Beheading of the Honourable and Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John.
All-Night Vigil Feast. A day when the faithful are highly encouraged to participate in the Divine Liturgy. Day of fast. Traditionally, we do not eat anything in the shape of a head today.
Acts 13:25-32. Mark 6:14-30.
Read Acts 13:25-32
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Beheading of John the Baptist. It can sound strange to our ears to use a word like “celebrate” when we remember the beheading of the greatest man born of woman” (see Lk. 7:28). We are not celebrating the fact that he was executed. Rather, we are celebrating his witness to the Truth. John the Baptist reproved Herod the tetrarch for his adultery with Herodias (his brother’s wife) and for all the evil things he had done, and so Herod put John into prison (see Lk. 3:19-20). Herodias held a grudge against John for this and wanted him killed. When her daughter was granted a request after dancing for Herod on his birthday, Herodias prompted her to request the head of John the Baptist on a platter (see Mk. 6:14-29). John stood up for what is right and was unwavering in his proclamation of the truth, even when his message was challenging and unwelcome. John stood up for the truth even at the cost of his own life.
In today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles, St. Luke writes about Jesus’ death. Although “those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers . . . could charge [Jesus] with nothing deserving death, yet they asked Pilate to have him killed” (Acts 13:27-28). Similarly, John the Baptist committed no crime deserving death; he only offended powerful people with his teachings. Although Jesus was put to death, “God raised Him from the dead” (Acts 13:30). Death does not have the final say. Death is not victorious. As we celebrate John the Baptist today, we remember that in Christ, death has been conquered.
Do we worry about “offending” others with the Truth? Are we worried that our lives will be somehow negatively impacted for saying the right thing? We should always speak the truth in love so that “we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ” (Eph. 4:15). Today, let us admire the example of John the Baptist and pray for the courage to stand up for the Truth as he did.