Scripture readings for this reflection can be found at Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist | USCCB
Today we
commemorate the martyrdom of John the Baptist. John is considered the
forerunner of the Lord, Jesus Christ. From the time he was in his mother’s womb
until he was killed by King Herod, he was always pointing people towards Jesus
Christ and encouraging people to know the truth that Jesus was the savior.
Important to him was that people knew and understood God’s commandments. He was
never afraid to speak the truth, even when it meant his life
In
today’s gospel, we hear that Herod liked to hear John speak: “When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him. (Mark 6:20)
John was pointing out the sinfulness of the adulterous relationship Herod was
having with his brother’s wife. There was something in what John was saying
that touched King Herod’s heart. But because of lust and of fear of being
rejected by those around him, Herod had John killed.
John’s
bravery in speaking the truth, even though it meant being put to death, is an
example for all of us. We are called to proclaim the truth that Jesus Christ is
Lord, and we are also called to encourage others to follow God’s commandments. This
may not go over well with those we meet who may be living contrary to God’s
Laws, like King Herod, but we are called to bring people to knowledge of Jesus
Christ and of God’s laws. We may not be called to live out our lives as
dramatically as John the Baptist, but we are called to live out our Christian
lives in a way that people may be attracted to know who Jesus is and to encourage
them to live a Christian life.
Saint
Bede the Venerable is quoted as saying about John, “Through his birth,
preaching and baptizing, he bore witness to the coming birth, preaching and
baptism of Christ, and by his own suffering he showed that Christ also would
suffer.” We are to be like John the Baptist, bearing witness to Jesus Christ
and the salvation he won for us by his Passion and Death on the Cross. We may
have to suffer at times for speaking this truth, but it is what we are called
to do as followers of Jesus Christ.
May God
give us courage to always live out our lives as followers of Jesus Christ, and
to be always willing to bring others to the knowledge that Jesus Christ is our
Lord and savior.
From Arlene B. Muller
ReplyDeleteSt. John the Baptist was called literally, chronologically & historically to "go before the LORD" to prepare the way for people to be able to receive the LORD before Our LORD entered the scene and began His public ministry.
Although we live many centuries after the literal/historical/chronological coming of Our LORD to earth, each of us who are followers of Our LORD JESUS CHRIST--especially we who are Catholic Christians--are called to be "prophets of the Most High GOD", and to share in the ministry of St. John the Baptist in the lives of everyone we encounter. We may or may not have the gift of prophetic utterances--most of us probably do not. But the term "PROPHET" also means "WITNESS", and we are all called to be witnesses of Our LORD JESUS CHRIST and His life & work in our lives. We are called to be witnesses by the example of how we live our lives & to be ready always to give a reason for our hope, our joy, our faithfulness & our integrity and point to Our LORD JESUS CHRIST, the work of the Holy Spirit, and our Catholic Christian faith as the reason why we live as we do. Like the quote attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, each of us is called to "Preach the GOSPEL always" and "when necessary, use words.