Opening
Prayer
Lord
our God,
John the Baptist spoke without fear
to the high and the mighty
that they too were bound by God’s laws.
He risked his life for what is right and good.
Let him inspire us too
to let your word become flesh and blood in us
by taking the risks of our faith
and living as we believe.
Let this be the way in which we prepare
the fuller coming among us
of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Liturgy
of the Word
First
Reading Introduction
The letter to the Hebrews
gives today to the Christian community a set of moral exhortations.
Perseverance in the faith means especially perseverance in love, the
basis of all morality.
First
Reading:
Heb 13:1-8
Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to offer hospitality; you
know that some people have entertained angels without knowing it.
Remember prisoners as if you were with them in chains, and the same
for those who are suffering. Remember that you also have a body.
Marriage
must be respected by all and husband and wife faithful to each other.
God will punish the immoral and the adulterous.
Do
not depend on money. Be content with having enough for today for God
has said: I will never forsake you or abandon you, and we shall confidently
answer: The Lord is my helper, I will not fear; what can man do to
me? Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Consider
their end and imitate their faith. Christ Jesus is the same today
as yesterday and forever.
Responsorial
Psalm: Psalm 27:1, 3, 5, 8-9
R.
The Lord is my light and my salvation.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life’s refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Though an army encamp against me,
my heart will not fear;
Though war be waged upon me,
even then will I trust.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
For he will hide me in his abode
in the day of trouble;
He will conceal me in the shelter of his tent,
he will set me high upon a rock.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Your presence, O LORD, I seek.
Hide not your face from me;
do not in anger repel your servant.
You are my helper: cast me not off.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Gospel Introduction
With the death of the Baptist
ends the life of the last prophet of God of the Old Testament, who,
as the hinge between the Old and the New Testaments, had prepared the
way for the Lord’s coming. He died as a suffering servant of God, a
new Elijah, who stood up to kings
and infamous queens.
Gospel
Reading: Mk
6:14-29
King Herod heard about Jesus because his
name had become well-known. Some people said, “John the Baptist has
been raised from the dead and that is why miraculous powers are at
work in him.” Others thought, “He is Elijah,” and others, “He is a
prophet like the prophets of times past.” When Herod was told of this,
he thought: “I had John beheaded, yet he has risen from the dead!”
For this is what had happened. Herod had
ordered John to be arrested and had him bound and put in prison because
of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. Herod had married her
and John had told him, “It is not right for you to live with your
brother’s wife.” So Herodias held a grudge against John and wanted
to kill him, but she could not because Herod respected John. He knew
John to be an upright and holy man and kept him safe. And he liked
listening to him, although he became very disturbed whenever he heard
him.
Herodias had her chance on Herod’s birthday,
when he gave a dinner for all the senior government officials, military
chiefs and the leaders of Galilee. On that occasion the daughter of
Herodias came in and danced; and she delighted Herod and his guests.
The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want and I will
give it to you.” And he went so far as to say with many oaths, “I
will give you anything you ask, even half my kingdom.” She went out
to consult her mother, “What shall I ask for?” The mother replied,
“The head of John the Baptist.” The girl hurried to the king and made
her request: “I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist,
here and now, on a dish.”
The king was very displeased, but he would
not refuse in front of his guests because of his oaths. So he sent
one of the bodyguards with orders to bring John’s head. He went and
beheaded John in prison; then he brought the head on a dish and gave
it to the girl. And the girl gave it to her mother. When John’s disciples
heard of this, they came and took his body and buried it.
Commentary
Herod
hears of Jesus' work among the people and is afraid. In the tradition
of the prophets, like John whom he beheaded, Jesus' call to the
people is accompanied by telling the truth about those in power.
John decried Herod's killing of his brother so that he could marry
her. Herod knew John was holy, liked listening to him even though
he was disturbed whenever he heard him. It is Herodias, his stolen
wife who has John beheaded at a dinner party, using her daughter
to dance and ask for his head. Power and those who have it can be
fascinated by goodness and the truth, equally disturbed by it, but
if there is no conversion they will imprison it, butcher it and
obscenely parade it for their pleasure. John is murdered on a whim.
Jesus will be butchered legally. Truth disturbs power. It should
disturb us and call us to holiness and allegiance to God, in resistance
to evil in others, governments and nations. Let us pray we are faithful
like John and Jesus and the prophets of God.
General
Intercessions
–
Lord, give us great men and women, even great children, to inspire
all of us how to live our faith consistently, we pray:
–
Lord, you know how timid we are. Help us to take the gospel of your
Son Jesus seriously by letting your Spirit give us the insight and
courage of prophets, we pray:
–
Lord, you see how harsh we often are. Let the gentleness and compassion
of good persons give us warm and understanding hearts, we pray:
Prayer
over the Gifts
Lord
our God,
these are only simple gifts,
a piece of bread and a bit of wine.
Accept them and give us instead
your Son Jesus Christ.
Through the Spirit and his fire
change us, timid people
into signs to everyone and all
of your tenderness and mercy,
your justice and your peace,
that we may bring into our world
the life and message of Jesus our Lord.
Prayer
after Communion
God
of our hope and future,
your Spirit of wisdom and strength
was alive in Jesus, your Son.
Pour out the same Spirit on us too,
that we may bear witness today
to your faithfulness and love.
And
give us always people inspired by you,
prophets like John the Baptist,
to wake us up when we are self-satisfied
and to inspire us to prepare the way
for the full coming of Jesus Christ,
our Savior and our Lord.
Blessing
Like
John the Baptist, we can and should show others the road to Christ
and prepare the way for his full coming only if we ourselves take
his gospel seriously, if the Lord becomes visible in us, his goodness,
his compassion, his love. May almighty God bless you, the Father,
and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
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