The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today, the Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist, challenge us to seek the support of the Spirit in our mission as followers of Christ including examination of our motives for action.
The CCCB choice of reading from the Prophet Jeremiah describes the call of Jeremiah.
The USCCB reading from the First Letter of Paul to theThessalonians introduces Paul’s Ministry in Thessalonica.
* [2:4] Judged worthy: Paul regards “worthiness” not as grounded in one’s own talent or moral self-righteousness but in God’s discernment of genuinely selfless attitudes and actions (see 2 Cor 10:17–18).
* [2:7] Gentle: many excellent manuscripts read “infants” (nēpioi), but “gentle” (ēpioi) better suits the context here. (1 Thessalonians, CHAPTER 2, n.d.)
Psalm 139 praises the Inescapable God.
* [Psalm 139] A hymnic meditation on God’s omnipresence and omniscience. The psalmist is keenly aware of God’s all-knowing gaze (Ps 139:1–6), of God’s presence in every part of the universe (Ps 139:7–12), and of God’s control over the psalmist’s very self (Ps 139:13–16). Summing up Ps 139:1–16, 17–18 express wonder. There is only one place hostile to God’s rule—wicked people. The psalmist prays to be removed from their company (Ps 139:19–24). (Psalms, PSALM 139, n.d.)
The Gospel of Mark describes the Death of John the Baptist.
* [6:17–29] Similarities are to be noted between Mark’s account of the imprisonment and death of John the Baptist in this pericope, and that of the passion of Jesus (Mk 15:1–47). Herod and Pilate, each in turn, acknowledges the holiness of life of one over whom he unjustly exercises the power of condemnation and death (Mk 6:26–27; 15:9–10, 14–15). The hatred of Herodias toward John parallels that of the Jewish leaders toward Jesus. After the deaths of John and of Jesus, well-disposed persons request the bodies of the victims of Herod and of Pilate in turn to give them respectful burial (Mk 6:29; 15:45–46).
* [6:19] Herodias: see note on Mt 14:3. (Mark, CHAPTER 6, n.d.)
Michael Kavan thinks of dichotomies. Two men - one holy, one not. One was courageous and willing to risk imprisonment to speak of the coming of Jesus and the necessity to repent, the other was a coward who, despite his intrigue with John and his belief in him being a righteous man, was unwilling to stand up for him once Herodias requested his beheading. One was unconcerned about how others viewed him and spoke truthfully regardless of its implications, the other, despite the distress he felt with the request to behead John, capitulated so as to not look bad in front of Salome and his guests.
Essentially, Mark’s Gospel highlights the distinct differences between two men and how they lived their lives. John embraced the ways of God and lived his life accordingly; Herod did not. None of us is perfect and we often struggle to determine right from wrong. Or, maybe more so, even when we know what is right it is difficult to follow through due to other influencing factors including people or circumstances and we end up doing the easier thing. After reading today’s Gospel, I hope to remind myself of John and his courage to speak his beliefs and values. I then hope to garner the courage to stand up for what is right despite the consequences whether it be embarrassment or ridicule or something worse. Let us embrace God through the teachings of John and Jesus. And let God give us the strength and the courage to speak out against immorality and injustice and let’s channel this newfound strength as we attempt to change the world around us in a positive way! (Kavan, 2023)
Don Schwager quotes “The Weakness of the Tyrant and the Power of the Beheaded,” by John Chrysostom (347-407 AD).
"Note well the weakness of the tyrant compared to the power of the one in prison. Herod was not strong enough to silence his own tongue. Having opened it, he opened up countless other mouths in its place and with its help. As for John, he immediately inspired fear in Herod after his murder - for fear was disturbing Herod's conscience to such an extent that he believed John had been raised from the dead and was performing miracles (Mark 6:14-16)! In our own day and through all future time, throughout all the world, John continues to refute Herod, both through himself and through others. For each person repeatedly reading this Gospel says: 'It is not lawful for you to have the wife of Philip your brother' (Mark 6:18). And even apart from reading the Gospel, in assemblies and meetings at home or in the market, in every place... even to the very ends of the earth, you will hear this voice and see that righteous man even now still crying out, resounding loudly, reproving the evil of the tyrant. He will never be silenced nor the reproof at all weakened by the passing of time." (excerpt from ON THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD 22.8-9) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation: on 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 comments that we are all familiar with the challenges of living as disciples of Jesus. For example, we may need to cling to the Lord and endure patiently during times of trial or worry. We may be called upon to care for a loved one when we are tired, or to respond generously when someone asks for our help over and over again. Perhaps we need to forgive an offense or be humble enough to ask forgiveness.
Certainly the enticements of this world can seem far more attractive than laying down your life in these ways. But the “rewards” of this world are weak and temporary when compared to “the supreme good” of living for the Lord and serving his people (Philippians 3:8). The truth is, sharing “our very selves,” as Paul and John the Baptist did, is the most rewarding, joy-filled life we could ever know (1 Thessalonians 2:8).
“Jesus, help me to give of myself instead of grasping for myself.” (Meditation: On 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the courage of Paul to preach to the Thesslonians after being beaten in Phillippi. The death of John the Baptist highlights the consequences that sometimes befall those who uphold moral norms and tell the truth. Friar Jude reminds us of the peculiarity of several places in the world having relics of the head of John the Baptist.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, reflects upon Jesus’ teaching his disciples to “be awake,” which Fr. Richard understands as the key to authentic religion.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, the last words Jesus spoke to his apostles were, “Stay awake.” In fact, he says it twice (see Matthew 26:38–41). The Buddha offered the same wisdom; “Buddha,” in fact, means “I am awake.”
Staying awake comes not from willpower but from a wholehearted surrender to the moment as it is. If we can be present, we will experience what most of us mean by God, and we do not even need to call it God. It’s largely a matter of letting go of resistance to what the moment offers or to quit clinging to a past moment. It is an acceptance of the full reality of what is right here and now. It will be the task of our whole lives.
We cannot get there by any method whatsoever; we can only be there. The purest form of spirituality is to find God in what is right in front of us—the ability to accept what the French Jesuit and mystic Jean Pierre de Caussade (1675–1751) called the “sacrament of the present moment.” [2] (Rohr, 2023)
We are reminded of the Presence of the Spirit on our journey to enlighten us to truth and goodness and strengthen our support of these values.
References
Kavan, M. (2023, August 29). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved August 29, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/082923.html
Mark, CHAPTER 6. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 29, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/6?17
Meditation: on 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved August 29, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/08/29/769225/
1 Thessalonians, CHAPTER 2. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 29, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1thessalonians/2?
Psalms, PSALM 139. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 29, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/139?1
Rohr, R. (2023, August 29). Be Awake — Center for Action and Contemplation. CAC Daily Meditations 2023. Retrieved August 29, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/be-awake-2023-08-29/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 29, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=aug29a
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