THE PASSION OF SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST (MEMORIAL)

We were determined to share with you not only the Gospel of God, but our very selves as well.

What a contrast these readings give! The Gospel presents the court of Herod as a place of grasping for worldly power and pleasure that is sustained by ruthlessness and conniving people. Paul and his fellow missionaries, on the other hand, display open, generous hearts that are concerned primarily about giving, not grasping. Whereas Herod’s kingdom is characterized by deception, impurity, and self-centeredness, Paul’s life in the kingdom of God is marked by humility, mercy, and genuine affection.

When you look at the contrast between these two kingdoms, it’s obvious which one is more attractive: the kingdom of God! But as today’s feast of the Passion of St. John the Baptist makes clear, kingdom living comes at a cost. John’s courage, his dedication to the Lord, and his willingness to call out Herod’s sin led to his martyrdom. And on a somewhat lesser scale, Paul was “insolently treated” for his preaching of the gospel (1 Thessalonians 2:2).

While our day-to-day lives are usually not this dramatic, we are all familiar with the challenges of living as disciples of Jesus. For example, you may need to cling to the Lord and endure patiently during times of trial or worry. You may be called upon to care for a loved one when you are tired, or to respond generously when someone asks for your help over and over again. Perhaps you need to forgive an offense or be humble enough to ask forgiveness.

Certainly the enticements of this world can seem far more attractive than laying down your life in these ways. But the “rewards” of this world are weak and temporary when compared to “the supreme good” of living for the Lord and serving his people (Philippians 3:8). The truth is, sharing “our very selves,” as Paul and John the Baptist did, is the most rewarding, joy-filled life we could ever know (1 Thessalonians 2:8).

“Jesus, help me to give of myself instead of grasping for myself.”

1 Thessalonians 2:1-8
Psalm 139:1-6
Mark 6:17-29