Memorial of the
Passion of John the Baptist
(I Thessalonians 4:1-8; Mark 6:17-29)
In Shakespeare’s tragedy, Julius Caesar, the protagonist says: "Cowards die many times before their deaths. The valiant never taste of death but once." Caesar is referring to the many occasions in which cowards betray their consciences. Out of fear they repeatedly fail to do what is right. King Herod proves himself such a coward in today’s gospel.
Herod fears that his guests will think of him as weak-kneed for refusing to carry out the promise he made to his stepdaughter. He also shows himself a coward for not reprimanding the girl after her outrageous request. Quite the opposite, John the Baptist shows real courage by speaking out against Herod for causing a public scandal. He knows that civic leaders should give good example to the people by living upright.
We are being continuously jarred by the unseemly acts of politicians. Marital infidelity and cavorting with prostitutes are regular front-page features. We need to look to Jesus for a remedy. He will tell us not to cast stones on the guilty. But he will add that their sins cannot be tolerated. We might ask them to repent, encourage them to do penance, and give them some consolation for their conversion. In the process we might remind ourselves that “there go I” but for the grace of God.
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