Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness

Gospel of the Day (Mark 6:17-29)

Herod was the one who had John 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's 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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Reflections:

"Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness" (Mt 5,10)

The death of Christ stands at the head of an innumerable crowd of believers. Through this same Lord Jesus' power, and thanks to his goodness, the precious deaths of his martyrs and saints have given birth to a great multitude of christians. Indeed, never has the christian religion been wiped out by the persecution of tyrants or the indefensible murder of the innocent. Rather, it has drawn greater increase from them each time.

We have an example of this in Saint John, who baptised Christ and whose holy martyrdom we celebrate today. That faithless king, Herod, true to his oath, wanted to wipe out completely the memory of John from men's minds. Yet not only was John not destroyed but men in their thousands, inflamed by his example, have welcomed death with joy for the sake of justice and truth... What Christian is there worthy of the name who does not venerate John today, he who baptised the Lord? All over the world Christians honor his memory, all generations proclaim him blessed and his virtues suffuse the Church with their perfume. John did not live for himself alone and he has not died for himself alone either.

Source: Daily Gospel