HOMILY for the Passion of St John the Baptist
Jer 1:17-19; Ps 70; Mark 6:17-29
Last Sunday we heard that Jesusâs words were found to be âintolerableâ and because of his hard teaching on the Eucharist, many stopped walking with him. But, for the sake of truth, Jesus did not back down or accommodate his teaching to the sensitivities of the crowd. So, too, St John the Baptist boldly pointed out the sinful relationship between king Herod and his brotherâs wife, Herodias. For the sake of the truth, and indeed, for the sake of the eternal salvation of Herod and Herodias, and because of the public scandal caused by their actions, St John the Baptist was not afraid to speak up and to denounce the king; truth confronted power.
In our age, the Church is often at odds with the powers of our time, whenever she tries to speak up concerning issues of natural law; or relating to marriage and sexuality; or about just wages, or concerning the rights of migrants, or about the fundamental right to life for the unborn and the elderly. Yet, the truth must be heard; Christ must be preached. Hence, whenever Christians speak up for the truth, despite opposition and ridicule or even, in some place, in danger of death, they follow the example of Christ and his cousin, St John. As the Collect said, St John was âa Martyr for truth and justiceâ, and we pray that we, too, will have the grace to âfight hard for the confession ofâ Christâs teachings.Â
Recent revelations in the USA have shown that, in our own sad times, Catholics might have to struggle for justice to be done, and for the whole truth of Christâs teachings to be taught, not only with the secular world, but even within the corridors of the Church. For power, even episcopal power, has been used to conceal the sinful acts of those in authority, and thus caused the weak and vulnerable to be harmed still more. And this intolerable situation still persists, sadly.
So, to all those who are martyrs, that is to say, witnesses for truth and justice; to all who long for truth and justice among the leaders of the Church today; to all those who love the truth, that is, who love Jesus Christ, the Lord says, as he said to Jeremiah: âBe not crushed on their account⌠for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord.â Many, I recognise, are greatly demoralised, their faith and their spirits crushed, by scandal after scandal, by the abuse of power to stifle the truth.
But todayâs feast day gives to all lovers of truth and justice, a patron Saint in the struggle, and it also offers them hope. For although Herod beheaded John, we know today that the king has been forgotten â the powerful of their time is rendered impotent and futile. But the weak who remain united to Jesus? They are exalted and their righteous deeds are recounted in song. Thus, todayâs feast of St Johnâs martyrdom is called his âheavenly birthdayâ, for the Risen Lordâs power transforms death into life, despair into hope, and his Resurrection light reveals truth out of the darkness.Â
Hence, let us continue to do what is right, and speak what is true, so that, together with Christ and through the intercession of St John the Baptist, we may share in their victory. May St John the Baptist pray for us!