(Optional Memorial for Saint Peter Chrysologus, Bishop and Doctor of the Church)
(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.
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| “St John Reproaching Herod” by Mattia Preti, 1662-66 |
Commentary:
Reading 1: Jeremiah 26:11-16, 24
Commentary on Jer 26:11-16, 24
The story of Jeremiah’s persecution is continued after he first prophesied in the Temple that if the people did not turn away from their sinful practices, God would destroy the kingdom of Judah, including the temple. Here the leaders of the community try to have him put to death.
In the face of this angry mob, the prophet repeats the essence of the prophecy (repent so the Lord will not punish them), and then reminds them that it was not on his own that he came to them, but as a servant, a prophet of God, who commanded him. If they put him to death, they were committing an offense against the law. They were finally convinced (in the omitted verses, 17-23, the example of the Prophet Micah, who also predicted dire consequences, was used) and we are told Ahikam came to his defense. “Ahikam, son of Shaphan: one of Josiah's officials (2 Kings 22:12) and father of Gedaliah, Jeremiah's friend, who was governor of Judah after Zedekiah's deportation (cf Jeremiah 39:14; 40:5-7).”[5]
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 69:15-16, 30-31, 33-34
R. (14c) Lord, in your great love, answer me.
Commentary on Ps 69:15-16, 30-31, 33-34
Psalm 69 is a lament in which the psalmist sings of being unjustly persecuted, and calls on God’s saving help. The faith in God’s mercy is reflected in the confidence of the psalmist as in the final strophe the poor are reassured of the Lord's kindness.
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Gospel: Matthew 14:1-12
Commentary on Mt 14:1-12
In this passage, recalling the manner of the death of John the Baptist, Herod unwittingly predicts Jesus’ future glory as he assumes that the Lord is John the Baptist, raised from the dead. His guilt over the murder of John weighs heavily on him.
In St. Matthew’s account of the murder of John the Baptist, we note that there is a much more detailed explanation than that found in the Gospel of St. Mark (Mark 6:14ff). We also see that, according to St. Matthew, the murder of St. John was the intent of Herod from the beginning, where St. Mark’s Gospel infers it was Herodias that manipulated him into the act.
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Reflection:
It is a tense day in scripture. First we hear Jeremiah who has been really haranguing the leadership for a couple weeks. He is, at this point, about ready to be put to death. His response: “Don’t blame me, God is the one who sent me, and it is God that wants you to change.” He dodged a proverbial bullet. Then in the Gospel, just when it seems like King Herod is getting very concerned about Jesus (thinking he is the re-incarnation of John the Baptist), we get a flashback to the execution of John.
As we watch the lives of the servants of God unfold, we come to one inescapable conclusion: working for God can be hazardous to your health. Granted, special honor was accorded to the great Prophet Jeremiah, and similar honor was given to the precursor of the Lord, his cousin, John the Baptist. Still, when the message of God is placed against the backdrop of society’s norms, it is not what most people want to hear. And when those people are of a far distant time, a time when human life was less revered, the common outcome was pain, frequently resulting in death.
What message does that bring to us today? First, we must understand that if we take our faith into the secular world, we will not win any popularity contests. Those that don’t avoid us will probably do what they can to make us figures of ridicule or contempt. They will make jokes at our expense, and the names they use for us such as Jesus freak, fanatic, or hater are not meant to be badges of honor (although some of them [not hater – that’s just a lie put out by those who would pervert sexual morality] we should be proud to earn).
In other parts of the world, especially those parts where radical Islam seems to be taking hold, being labeled Christian can be a death sentence. In the predominantly Islamic states around the holy land (Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran, not to mention the ISIS terror state containing parts of Iraq and Syria where there is currently a pogrom taking place), professing Christianity is actually a civil crime punishable by death. In China
We have an obligation to be faithful to our Creed, and to proclaim our Lord Jesus Christ, and him crucified. We are required to live a life of faith at home (the domestic church), at school and at work. We need to show the face the face of Christ to our families, our friends, neighbors, and especially the stranger we meet. But as we do what we are obligated to do in the name of our faith, let us remember Jeremiah, John the Baptist, and above all Jesus. They gave us an example of what the faith is worth to us and the world.
Pax
[1] General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar Miscellaneous Notes no. 5
[2] The picture used is “St John Reproaching Herod” by Mattia Preti, 1662-66
[5] See NAB footnote on Jeremiah 26:24
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