those who follow him, especially the leaders of the community of faithful he leaves behind, telling them they will not know the time when they will be called to the Kingdom of Heaven. In the second section he tells his followers that those who are found to be vigilant will be rewarded at the end of all things, while those who have fallen away will be punished.

CCC: Mt 24:44 673

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Homily:

Each day when we say our prayers, we pray for those who have not been vigilant, either because they were unwary, or because they chose to ignore Christ’s teachings, and have fallen into sin.  We may even thank God, as we pray, that we have not fallen into that trap.  But, there is a danger, even for the most faithful.  That danger is complacency.

Think about the soldier standing guard at a well-protected base.  Each day he stands guard and each day he is reassured by the strength of the defenses around him.  He thinks: “What enemy would be foolish enough to attack such a strong fortress?”  As day follows day he goes about his guard duty and becomes less and less vigilant, even though he is doing his duty faithfully.  Then, when he has come to feel completely safe, the enemy attacks, and he is not ready for that assault and falls.

For the faithful, this is an apt analogy, and one to which the Gospel points.  We must never take for granted that, because we love the Lord and do what we think is our best to follow him, the evil one will not find a way around our defenses and cause us to fall.  He does it every day!  He whispers in the ear of the most faithful, tempting them with rewards that on the surface may seem wholesome, but are in fact deadly to the spirit.

How do we avoid this complacency?  Each day we must thoroughly inspect our defenses.  We must look at our prayer and see that it is not self-serving, condescending, or rationalizing.  We must measure ourselves against Jesus and the saints he has sent to inspire and guide us. We must always see the room for improvement that exists in all but Jesus himself.  If we are daily striving to achieve that perfect end, we can never be satisfied with our progress, and never take for granted our assumed holiness.

Today we pray that we might never lose our vigilance and in doing so, open the door to the thief.

Pax

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[1] The picture is “Sacrilegious Robbery” by Alessandro Magnasco, 1731

[2] S.S. Commemoratio

[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 republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.

Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist

“Beheading of Saint John the Baptist” (detail)
by Caravaggio, 1608.

Proper for the Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist [1]

Additional information about the Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist

Readings for Wednesday of the Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]

Readings and Commentary:[3]

Note: for this memorial, the Gospel from the proper of the saint is used.

Reading 1: 2 Thessalonians 3:6-10, 16-18

We instruct you, brothers and sisters,

in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

to shun any brother

who walks in a disorderly way

and not according to the tradition they received from us.

For you know how one must imitate us.

For we did not act in a disorderly way among you,

nor did we eat food received free from anyone.

On the contrary, in toil and drudgery, night and day we worked,

so as not to burden any of you.

Not that we do not have the right.

Rather, we wanted to present ourselves as a model for you,

so that you might imitate us.

In fact, when we were with you, we instructed you that

if anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat.

May the Lord of peace himself

give you peace at all times and in every way.

The Lord be with all of you.

This greeting is in my own hand, Paul’s.

This is the sign in every letter; this is how I write.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.

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Commentary on 2 Thes 3:6-10, 16-18

St. Paul concludes his second letter to the Church at Thessalonika with instructions on how to deal with members of their community who were “disorderly.” It is likely that this behavior was surfacing because of the forged letter that had surfaced announcing that the Apocalypse was at hand.  Some of the individuals who believed this may have stopped working and became a drain on the resources of the church. St. Paul tells the membership to shun these individuals, to shame them into returning to St. Paul’s own teaching. (We note he concludes his letter assuring the Thessalonian Christians that it is from him and written in his own hand.)

CCC: 2 Thes 3:1-13 1577; 2 Thes 3:9 1794; 2 Thes 3:16 385, 463, 2641

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 128:1-2, 4-5

R. (1) Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Blessed are you who fear the Lord,

who walk in his ways!

For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;

blessed shall you be, and favored.

R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Behold, thus is the man blessed

who fears the Lord.

The Lord bless you from Zion:

may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem

all the days of your life.

R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

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Commentary on Ps 128:1-2, 4-5

Psalm 128 is a song of thanksgiving. It begins with the typical blessings for following and having faith in the Lord. The faithful shall see the work of their hands prosper, a result of performing all deeds for the greater glory of God.

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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's 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, in 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 those 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 outstretched to them as well.

Pax

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[1] The picture is “Beheading of Saint John the Baptist” (detail) by Caravaggio, 1608.

[2] S.S. Commemoratio 427/634

[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 republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.