Word to the Wise
Friday, August 29, 2008 - The Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist
[1 Corinthians 1:17-25 and Mark 6:17-29]Herod was the one who had John the Baptist arriested 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.
The death of John the Baptist seems downright tawdry - the stuff of grand and soap operas! All the characters are vividly drawn: John, Herod, Herodias and the dancing daughter, whom tradition has given the name, "Salome!" Tradition has even given the girl's dance routine a name, "Dance of the Seven Veils!" Hey! A good story is a good story even if it is a gruesome one. But we shouldn't allow the story itself to detract from its purpose in the narrative of the Gospel of Mark. That purpose is to show that even in death, John the Baptist was the precursor of Jesus. Just as John dies an unjust death at the hand of a weak and venal ruler, so Jesus would die a similar and violent death. The passage could serve the dual purpose of reminding any believer who reads it that to stand up and prophetically accuse the "powers that be" will be risky. One hopes that the general fear of the fate of prophets will not be so strong as to deprive us of figures of that kind! Strangely, it was John's preaching that kept his head on his shoulders as long as it did. Herod was afraid to kill him. It was only when being drunk and saving face were paired in one event that John fell prey to the smoldering grudge of Herodias! In our own day, however, there are figures who speak out against "powers that be" to hold them accountable for their actions. I'm sure they will appreciate our support and prayers even if our voices lack the same bold courage! AMEN
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