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“Beheading of Saint John the Baptist” (detail)
by Caravaggio, 1608 |
Readings for the Memorial of the Passion of St. John the Baptist [1]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
Readings and Commentary: [3]
Note: for this memorial, the Gospel from the proper readings for the saint is used.
Reading 1: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8
You yourselves know, brothers and sisters,
that our reception among you was not without effect.
Rather, after we had suffered and been insolently treated,
as you know, in Philippi,
we drew courage through our God
to speak to you the Gospel of God with much struggle.
Our exhortation was not from delusion or impure motives,
nor did it work through deception.
But as we were judged worthy by God to be entrusted with the Gospel,
that is how we speak,
not as trying to please men,
but rather God, who judges our hearts.
Nor, indeed, did we ever appear with flattering speech, as you know,
or with a pretext for greed–God is witness–
nor did we seek praise from men,
either from you or from others,
although we were able to impose our weight as Apostles of Christ.
Rather, we were gentle among you,
as a nursing mother cares for her children.
With such affection for you, we were determined to share with you
not only the Gospel of God, but our very selves as well,
so dearly beloved had you become to us.
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Commentary on 1 Thes 2:1-8
The apostle reminds the Thessalonians that, in his own experience, proclaiming the Word of God has caused turmoil and even persecution as he refers to his visit to Philippi (see Acts 16:19-40). St. Paul emphasizes both the content of the Gospel message and the need to present it gently, with full sincerity. He concludes this selection reminding them of the deep affection with which he holds them.
“All the evidence at our disposal indicates that Paul and his friends spoke the simple truth. If they had indeed aimed at wealth, power, and high repute, they would have to be dismissed as men who signally failed to achieve their aim. By secular standards they were marked to the end of their days by poverty, weakness, disrepute, and all sorts of tribulation; but they assessed their lot by other than secular standards— “as having nothing, and yet possessing everything” (2 Cor 6:10).” [4]
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 139:1-3, 4-6
R. (1) You have searched me and you know me, Lord.
O LORD, you have probed me and you know me;
you know when I sit and when I stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
My journeys and my rest you scrutinize,
with all my ways you are familiar.
R. You have searched me and you know me, Lord
Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O LORD, you know the whole of it.
Behind me and before, you hem me in
and rest your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
too lofty for me to attain.
R. You have searched me and you know me, Lord.
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Commentary on Ps 139:1-3, 4-6
Psalm 139 is a hymn of meditation upon God’s presence in our lives. The selection carries the awe felt by the singer, that the Most High God, one so great, could love one so insignificant. “The theology of the psalm is applied theology, the meaning of God for the believer in a particular situation of stress. As in Ps 138, we find here spirituality, in the sense of theology intersecting with the realities of human life.” [5]
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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
[1] The picture is The picture is “Beheading of Saint John the Baptist” (detail) by Caravaggio, 1608.
[2] S.S Commemoratio
426 /
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.
[4] F. F. Bruce, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, vol. 45, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1982), 33.
[5] Leslie C. Allen, Psalms 101–150 (Revised), vol. 21, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 2002), 331.
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