Reflections on Scripture | Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist

Join Msgr. Don Fischer as he reads and delivers a short reflection on today’s gospel, followed by 3 1/2 minutes of contemplative music and a closing prayer. Msgr. Don hopes that today’s reflection on the gospel will empower you to carry the Word in your heart throughout the day.

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Gospel
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.

Reflection

Everything in the Scriptures reveals some mystery that we have to grasp and understand.

No matter how strange the action. It always seemed to me that this story of the death of John the Baptist was such an unfortunate coincidence that he happened to be in a situation that he found himself in and was killed for the most stupid of reasons. For someone to keep a promise he didn't really want to do just because of the crowd. It’s so like the crowd that also demanded the crucifixion of Jesus.

And so it must be the plan of God that John the Baptist would step down. He would give up his ministry so that God could work solely through Jesus. It had to be this way and to see the similarity of his death and the similarity of Jesus’ death makes it even clearer. Both of them gave their life for this message.

When Jesus died because of the crowd, they came and took his body and buried it.

Closing Prayer

Father, It's difficult for us to read the times that we're living in to understand what's going on in the world. And if we lose a sense that it is all somehow there for a purpose, that is greater, that is all about us establishing a new kingdom. Then we have endurance, acceptance and conviction that the world is moving as it must. Bless us with this kind of understanding, so we do not give in to fear. We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Kyle Cross