Gospel for the Day with Pointers

Friday, 29th August,2014

The Passion of John the Baptist

Mk 6:22-28

When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she delighted Herod and his guests; so the king said to the girl, ‘Ask me anything you like and I will give it you.’ And he swore her an oath, ‘I will give you anything you ask, even half 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 at once rushed back to the king and made her request, ‘I want you to give me John the Baptist's head, immediately, on a dish.’ 

The king was deeply distressed but, thinking of the oaths he had sworn and of his guests, he was reluctant to break his word to her. At once the king sent one of the bodyguard with orders to bring John's head. The man went off and beheaded him in the prison; then he brought the head on a dish and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother.

• •John the Baptist stood for the Truth with great courage that Jesus was the Messiah that we have been waiting for.  He was also fearless in pointing out King Herod’s immoral life.
  
  
• •When we stand up for God’s Truth, we may have to stand alone and pay a heavy price for our conviction.  Church history is full of true stories of the martyrs and saints who gave their lives for their faith.
  
  
• •Let us ask God for the grace to be resolute in our faith especially when the Gospel Truth clashes with our human tendencies and temptations in our daily living.