Daily Gospel Reflection
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August 29, 2020
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. For John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”
And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him.
But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. Herodias’ own daughter came in and performed a dance that delighted Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it.” And he solemnly swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.”
She went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” She replied, “The head of John the Baptist.” Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”
The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother.
When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.
Herod has an issue with John the Baptist. John called out Herod for marrying his brother’s wife, Herodia. For this offense, Herod has him arrested and thrown in prison.
There is a very interesting wrinkle in this story. Herodias wants John to be executed but Herod protects him because he “feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man.” Herod certainly understands that there would be political consequences for killing a popular public figure for doing nothing more than stating the facts about his unlawful marriage. The interesting wrinkle is the line: “When he [Herod] heard him [John], he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him.”
Herod, liked to listen to him. Herod was under no obligation to listen to John. He had the power to keep John locked away so that he wouldn’t have to listen to him and no one else could be influenced by his preaching. And yet, he let him speak. What’s more, he enjoyed listening to him even though “he was greatly perplexed” by John. Clearly, John was not offering empty platitudes like the others in Herod’s royal court. He was prompting Herod to really think.
Who are the people in my life who may seem to be adversaries but may actually be messengers–or even prophets–if I would take the time to listen to them? Do I have the intellectual courage to enjoy being perplexed by someone who holds a different worldview than my own?
Herod is certainly no hero in this story but if this passage is a tragedy of John the Baptist it is also, in a sense, a tragedy of Herod. If only he might have continued to listen to John, perhaps he might have moved from perplexity to conversion. We have the opportunity to do what Herod did not: we can hear the witness of this strange prophet and heed his resounding cry: “Prepare the way of the Lord!”
Prayer
In the mystery of your divine wisdom, O Lord our God, you inspired John the Baptist to prepare the way for the coming of your Son. In his fervor to help people recognize their sinful ways and repent, he incurred the wrath of civil authorities and so was martyred for his faith. With the assistance of his example may we also accept the grace to stand firm in the face of persecution. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Saint of the Day
Besides Jesus and Mary, only one other person has a birthday and death-date marked by the Church: John the Baptist. The feast of his birth falls on June 24, but today we celebrate the feast of his death.
The Gospel today recounts how king Herod had John imprisoned because John told Herod he should not have married his brother’s wife. This enraged the king’s wife, and she wanted John killed, but Herod kept him in prison because he liked to hear John speak, even though he found what John said “perplexing.”
On his birthday, a dancer entertained Herod and the court. She danced so beautifully that Herod granted her one wish. His wife influenced her to ask for John’s head. Herod was distressed, but granted the wish and John the Baptist was killed.
John gave his life to the truth, so it is not surprising that he was killed for speaking it. His mission was to conform his life to truth so that when Christ came along, he might recognize and clearly proclaim him. May God give us courage to give our lives to truth as well.
Several relics of John the Baptist rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica, and his beheading is depicted in a stained glass window there.
The Raclin Murphy Museum of Art on campus contains an etching from Rembrandt depicting the beheading of John the Baptist, seen above.
St. John the Baptist, you gave your life for truth—pray for us!
Image Credit: Rembrandt van Rijn (Dutch, 1606 - 1669), Beheading of John the Baptist, 1640, Etching and drypoint on laid paper. Raclin Murphy Museum of Art, University of Notre Dame. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Jack F. Feddersen, 1991.025.060.