Dear brothers and sisters, we celebrate the martyrdom of Saint John the Baptist. Today, in the prayer of the preface, we will hear the words: “For we celebrate the work of Your grace in Christ’s forerunner, Saint John, whom You favored above all people with special kindness.” Indeed, God bestowed special favor upon Saint John the Baptist.
This favor was also shown in his birth to Saint Zechariah and Elizabeth. They were people of advanced age, who received the great gift of this child, and his birth and conception were accompanied by great signs. When the angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah in the temple and announced that he would have a child—a great prophet and forerunner of Jesus Christ. Although Zechariah did not believe, another sign followed: he was unable to speak for nine months until John’s birth, and when he finally spoke at John’s birth, people saw it as a great sign. Also, when the Virgin Mary, blessed with child, met Elizabeth, who was also pregnant, the child John the Baptist rejoiced in Elizabeth’s womb. This was another great sign. Jesus Christ himself speaks about John the Baptist as a great prophet, stating that no one greater was born of a woman than John. Jesus himself gives strong testimony that God bestowed great favor on Saint John the Baptist, and today we celebrate his martyrdom.
Today we celebrate his end—an end at a relatively young age, perhaps around 30 years old, as he died a martyr’s death. But his end, his martyrdom, was a triumphant one, triumphant in the witness given by the words of today’s Scripture.
In today’s Gospel, we hear that John was imprisoned—John, who was taken captive by Herod—John, whom Herod enjoyed listening to, especially when John named Herod’s sin exactly: “You should not live with your brother’s wife.” These words were a rebuke. Yet Herod liked to listen to him, and though he was greatly troubled, he still listened with pleasure. This is a beautiful testimony that John could name the truth in such a way that it touched the person himself. That truth resonated with him, and he appreciated it because truth is compelling. The truth about ourselves is very good and important. The truth that touched Herod shook him so deeply that it also protected him. We see how Saint John the Baptist, though imprisoned and having no easy life, was not afraid and named the truth in such a way that Herod gladly listened to him. This is beautiful; Herod surely had a conscience, and it touched him deeply, resonating within him.
We see that later intrigues involving his unlawful wife Herodias, her daughter, and ultimately John the Baptist led to his death, as if to silence this truth. But truth cannot be silenced, because Jesus Christ comes, who said about Himself, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” And this truth could not be silenced, even though they tried to kill it on the cross and bury it in the tomb. But Jesus Christ rose from the dead, and this truth can never be silenced again. The truth that rightly names us, our life that people do not live, and we listen well to this truth from Jesus Christ, because this truth is much stronger than the voice of Saint John the Baptist, who named Herod’s sin. The voice of Jesus Christ tells us about ourselves—how we should live, what we should do, what to avoid, and where we find our happiness. This is the truth we too must listen to and gladly accept. And this truth can never be silenced or suppressed.
May Saint John the Baptist be a great example and model for us, who was not afraid to name the truth on one hand, and on the other hand, named it correctly in such a way that people were glad to listen to him. Amen.
Visitors counter: 24
