Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist
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.
Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, as I reflect on your words today, penetrate my heart with your love so that I can put aside all loves that don’t lead to you.
Encountering Christ:
- Herod Was Greatly Perplexed: These simple words of Scripture are indicative of the need for discernment. What flustered Herod? Something resonated within him that did not sit well. John’s words provoked those sentiments or affective movements. Inwardly Herod found himself at a crossroad between attraction and resistance. John, the prophet of God, spoke to the core existential inclination of Herod’s heart. He, too, was called by God to a life of holiness and goodness, a participation in life itself. And yet, the consequences of his chosen path grated upon his moral nerve. Herod was troubled because he did not think it possible or desirable to make the break from sin and follow that barely kindled joy that resonated when truth and life are revealed.
- Herodias: Herodias saw John as an obstacle to her anticipated achievements. Like the enemy of our soul, she stopped at nothing to thwart the movement of Herod’s heart towards God’s truth and life. She was vigilant, always looking for opportunities to present themselves to further her ambition. Even her own daughter played into Herodias’s hands. By her daughter’s dance, Herodias exploited what was natural to Herod, his desire to please and his pride, to remove John’s influence from their lives.
- John the Baptist: John was an anomaly among the people of his time. While seen as crazy by some, and a thorn in the side to others, he attracted those who were sincerely seeking a path of truth and righteousness. Imprisonment did not stop him from speaking truth to the situations at hand. And in the end, it cost him his head, literally. He was beheaded and his head was brought in on a platter. It is a gross display of irreverence for a man who spoke of the things of God. Despite this end, his message still resonates today to those who will open their ears to listen without resistance. John continues reminding us to prepare a way for the Lord. Our task is to recognize any interior resistance and reject it so as to grow in the grace of God.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, grant me true discernment to detect the interior movements that come from my original call to holiness and love. Grant that I may be vigilant and name and resist anything that stands in the way of a true surrender to you.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will listen interiorly for any resistance I feel toward living greater faith, hope, and charity.
Jennifer Ristine is a consecrated woman of Regnum Christi dedicated to spiritual and faith formation through teaching, conferences, writing, and spiritual direction. While serving in Ancient Magdala she wrote Mary Magdalene: Insights from Ancient Magdala and “Nine Days with Mary Magdalene.”
