Hôm nay chúng ta mừng ngày lễ tử đạo của người anh họ của Chúa Giêsu. Đó là thánh Gioan Tẩy Giả. Gioan là người được Thiên Chúa trao cho nhiệm vụ là đi trước Chúa Giêsu để mở đường. chuẩn bị cho con đường cứu chuộc nhân loại của Chúa Kitô. Tin Mừng hôm nay cho chúng ta thấy ông là một người chính trực và thánh thiện. Bởi vì ông đã phát biểu lời chống lại những điều xấu xa, tội lỗi, khuyên bảo con người mau biết ăn năn thống hối vì Thiê n Chúa sẽ đến để cứu rỗi nhân loại. Chính ông đã đưa lời phản đối việc hôn nhân loạn luân của Vua Herođê và người chị dâu của ông, Vì thế ông bị bắt giam, chịu đau khổ, và cuối cùng bị chém đầu. Ông đã chết một cái chết dã man, khủng khiếp theo lệnh của nhà vua trong lức say sưai trác tác và lời hứa với một bé gái..
Như Thánh Gioan Tẩy Giả, chúng ta hãy chuẩn bị con đường cho Chúa. Chúng ta hãy làm sạch, hãy quét dọn, rửa sạch, từ bỏ con đường tội lỗi, những điều ác đang thấm nhập ngay bên trong tâm hồn của chúng ta. Chúng ta hãy đâng cho Chúa tất cả những gì chúng ta có để chúng ta chỉ biết làm công việc của Thiên Chúa muốn chúng ta làm mà không sợ hãi, lo âu vì Thiên Chúa hiện diện nơi chúng ta. Chúng ta hãy trông nhỉn vào Chúa trong bất cứ lúc nào hoàn cảnh nào với lòng trông cậy để chúng ta có can đảm và sức mạnh. Chúa rất gần cận với chúng ta. Ngài ở trong chúng ta. Chúng ta hãy hành động dũng cảm, không sơ suất, cũng không do dự, giống như một tôi tớ trung thành, như một người lính trong quân đội của Thiên Chúa chúng ta, mà không biết lừa đảo, tự nguyện, không lý luận, không biện minh, với sự vâng lời yêu thương, biết giúp đỡ tận tâm, bắng tâm hồn và trái tim của chúng ta cho Thiên Chúa của chúng ta . Chúng ta hãy làm những gì mà Thiên Chúa muốn nơi chúng ta và hãy để những phần còn lại trong bàn tay thương yêu của Ngài lo.
Lạy Chúa, thân xác của chúng con, tâm trí của chúng con, ý riêng của chúng con, tự do của chúng con, tất cả những gì chúng con đang có và tất cả sở hữu của chúng con là của Chúa. Tất cả thuộc về Chúa. Xin hãy để chúng con được biết sử dụng chúng để chuẩn bị và trang bị cho con đường đẫn chúng con tới với Chúa.
Today let us celebrate with tender, loving devotion the feast of the martyrdom of the cousin of Our Lord – John the Baptist. John was the forerunner of Jesus. He was the one tasked by God to prepare the way of the Lord. The gospel says that he was a just and holy man. Because he had to speak against evil in high places, against the King, he was imprisoned, suffered, and finally beheaded. He died a horrible death on orders from the king
Like St. John the Baptist, let us prepare the way of the Lord. Let us clear, sweep, wash, denounce, evil starting from our hearts. Let us give all to do God's work without fear for God is with us. At all times, let us look at Our Lord for courage and strength. He is very near us. He is in us. Let us act courageously, without negligence, nor hesitation; like a faithful servant, like a soldier in the army of our God, without guile, willingly, not reasoning, not justifying; with loving obedience, giving hands, heart, head to our God. Let us do what God requires of us and leave the rest in His Hands.
Take and receive, O Lord, my body, my mind, my will, my liberty. All things I have and own are yours. They belong to you. Let me use them to prepare a way for you.
Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist, August 29
Herod was the one who had John the Baptist 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. Mark 6:17–19
The suffering and death of Saint John the Baptist greatly parallels the suffering and death of Jesus. They were cousins. John was one of the first to acknowledge the divine presence of our Lord when he leaped for joy in the womb of his mother during the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth. John lived a holy and simple life, embracing His mission to prepare the way for the Lord. He was the last and greatest of the Old Testament prophets. Of him, Jesus said that there was no one born of woman who was greater than John. For these reasons, we should not be the least bit surprised that John’s suffering and death parallelled and prefigured the death of the Savior of the World.
Herod was fearful of John, believing him to be a holy man of God. He imprisoned him with a certain regret, knowing that he was innocent. Similarly, before Pilate condemned Jesus to death, he found Him not guilty of any crime. Pilate knew Jesus was innocent but allowed fear to direct his choice to condemn our Lord.
John was ultimately killed because of the hatred and plotting of Herodias, the unlawful wife of Herod. It was Herodias’ anger that became a weapon, forcing Herod to put John to death. Similarly, it was the jealousy and anger of the religious leaders at that time that instigated and drove the death of Jesus. Pilate, like Herod, was at first unwilling to condemn our Lord. But the relentless hatred of the scribes and Pharisees compelled Pilate to condemn Jesus, just as it was Herodias’ hatred that compelled Herod to kill John.
After John’s death, some of his disciples came to carry his body away for burial. This was permitted by Herod, perhaps because of his feelings of guilt. So also with our Lord, Pilate permitted some disciples and the holy women to carry Jesus’ dead body to the tomb for burial.
In the end, the good fruit of Jesus’ death infinitely overshadowed the crime that was committed against Him. So also with John. We can be certain that, as a martyr, the blood he shed as a witness to Christ bore spiritual fruit that surpassed all he had done in his public ministry.
Each of us is called to imitate our Lord and, therefore, should also take inspiration from Saint John the Baptist. They both were innocent but suffered greatly. They both spoke the truth, despite the hatred of some. They both gave their lives, in accord with the Father’s plan. Jesus was John’s Savior; John was but a precursor and servant of our Lord.
Reflect, today, upon the invitation God has given to you to imitate the life of John the Baptist by uniting yourself to his Lord. The first form of imitation will take place when you commit yourself to the proclamation of the truth in accord with your mission. What mission has God given to you? How is He calling you to proclaim the Gospel with courage, strength, determination and fidelity to the end? Reflect, also, upon the injustice inflicted first upon John and then upon our Lord. As you do, try to look at any injustice you have received in life in the light of John’s and Jesus’ lives. They did not run away from injustice. They embraced it as a sacrifice and offered it to the Father in Heaven. Jesus’ Sacrifice brought forth the Salvation of the World; John’s was but a sharing in that glorious offering. Make your offering with them, and do not hesitate to do so with deep love and trust in the Father’s plan.
Most glorious Lord, You invited Saint John the Baptist to prepare the way for Your coming and Your death. He gave his life as a martyr, and this sacrifice bore an abundance of good fruit. Please give me the grace to walk in his footsteps by faithfully fulfilling my mission in life with courage and strength. May I never waver in the face of injustice so that I can embrace it and make it my spiritual offering to You. Jesus, I trust in You.
the Passion of Saint John the Baptist, August 29
Opening Prayer: Lord God, why do you permit the innocent to suffer? It is a deep mystery, too great for me to fathom. I do know that suffering and sacrifice can test and purify love. I humbly ask that you do not let me falter as you purify my love for you.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Mission of the Forerunner: In many ways, John the Baptist is a forerunner of the Messiah. The angel Gabriel announced his birth six months before announcing Jesus’ birth. John, as the voice crying in the wilderness, prepared the people for the public ministry of Jesus. John’s message was about the coming of the Kingdom of God. Jesus took up that same message at the beginning of his ministry. John called out the hypocrisy and evil of the Pharisees. Jesus will do the same. John gathered disciples and was eager to send them to Jesus when he appeared. John knew the Scriptures and preached about the coming Messiah and Mighty One of God. When Jesus appeared, John announced him as the Lamb of God. Finally, John gave the ultimate witness as the forerunner: he preceded the Messiah in his death. Just as John was innocent and yet condemned to death by Herod, Jesus was the innocent one put to death at the request of the religious authorities.
2. The Passion and Death of the Forerunner: “John’s execution foreshadows both the death of Jesus (Mark 9:12; 10:32-34) and the martyrdom of other believers in the early Church (Revelation 20:4; CCC, 523)” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament, 75). Herod Antipas was one of the sons of Herod Great. After his father’s death sometime between 4 and 1 B.C., the Roman Emperor Augustus divided the kingdom in Palestine among three of Herod’s sons. Herod Antipas governed the regions of Galilee and Perea until A.D. 39. “His brothers Archelaus and Philip were apportioned the remainder of their late father’s territory” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament, 75). John the Baptist was imprisoned by Herod Antipas and executed because he publicly repudiated the illicit union of Herod Antipas and Herodias, the wife of his half-brother Philip. “According to Leviticus 18:16 and 20:21, the Mosaic Law forbids the union of a man with his brother’s wife when the brother is still living. Since Philip was alive and well, the marriage between Antipas and Herodias was no marriage at all – it was adultery” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament, 76). At the birthday banquet, Herod uttered a careless oath. He knew that John was innocent and that executing him would be a grave injustice. Giving in to the request of Heriodias’ daughter showed that he was weak-willed and cowardly, just as Pilate reluctantly gave in to the demands of the religious authorities who asked that the innocent Jesus be executed.
3. First Corinthians: Today we begin to read from the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians. The letter will be our First Reading for the next three weeks. In summary, “First Corinthians addresses several problems plaguing the Corinthian church. They competed with each other, engaged in sexual immorality, and at times treated the church like any other Greco-Roman social club. Paul calls them to recognize the unity of Christ’s church, to serve others in self-giving love, and to cultivate holiness through the Holy Spirit they received in baptism” (Prothro, The Apostle Paul and His Letters: An Introduction, 97). The community was divided and this division started to manifest itself in the celebration of the Eucharist. Some members continued their pagan practice of sacrificial meals. Some were taking their fellow Christians to be tried in pagan lawcourts. They were getting drunk at meals and leaving the poor to go hungry. Paul responds to these problems by speaking about the importance of the Cross and the Resurrection. He considers the role of the Holy Spirit in revealing the mystery of Christ, in sanctifying the faithful, and in endowing them with charisms. He teaches about Baptism and the Eucharist and ponders the mystery of the Church as the Body of Christ and the Temple of the Holy Spirit (see Montague, First Corinthians, 23).
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I am a child of your Father. I am a member of your Mystical Body. I am a temple of your Spirit. You are everything to me. I long to enjoy eternal life with you and be purified of all my imperfections. May I be holy and merciful as your heavenly Father is holy and merciful.
Agust 29- The passion of John the Baptist
Opening Prayer: My Lord, let your Spirit widen my heart through your words and with your wisdom. Help me to become more like you and teach me to love my neighbor as you love me. Amen.
Encountering Christ:
1. Silencing the Truth: John the Baptist gives us a clear example of leadership. Facing the moral and legal misconduct of King Herod, he could not remain silent. This, of course, triggered hostile reactions by those who stood accused. On the one hand, there was Herodias. Filled with hatred, she wanted to silence the bothering voice of the prophet. The starkness of that anger suggests that she sensed danger in the Baptist’s righteous words. Whether she worried that public opinion would turn against her, or that she might lose Herod’s favor, Herodias feared the truth and sought to silence it. She wanted to defeat the truth, kill it, thinking that it was a threat to her happiness.
2. Imprisoning the Truth: On the other hand, there was Herod. He feared the truth too. But instead of triggering violence in him, the Baptist’s words intrigued him. He could see the beauty of virtue, could admire the heroism of the prophet, could probably even have harbored the desire to be different himself. But, ultimately, he could not change. He heard the accusation; he sensed the compelling power of truth, and yet he could not invite that truth in. Herod tried to incarcerate the truth, store it away, possess it without having to obey it. If we feel attracted to the truth but don’t have the courage to succumb to it, we also sometimes try to tame it and bend it so that we can control it.
3. The Truth Is No Threat to Our Happiness: These two reactions are patterns for both the cultural battle in our world and the spiritual battle in our personal lives. When taking on the role of the prophet in our world, denouncing what is wrong and giving a voice to the truth, we may encounter both types of reactions. And when the truth knocks on the door of our own heart, suggesting that we change our conduct, we also may be tempted with both kinds of reactions. The truth can be neither defeated nor incarcerated. Most importantly, the truth is no threat to our happiness.
Conversing with Christ: My Lord Jesus Christ, I trust in you. Daily life tempts me to think that I am the only one responsible for my happiness. Instead, I know that you are continuously guiding me toward greater joy and fulfillment. Nobody–not even I myself–can make me as happy as you can. Increase, therefore, my readiness to embrace your truth always and everywhere. Take away my fear of change, let me overcome the constant temptation of thinking I know better than you do, and send prophets of truth into my life who can redirect me when I'm mistaken. Lastly, Lord, send me to be a voice of truth myself. Not a grating voice with a lack of charity that can extinguish a smoldering wick, but the voice of a collaborator of the truth who seeks the true happiness of his fellow men.
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