Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist

Proper readings for the Memorial of the Passion of St. John the Baptist
 
Additional Information about the Memorial of the Passion of St. John the Baptist

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

Readings for Monday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
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: 1 Corinthians 2:1-5
 
When I came to you, brothers and sisters,
proclaiming the mystery of God,
I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom.
For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you
except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling,
and my message and my proclamation
were not with persuasive words of wisdom,
but with a demonstration of spirit and power,
so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom
but on the power of God.
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Commentary on 1 Cor 2:1-5
 
The Apostle goes into an explanation of his axiomatic expression: “the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.” (1 Corinthians 1:25) The difficulty he had in proclaiming his gospel in Athens using Hellenistic rhetoric (Acts 17:16-34) caused him to proclaim Christ to the Corinthians in an unvarnished way, “Christ and him crucified.” Coming to them in humility, he provides an example of faith based, not upon logic but upon the spirit that goes beyond human wisdom. He offers this same “kenosis” in Philippians 2:6-11.
 
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Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 119:97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102
 
R. (97) Lord, I love your commands.
 
How I love your law, O Lord!
It is my meditation all the day.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
 
Your command has made me wiser than my enemies,
for it is ever with me.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
 
I have more understanding than all my teachers
when your decrees are my meditation.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
 
I have more discernment than the elders,
because I observe your precepts.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
 
From every evil way I withhold my feet,
that I may keep your words.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
 
From your ordinances I turn not away,
for you have instructed me.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
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Commentary on Ps 119:97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102
 
Psalm 119 is an acrostic poem.  Each of the eight verses of the first strophe begins with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet (aleph). Each verse of the second strophe begins with the second letter (beth), and so on for all 22 letters of the alphabet.
 
The entire work is in praise of the Law, and the joys to be found in keeping it. It is not "legalism" but a love and desire for the word of God in Israel's Law, which is the expression of the Lord's revelation of himself and his will for man. These particular verses focus on the wisdom transmitted through the Law: “Your command has made me wiser than my enemies.”
 
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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 431/634
[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.