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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Reflection:
Where does
John the Baptist’s courage come from? His courage emanates from God; he draws
his strength from Him. It is God who fuels John’s passion to proclaim the truth
and to denounce the adulterous relationship of Herod and Herodias. Faced with a
very powerful man, John never thought of backing down. He stood his ground,
unshaken, and simply obeyed the gentle yet firm dictates of the Holy Spirit.
When we are faced with the same dilemma, would we also
be able to stand our ground? Could we look straight in the eyes of those who
are corrupt and immoral, or lovingly correct those who have strayed from the
right path? For instance, if you discovered that your spouse was having an
adulterous relationship, would you close your eyes and pretend that nothing was
happening? Of course not! As children of God, we are called to courageously
speak the truth, even when it is painful, and to denounce sin, no matter the
cost.
Many martyrs and saints of the Church walked the same
difficult path as John the Baptist. Like him, they paid dearly with their
lives, yet their sacrifice became a radiant witness to the power of faith. This
is the way of true discipleship in Christ: to be ready to give up our comfort,
our security, or even our very life, so that evil may not triumph over good.
To do nothing—to remain silent, to pretend not to hear
or see, despite the overwhelming stench of sin and wrongdoing—is to give silent
approval to evil. We are called to rise above fear and complacency.
Are you like John the Baptist? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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