There is no man born of woman greater than Saint John the Baptist, in the words of our Lord, Saint John the Baptist, who was his precursor, foreshadowed Christ not only in his ministry, but also in his death.
Today, we pay particular attention to the suffering that he underwent out of love for Christ, which is an inspiration for each and every one of us as we too strive to go against the current of the world and to speak truth to power, just as he did.
Now we know that Saint John the Baptist lived his life entirely dedicated to God. He was out in the desert for most of his life, living on locusts, not on fine food, and doing penance for the world and for its preparation for the coming of the Savior into the world. And so, we need to ask ourselves, how are we living our brief life on earth? How are we being courageous at all costs, defending the truth, when the world around us seems to be maligning it, confusing it, thwarting it?
We know from many examples around the world how people suffer on account of being faithful to a moral truth. Saint John the Baptist because he called out Herodius, who was the wife of King Herod's brother Philip the Tetrarch, and who had left Philip and was living with Herod in sin. This infuriated her, but it piqued the interest of Herod, even though it put him in a very negative political light with the neighbours to Israel; The kings, the governors.
One day, having invited all of these leaders to the royal palace, Salome, Herodias's daughter, seductively dances for her audience, but namely to grab the attention of King Herod. At the end of her dance, he promises to give her anything, even up to half of his kingdom. On the counsel of her mother, Herodias, she demands rather the head of Saint John the Baptist on a platter.
Therefore, Saint John's beheading will always be an icon of speaking truth to power and the suffering we might have to undergo.
But make no mistake about it, my brothers and sisters, once that sword fell on the neck of Saint John the Baptist, immediately, not even a second after, his eyes opened on the other side, and he was able to see his body before him, but he was more importantly able to enter into the great glory that was prepared for him by God from all eternity.
One mystic once said that all the martyrs, all those who suffered some kind of physical harm for the Lord, their wounds will shine more brilliantly than all the light and the aura that will surround them forever and ever as a permanent, eternal sign of their fidelity to Christ and their love for him.
My dear brothers and sisters, let us love Jesus in the same way. Let us not be afraid to take a stand against what we know is evil. Even though it might hurt us, it might cost us
something. Because at the end of the day, the Lord will strengthen us.
And he will endow us with the grace to continue to testify, to give witness to his goodness, his mercy, and his eternal plan for each and every one of us. Amen
Saint John the Baptist, pray for us.
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