Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 08-29-14, M, Passion of St. John the Baptist

Beheading of St. John The Baptist

Feast Day: August 29
Born / Died: Around the same time as Jesus

St. John the Baptist was a cousin of Jesus. His mother was St. Elizabeth and his father was Zechariah. The first chapter of Luke's Gospel tells of the wonderful event of John's birth.

John preached a baptism of repentance, preparing people for the Messiah. He baptized Jesus in the Jordan River and watched with quiet joy as the Lord's public ministry began. John encouraged his own disciples to follow Jesus. He knew that Jesus' fame would grow, while his would fade away.

In the first chapter of the Gospel of John, St. John the Baptist calls himself a voice crying in the desert to make straight the path of the Lord. He invited people to get ready, to prepare themselves to recognize the Messiah. His message is the same to each of us today.

King Herod and his wife refused to obey God. They wanted to make their own rules for their lives. So St. John the Baptist told them what they were doing was wrong. Because he was honest and would not agree to do wrong, it made Herod's wife angry and she asked her husband for the head of John the Baptist.

Yet John would have had it no other way. He would not remain silent while sin and injustice were happening. He asked people to be sorry for their sins, obey God and be His friend as true happiness comes only from God.

Mark's Gospel, chapter 6:14-29, tells of the cruel death of John the Baptist. What suffering John agreed to bear for teaching the truth.

Day 260 - What is theft, and what falls under the Seventh Commandment? // What rules apply to intellectual property?

What is theft, and what falls under the Seventh Commandment?

Theft is the unlawful appropriation of goods belonging to another. Appropriating someone else's goods unjustly is a sin against the Seventh Commandment even if the act cannot be indicted under civil law. What is unjust in God's sight is unjust. The Seventh Commandment, of course, applies not only to stealing, but also to the unfair withholding of a just wage, the keeping of found items that one could give back, and defrauding in general. The Seventh Commandment also pertains to the following: setting employees to work in inhumane conditions, not abiding by contracts into which one has entered, wasting profits without any consideration for social obligations, artificially driving prices up or down, endangering the jobs of colleagues for whom one is responsible, bribery and corruption, misleading dependent coworkers into illegal actions, doing shoddy work or demanding inappropriate remuneration, wasting or negligently managing public property, counterfeiting or falsifying accounting records, or tax evasion.

What rules apply to intellectual property?

The misappropriation of intellectual property is theft also. Not just plagiarism is theft. The theft of intellectual property begins with copying other students' work in school, continues in the illegal taking of materials from the Internet, applies to the making of unauthorized copies or trafficking in pirated copies in various media, and extends to business dealings in stolen concepts and ideas. Every acquisition of someone else's intellectual property demands the free consent and appropriate remuneration of the author or inventor. (YOUCAT questions 428-429)

Dig Deeper: CCC section (2408-2409) and other references here.

Part 3: Life in Christ (1691 - 2557)

Section 2: The Ten Commandments (2052 - 2557)

Chapter 2: You Shall Love Your Neighbor as Yourself (2196 - 2557)

Article 7: The Seventh Commandment (2401 - 2463)

Jesus said to his disciples: "Love one another even as I have loved you."¹ ⇡

You shall not steal.¹⁸⁶ ⇡

II. RESPECT FOR PERSONS AND THEIR GOODS ⇡

Respect for the goods of others ⇡

2408

The seventh commandment forbids theft, that is, usurping another's property against the reasonable will of the owner. There is no theft if consent can be presumed or if refusal is contrary to reason and the universal destination of goods. This is the case in obvious and urgent necessity when the only way to provide for immediate, essential needs (food, shelter, clothing ...) is to put at one's disposal and use the property of others.¹⁹¹

Jn 13:34.

186.

Ex 20:15; Deut 5:19; Mt 19:18.

191.

Cf. GS 69 § 1.

1867
(all)

2409

Even if it does not contradict the provisions of civil law, any form of unjustly taking and keeping the property of others is against the seventh commandment: thus, deliberate retention of goods lent or of objects lost; business fraud; paying unjust wages; forcing up prices by taking advantage of the ignorance or hardship of another.¹⁹² The following are also morally illicit: speculation in which one contrives to manipulate the price of goods artificially in order to gain an advantage to the detriment of others; corruption in which one influences the judgment of those who must make decisions according to law; appropriation and use for private purposes of the common goods of an enterprise; work poorly done; tax evasion; forgery of checks and invoices; excessive expenses and waste. Willfully damaging private or public property is contrary to the moral law and requires reparation.

192.

Cf. Deut 25:13-16; 24:14-15; Jas 5:4; Am 8:4-6.

Catholic Culture

Daily Readings for:August 29, 2014
(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: O God, who willed that Saint John the Baptist should go ahead of your Son both in his birth and in his death, grant that, as he died a Martyr for truth and justice, we, too, may fight hard for the confession of what you teach. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

RECIPES

o Baptist Cakes

o Chiresaye (Cherry Pudding Decorated with Flowers)

o Empanadas

o Mussels in Tomato Sauce, Tuscany Style

o Winster Wake Cakes

ACTIVITIES

o Customs of the Vigil and Birth of St. John the Baptist

o Family and Friends of Jesus Scrapbook Album

o Feasts of Saint John the Baptist

o Ideas for the Feast of the Birth St. John the Baptist

o Johannesfeuer

o The Birth of Saint John the Baptist

o The Story of St. John the Baptist

PRAYERS

o The Immaculate Heart

o Litany of St. John the Baptist

LIBRARY

o Martyrdom of St John the Baptist | Pope Benedict XVI

· Ordinary Time: August 29th

· Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist

Old Calendar: Beheading of St. John the Baptist; St. Sabina, martyr

The Church, having celebrated the earthly birthday of St. John the Baptist on June 24, today honors the anniversary of his martyrdom. Besides our Lord and our Lady, St. John the Baptist is the only one whose birth and death are thus celebrated. Today's Gospel relates the circumstances of his execution. He had the courage to blame Herod to his face for the scandal of his illegal union with his sister-in-law Herodias, whose husband was still alive. Herodias contrived to make Herod imprison him and took advantage of an unexpected opportunity to obtain through her daughter Salome the beheading of the saint.

According to the 1962 Missal of St. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is the feast of St. Sabina. The titular church of St. Sabina of the Aventine is a gem of Christian architecture. It owes its origin to the generosity of a Roman lady of the name of Sabina who gave to the Christian community the house that she possessed in this aristocratic quarter of Rome. The martyrologies also commemorate another St. Sabina who died in Umbria. The identity of name has caused confusion between the two women.

Martyrdom of John the Baptist
In addition to the feast of the nativity of St. John the Baptist (June 24), the Church, since the fourth century, commemorates the martyrdom of Christ's precursor. According to the Roman Martyrology, this day marks "the second finding of his most venerable head." The body of the saint was buried in Samaria. In the year 362 pagans desecrated the grave and burned his remains. Only a small portion of his relics were able to be saved by monks and sent to St. Athanasius at Alexandria. The head of the saint is venerated at various places. That in the Church of St. Sylvester in Rome belongs to a martyr-priest John. Also in the Dominican church at Breslau the Baptist's head is honored.

Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch

There is no doubt that blessed John suffered imprisonment and chains as a witness to our Redeemer, whose forerunner he was, and gave his life for him. His persecutor had demanded not that he should deny Christ, but only that he should keep silent about the truth. Nevertheless, he died for Christ. Does Christ not say: "I am the truth"? Therefore, because John shed his blood for the truth, he surely died for Christ.

Through his birth, preaching and baptizing, he bore witness to the coming birth, preaching and baptism of Christ, and by his own suffering he showed that Christ also would suffer.

Such was the quality and strength of the man who accepted the end of this present life by shedding his blood after the long imprisonment. He preached the freedom of heavenly peace, yet was thrown into irons by ungodly men. He was locked away in the darkness of prison, though he came bearing witness to the Light of life and deserved to be called a bright and shining lamp by that Light itself, which is Christ.

To endure temporal agonies for the sake of the truth was not a heavy burden for such men as John; rather it was easily borne and even desirable, for he knew eternal joy would be his reward.

Since death was ever near at hand, such men considered it a blessing to embrace it and thus gain the reward of eternal life by acknowledging Christ's name. Hence the apostle Paul rightly says: "You have been granted the privilege not only to believe in Christ but also to suffer for his sake." He tells us why it is Christ's gift that his chosen ones should suffer for him: "The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed in us."

— Saint Bede the Venerable

St. Sabina
According to legend, Sabina was born in Vindena, Umbria, and became the wife of a notable person having the name Valentine. She was converted to the faith by her maid Serapia, a Christian virgin. When Serapia died a martyr's death (her feast occurs on September 3 in the Roman Martyrology), Sabina gave her servant's holy body an honorable burial. On that account she was cast into prison by Emperor Hadrian and brought before the judge Elpidius. "Are you Sabina, illustrious by family and marriage?" he asked. "Yes, I am," came the reply, "but I thank my Savior Jesus Christ that through His servant Serapia He has freed me from the power of hell." Due to her contempt of the gods, she was condemned to death. Christians buried her body in the same grave as her teacher in the faith.

Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch

The Word Among Us

Meditation: 1 Corinthians 1:17-25

The Passion of Saint John the Baptist

The foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom. (1 Corinthians 1:25)

Heavenly Father, we turn to you today and ask you to grant us forerunners like John the Baptist. Send out men and women who will go before the Lord to prepare his way. Raise up zealous missionaries who will break new ground for the gospel. Inspire men and women to seek you in desert solitude—to usher in your kingdom through fasting and prayer.

Father, we ask you to send new John the Baptists into the world—evangelists filled with the power of your Spirit from their earliest years. Through them, flood our malls and highways, our schools, homes, and office buildings with the good news of your promises. Send them into every country to transform the culture of death into a garden of life. Light the fire of your love in them, so that they can enkindle that fire wherever they go.

O Jesus, raise up new prophets like John the Baptist, who will speak your word courageously. Fill believers with the gift of prophecy and send them into the church to renew, revive, purify, and lift our hearts to heaven. Give these new prophets the sword of your Spirit to cut through the darkness and confusion in the world and reveal your light and truth. May your word issue forth as a powerful proclamation to every country, bringing humanity back to you, the Prince of Peace.

Merciful Father, grant us new John the Baptists who are willing to become martyrs for your word. Send them into the lands where sin has a foothold. Strengthen them to crush the head of the enemy and bring new life, even to the shedding of their blood.

Lord, we acknowledge that it’s not just about other people being raised up. May all your people be willing to lay down their lives so that a civilization of love may spring forth. Grant each one of us the grace to decrease so that Jesus may increase.

“Lord, make me as holy as John the Baptist was. Teach me to seek you first, shunning the riches of this world in favor of your heavenly treasures. Make my family holy in word and deed, a mini-church determined to serve the mission of Jesus. O Lord, may men and women and children everywhere come to love you and work to usher in your kingdom!”

Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 10-11; Mark 6:17-29

Regnum Christi

Witness to the Truth

U. S. A. | SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY

August 29, 2014. Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist

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.

Introductory Prayer: Lord, I believe in your wondrous shining glory, although this is hidden from my eyes. I hope in the peace and everlasting joy of the world to come, for this world is a valley of tears. I love you, even though I am not always able to discern the love in your intentions when you permit me to suffer. You are my God and my all.

Petition: Lord, let me never fear the consequences of speaking the truth.

1. Speaking Truth to Power: Although Herod was a cruel tyrant, John the Baptist did not hesitate to condemn his adulterous conduct and to denounce his sin publicly. John was moved by the Holy Spirit to give witness and teach the people that no one can legitimately violate God’s commandments, not even a king. John did not fear the consequences of his actions, because he knew that if he were faithful, God would be at his side and never let him down, even if he had to suffer on account of the truth. We, too, need to give courageous witness to our family, friends and to the society at large. When we do, God will be with us and we will have nothing to fear.

2. It Was Something That You Said: Mark tells us that Herod, although he resented what John said in accusing him of adultery, nonetheless “like[d] to listen to him,” and he was “much perplexed.” In his moral weakness, he persisted in his sin, yet the cries of the prophet to repent did reach his conscience. Herod was in confusion. Something was stirring in his conscience; the Holy Spirit was moving inside him to bring him to true repentance for his sin. God never abandons the sinner, but gives him grace to turn back to him. We should never lose hope for one who seems to be lost and wandering in sin. We should always continue to speak the truth with love and pray for a full conversion. God can change the heart of even the worst of sinners. He has forgiven us so much, and he can forgive others as well.

3. A Conversion Cut Short: The Gospel tells how Herod, in an imprudent promise to Herodias’ daughter, found himself compromised and, for fear of losing face, had to order the beheading of John the Baptist. Here his moral weakness overcame the first stirrings of the grace of conversion. He closed his heart to God’s action due to his lust and vanity, and he committed the terrible crime of murder of an innocent man. How sin can darken the conscience and extinguish God’s grace in the heart of a person given over only to satisfying their passions!

Conversation with Christ: Lord, I want to be faithful to your teachings and to be frank with those I love who need to hear your word. I know that takes prudence, courage and steadfastness. Help me to be true to you. Give me the grace of a good conscience always to speak the truth with rectitude and love for your law.

Resolution: I will pray for the grace to witness to the truth, “in season and out of season,” no matter what the consequences.

One Bread, One Body

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All Issues > Volume 30, Issue 5

<< Friday, August 29, 2014 >>

Martyrdom of St. John
the Baptizer

Jeremiah 1:17-19
View Readings

Psalm 71:1-6, 15, 17

Mark 6:17-29
Similar Reflections

CRUSH-PROOF?

"Be not crushed on their account, as though I would leave you crushed before them." —Jeremiah 1:17

Often we cannot help being persecuted or even killed, but we can refuse to be crushed. The government might put us in jail, but it cannot crush our spirits unless we let it. We cannot always prevent our enemies from attacking us, but we can always refuse to be manipulated by intimidation into compromise (see Mt 10:26).

If we accept God's grace to be uncrushable, we will stand up and publicly announce what God has commanded us (Jer 1:17). Like John the Baptizer, we will call sin sin, adultery adultery, and lies lies (Mk 6:18). We will stand up for the truth, for Jesus is the Truth (Jn 14:6).

The uncrushed, unintimidated, unmanipulated, and uncompromised are "a fortified city, a pillar of iron, a wall of brass, against the whole land" (Jer 1:18). They are made this way not by their human strength but by God's grace (Jer 1:18). The uncrushed are invincible (Jer 1:19). Even if they die, they will rise in victory. Don't be crushed; be free, true, pure, holy, victorious, and glorious.

Prayer: Father, may I not fear those who can only destroy my body (Mt 10:28).

Promise: "My mouth shall declare Your justice, day by day Your salvation." —Ps 71:15

Praise: St. John was such a powerful preacher and prophet that King Herod feared him even when he was in prison (Mk 6:20).

Mark
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Mark 6
17.	For Herod himself had sent and apprehended John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias the wife of Philip his brother, because he had married her.	Ipse enim Herodes misit, ac tenuit Joannem, et vinxit eum in carcere propter Herodiadem uxorem Philippi fratris sui, quia duxerat eam.	αυτος γαρ ο ηρωδης αποστειλας εκρατησεν τον ιωαννην και εδησεν αυτον εν φυλακη δια ηρωδιαδα την γυναικα φιλιππου του αδελφου αυτου οτι αυτην εγαμησεν
18.	For John said to Herod: It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife.	Dicebat enim Joannes Herodi : Non licet tibi habere uxorem fratris tui.	ελεγεν γαρ ο ιωαννης τω ηρωδη οτι ουκ εξεστιν σοι εχειν την γυναικα του αδελφου σου
19.	Now Herodias laid snares for him: and was desirous to put him to death, and could not.	Herodias autem insidiabatur illi : et volebat occidere eum, nec poterat.	η δε ηρωδιας ενειχεν αυτω και ηθελεν αυτον αποκτειναι και ουκ ηδυνατο
20.	For Herod feared John, knowing him to be a just and holy man: and kept him, and when he heard him, did many things: and he heard him willingly.	Herodes enim metuebat Joannem, sciens eum virum justum et sanctum : et custodiebat eum, et audito eo multa faciebat, et libenter eum audiebat.	ο γαρ ηρωδης εφοβειτο τον ιωαννην ειδως αυτον ανδρα δικαιον και αγιον και συνετηρει αυτον και ακουσας αυτου πολλα εποιει και ηδεως αυτου ηκουεν
21.	And when a convenient day was come, Herod made a supper for his birthday, for the princes, and tribunes, and chief men of Galilee.	Et cum dies opportunus accidisset, Herodes natalis sui cœnam fecit principibus, et tribunis, et primis Galilææ :	και γενομενης ημερας ευκαιρου οτε ηρωδης τοις γενεσιοις αυτου δειπνον εποιει τοις μεγιστασιν αυτου και τοις χιλιαρχοις και τοις πρωτοις της γαλιλαιας
22.	And when the daughter of the same Herodias had come in, and had danced, and pleased Herod, and them that were at table with him, the king said to the damsel: Ask of me what thou wilt, and I will give it thee.	cumque introisset filia ipsius Herodiadis, et saltasset, et placuisset Herodi, simulque recumbentibus, rex ait puellæ : Pete a me quod vis, et dabo tibi :	και εισελθουσης της θυγατρος αυτης της ηρωδιαδος και ορχησαμενης και αρεσασης τω ηρωδη και τοις συνανακειμενοις ειπεν ο βασιλευς τω κορασιω αιτησον με ο εαν θελης και δωσω σοι
23.	And he swore to her: Whatsoever thou shalt ask I will give thee, though it be the half of my kingdom.	et juravit illi : Quia quidquid petieris dabo tibi, licet dimidium regni mei.	και ωμοσεν αυτη οτι ο εαν με αιτησης δωσω σοι εως ημισους της βασιλειας μου
24.	Who when she was gone out, said to her mother, What shall I ask? But she said: The head of John the Baptist.	Quæ cum exisset, dixit matri suæ : Quid petam ? At illa dixit : Caput Joannis Baptistæ.	η δε εξελθουσα ειπεν τη μητρι αυτης τι αιτησομαι η δε ειπεν την κεφαλην ιωαννου του βαπτιστου
25.	And when she was come in immediately with haste to the king, she asked, saying: I will that forthwith thou give me in a dish, the head of John the Baptist.	Cumque introisset statim cum festinatione ad regem, petivit dicens : Volo ut protinus des mihi in disco caput Joannis Baptistæ.	και εισελθουσα ευθεως μετα σπουδης προς τον βασιλεα ητησατο λεγουσα θελω ινα μοι δως εξαυτης επι πινακι την κεφαλην ιωαννου του βαπτιστου
26.	And the king was struck sad. Yet because of his oath, and because of them that were with him at table, he would not displease her:	Et contristatus est rex : propter jusjurandum, et propter simul discumbentes, noluit eam contristare :	και περιλυπος γενομενος ο βασιλευς δια τους ορκους και τους συνανακειμενους ουκ ηθελησεν αυτην αθετησαι
27.	But sending an executioner, he commanded that his head should be brought in a dish.	sed misso speculatore præcepit afferri caput ejus in disco. Et decollavit eum in carcere,	και ευθεως αποστειλας ο βασιλευς σπεκουλατορα επεταξεν ενεχθηναι την κεφαλην αυτου
28.	And he beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head in a dish: and gave it to the damsel, and the damsel gave it to her mother.	et attulit caput ejus in disco : et dedit illud puellæ, et puella dedit matri suæ.	ο δε απελθων απεκεφαλισεν αυτον εν τη φυλακη και ηνεγκεν την κεφαλην αυτου επι πινακι και εδωκεν αυτην τω κορασιω και το κορασιον εδωκεν αυτην τη μητρι αυτης
29.	Which his disciples hearing came, and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.	Quo audito, discipuli ejus venerunt, et tulerunt corpus ejus : et posuerunt illud in monumento.	και ακουσαντες οι μαθηται αυτου ηλθον και ηραν το πτωμα αυτου και εθηκαν αυτο εν μνημειω

17. For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her.
18. For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.
19. Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not;
20. For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and a holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.
21. And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee;
22. And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever you wilt, and I will give it you.
23. And he swore unto her, Whatever you shall ask of me, I will give it you, to the half of my kingdom.
24. And she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist.
25. And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that you give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist.
26. And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath's sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her.
27. And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison,
28. And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother.
29. And when his disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.

THEOPHYL. The Evangelist Mark, taking occasion from what went before, here relates the death of the Forerunner, saying, For Herod himself had sent John and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias' sake his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her.

BEDE; Ancient history relates, that Philip the son of Herod the great, under whom the Lord fled into Egypt, the brother of this Herod, under whom Christ suffered, married Herodias, the daughter of king Aretas; but afterwards that his father in-law, after certain disagreements had arisen with his son in-law, had taken his daughter away, and, to the grief of her former husband, had given her in marriage to his enemy; therefore John the Baptist rebukes Herod and Herodias for contracting an unlawful union, and because it was not allowed for a man to marry his brother's wife during his lifetime.

THEOPHYL. The law also commanded a brother to marry his brother's wife, if he died without children; but in this case there was a daughter which made the marriage criminal: there follows, Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him but she could not.

BEDE; For Herodias was as afraid, lest Herod should repent at some time, or be reconciled to his brother Philip, and so the unlawful marriage be divorced. It goes on, For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man, and a holy.

GLOSS. He feared him, I say, because he revered him, for he knew him to be just in his dealings with men, and holy towards God, and he took care that Herodias should not slay him. And when he heard him, he did many things, for he thought that he spoke by the Spirit of God, and heard him gladly, because He considered that what he said was profitable.

THEOPHYL. But see how great the fury of lust, for though Herod had such an awe and fear of John, he forgets it all, that he may minister to his fornication.

REMIG. For his lustful will drove him to lay hands on a man, whom he knew to be just and holy. And by this we may see how a less fault became the cause to him of a greater; as it is said, He which is filthy, let him be filthy still. It goes on, And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee.

BEDE, The only men whom we read of, as celebrating their birthdays with festive joys are Herod and Pharaoh, but each, with an evil presage, stained his birthday with blood; Herod, however, with so much the greater wickedness, as he slew the holy and guiltless teacher of truth, and that, by the wish, and at the instance of a female dancer. For there follows, And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said to the damsel, Ask of me whatever you will, and I will give it you.

THEOPHYL. For during the banquet, Satan danced in the person of the damsel, and the wicked oath is completed. For it goes on, And he swore to her, Whatever you shall ask of me, I will give it you, to the half of my kingdom.

BEDE; His oath does not excuse his murder, for per-chance his reason for swearing was, that he might find an opportunity for slaying, and if she had demanded the death of his father and mother, he surely would not have granted it. It goes on, And she went forth, and said to her mother, What shall I ask? And He said, The head of John the Baptist. Worthy is blood to be asked as the reward of such a deed as dancing.

It goes on, And she came in straightway with haste, &c.

THEOPHYL. The malignant woman begs that the head of John he given to her immediately, that is, at once, in that very hour, for she feared lest Herod should repent. There follows, And the king was exceeding sorry.

BEDE; It is usual with Scripture, that the historian should relate events as they were when believed by all, thus Joseph is called the father of Jesus by Mary herself. So now also Herod is said to be exceeding sorry, for so the guests thought, since the hypocrite bore sadness on his face, when he had joy in his heart; and he excuses his wickedness by his oath, that he might be impious under pretense of piety. Wherefore there follows For his oath's sake, and for their sakes who sat with him, he would not reject her.

THEOPHYL. Herod not being his own master, but full of lust, fulfilled his oath, and slew the just man, it would have been better however to break his oath, than to commit so great a sin.

BEDE; In that again which is added, And for their sakes who sat with him, he wishes to make all partakers in his guilt, that a bloody feast might be set before luxurious and impure guests. Wherefore it goes on, But sending an executioner, he commanded his head to be brought in a charger.

THEOPHYL. 'Spiculator' is the name for the public servant commissioned to put men to death.

BEDE; Now Herod was not ashamed to bring before his guests the head of a murdered man; but we do not read of such an act of madness in Pharoah. From both examples, however, it is proved to be more useful, often to call to mind the coming day of our death, by fear and by living chastely, than to celebrate the day of our birth with luxury. For man is born in the world to toil, but the elect pass by death out of the world to repose. It goes on, And he beheaded him in prison, &c.

GREG. I cannot, without the greatest wonder, reflect that he, who was filled even in his mother's womb with the spirit of prophecy, and then was the greatest that had arisen amongst those born of women, is sent into prison by wicked men, is beheaded for the dancing of a girl, and though a man of so great austerity, meets death through such a foul instrument. Are we to suppose that there was something evil in his life, to have wiped away by so incomprehensible a death? When, however, could he commit a silo even in his eating, whose food was only locusts and wild honey? How could he offend in his conversation, who never quitted the wilderness? How is it that Almighty God so despises in this life those whom He has so sublimely chosen before all ages, if it be not for the reason, when is plain to the piety of the faithful, that He thus sinks them into the lowest place, because he sees how he is rewarding them in the highest, and outwardly He throws them down amongst things despised, because inwardly he draws them up even to incomprehensible things. Let each then infer from us what they shall suffer, whom he rejects, if he so grieves those whom he loves.

BEDE; There follows, And when his disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb. Josephus relates, that John was brought bound into the castle of Macheron, and there slain; and, ecclesiastical history says that he was buried in Sebaste, a city of Palestine, once called Samaria. But the beheading of John the Baptist signifies the lessening of that fame, by which he was thought to be Christ by the people, as the raising of our Savior on the cross typifies the advance of the faith, in that He Himself, who was first looked upon as a prophet by the multitude, was recognized as the Son of God by all the faithful; wherefore John, who was destined to decrease, was born when the daylight begins to wax short; but the Lord at that season of the year in which the day begins to lengthen.

THEOPHYL. In a mystical way, however, Herod, whose name means, 'of skin,' is the people of the Jews, and the wife to whom he was wedded means vain glory, whose daughter even now encircles the Jews with her dance, namely, a false understanding of the Scriptures; they indeed beheaded John, that is, the word of prophecy, and, hold to him without Christ, his head.

PSEUDO-JEROME; Or else, The head of the law, which is Christ, is cut off from his own body, that is, the Jewish people, and is given to a Gentile damsel, that is, the Roman Church, and the damsel gives it to her adulterous mother, that is, to the synagogue, when in the end we believe. The body of John is buried, his head is put in a dish; thus the human Letter is covered over, the Spirit is honored, and received on the altar.

Catena Aurea Mark 6

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Meditation: 1 Corinthians 1:17-25

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