LOVING THROUGH WORDS AND SACRIFICES - 8/29/22 (Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist)

Mark 6:25-27

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.  

For the full readings, click here: 

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/082922.cfm

Blessed Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist! As a Church, we are celebrating when there is a memorial. But, why should we celebrate when we commemorate the death of St. John the Baptist? It's true that the act of killing St. John the Baptist was evil and grave. At the same time, this was the time when he was given a great opportunity to express his love for his neighbors and for God. He was an example of how we can love God and other people, especially through our words and sacrifices. 

First, let's look as to how St. John the Baptist loved the people. Before he died, he spoke directly to King Herod and told him that he was guilty of adultery with his brother's wife. Why did St. John the Baptist do this? It's because of his concern with the salvation of King Herod and the woman. He was doing it for their own good. We may also be given opportunities by God to correct our neighbors out of love, not out of frustration. Before we can tell the truth to them, we should know it first, especially by studying the Catholic faith and practicing the examination of conscience every night. Below this reflection, there are references on these things. We should also listen to others and know their perspective. Knowing the reasons why they engage in sins may be helpful for us to be more compassionate with them, and through this, we can speak the truth directly while addressing their needs and concerns. Also, true love teaches us to bear the faults of other people. Through love, we desire the good of the others even if what they do is contrary to our good. St. John the Baptist did not just bear their faults, but he also accepted his death. 

Second, his words and sacrifice were acts of love towards God. St. John the Baptist did not go to King Herod just because he wanted to do it on his own initiative. As a prophet, he listened to God's voice. There was a time when he was on the desert, when he was baptizing, and when he went directly to Kin Herod to charitably rebuke him. His life was not a static, and he was always discerning God's will. In the same way, we should discern God's will when it's the time to really speak to people and correct them. If we are angry or emotionally affected, it is not God's will to directly confront other people. Instead,  we need to spend time in prayer first, reflect on what affects us, and forgive the people who do wrong to us. And, if we are at peace, then we can discern better if God inspires us to speak to them. Looking at the death of St. John the Baptist, we can see his love for God by remaining faithful to Him. We may not have people capturing us to behead us. But, there are many times that we suffer because we stand firm in the truth of the Catholic faith. 

The standard to know whether we truly love God and our neighbors is not based on whether we are familiar with the "philosophy" behind the word "love." The true standard is if we can express it to God and to our neighbors through our words and actions, especially sacrifices. To increase our love for God, may we also spend time reflecting on the Scriptures. St. John the Baptist prepared the way of Jesus, not just by initially preaching repentance, but also by dying to foreshadow the love of Jesus who preached the gospel and who died on the cross for our salvation. Let's pray that through the intercession of St. John the Baptist, we can strive to holiness and be more firm in our faith, hope and love. 

Amen +

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +

 

May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. +  

Reflection by: Dominic

Summary and Defense of Catholic Teachings:

https://www.catholic.com/tract/pillar-of-fire-pillar-of-truth

Examination of Conscience and Guide to Sacrament of Confession:

https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/examination-of-conscience/

Amazing Testimony on Rosary:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=FFyRwJBExMk

Ultimate Catholic Parents Guide:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ls6IcexZAls