John the Baptist and Thomas More stood up for the Law
Purple Catholic Saturday Post
Good morning and happy Saturday. This Saturday we celebrate the memorial of the Beheading of John the Baptist.
St. John the Baptist is the only saint where we celebrate his birth and death and both are chronicled in the Gospels. His beheading is accounted for in Mark’s Gospel:
[W]hen Hero′di-as’ daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will grant it.” And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.” And she went out, and said to her mother, “What shall I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the baptizer.” And she came in immediately with haste to the king, and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” And the king was exceedingly sorry; but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. And immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard and gave orders to bring his head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb. (Mark 6:22-29)
John, like the Old Testament prophets before him, was comfortable speaking truth to power. Preceding the scene above, John had told Herod that his marriage to his brother’s widow was inappropriate and violated the Law.
So often we find it difficult to do so in our lives today. It is easy to remain complacent and keep our mouths shut.
Last night, the cable channel TCM ran the fantastic film A Man for All Seasons portraying the civic life and execution of St. Thomas More. Like John, Thomas told Henry VIII that his marriage was illicit; he would not accept his annulment to his first wife, Catherine of Aragon.
The witness of these two martyrs, like the witness of all the saints, reminds us of what is most important. Not earthly politics or wealth or fame, but Christ and following his commands.
Death of John the Baptist scene in the hit television series The Chosen.
Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time
This week we are entering the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time. This Sunday we will hear readings from Joshua 24:1-2, 15-18; Psalm 34; Ephesians 5:21-32; and John 6:60-69.
Here are some resources to help you prep for the readings this Sunday:
This Sunday, Decision Time: It All Led Up To This - Tom Hoopes at Benedictine University
Debunking the Figurative Eating of Jesus’ Flesh - Karlo Broussard at Catholic Answers
In the Liturgy of the Hours, we are return to Psalter Week I.
Here is a calendar for the rest of the week:
Tuesday, 27 August - Memorial of St. Monica
Wednesday, 28 August - Memorial of St. Augustine, bishop and doctor
Thursday, 29 August - Memorial of the Beheading of John the Baptist
Your words, O Lord, are spirit and life. You have the words of eternal life.
cf. John 6:63, 68
In the news:
The United States
New poll: Florida could become first state to defeat abortion amendment - Catholic News Agency
Tim Walz’s Catholic Roots - National Catholic Register
Chicago pregnancy center vandalized as Democratic National Convention closes - Catholic News Agency
Capuchin friar arrested after complex false identity scam - The Pillar
A brief history of Catholic convention prayers - The Pillar
Two priests and a baby? What's happening at a Steubenville, Ohio parish? - The Pillar
The Vatican
Pope at Audience: Jesus' Baptism marks a key moment in salvation history - Vatican News
Papua New Guinean children to perform 5-minute concert for Pope Francis - Vatican News
The World
Cardinal William Goh (Singapore): Papal trip will offer Singaporeans a message of hope - Crux
Canada has world’s fastest growing physician assisted suicide regime - Catholic Register
This week at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Vice President Kamala Harris concluded her speech by saying the United States was the “most extraordinary story ever told.” I, and millions of Christians, beg to differ.
Latest polling
Have a good weekend,
Matthew