“The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests who were present, he ordered that it be given, and he had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who took it to her mother. His disciples came and took away the corpse and buried him; and they went and told Jesus.”
There is no part of today’s Gospel reading that is pleasant to dwell on. It’s all pretty grisly stuff. Yet, at the end of the passage, John’s disciples show love and respect for him by burying him and telling Jesus what had happened. In both the first reading and the Gospel, the figures in them are afraid and act out of fear. Although he was speaking the truth and asking them to repent, the princes and people of the city fear putting Jeremiah to death because they don’t want to bring innocent blood on themselves. In the end, they release him. In the Gospel, Herod the Tetrarch is described as afraid and distressed as he acts this out by not killing John but finally being pressured to “because of his oaths and the guests who were present.”
Thank you, God, for today’s examples from the readings. We have the people in the first reading and King Herod in the Gospel, who show us how not to live: in fear. And we have Jeremiah and John, who spoke the truth and faced death because of their belief in God. As uncomfortable or threatening as it is sometimes, I should never be ashamed to speak in truth to others about what is good and true, as revealed by your Son and through the teachings of the Church.
I know you want me to stay close to you, God. There is real evil in the world that wants to put to death those who love and serve you. Stay with me today because I know I will forget you when I hear of those who live in fear and see those who follow you as their enemy. I know you have many good gifts in store for me today because of your unsearchable generosity and mercy—a joy to carry with me throughout the day even as the truth is called into question. From the responsorial psalm, let me remember: “Lord, in your great love, answer me.”