Message of Abbot Paul - Tuesday 29th August 2023

Today Churches throughout the world keep the feast of the Passion or Martyrdom of Saint John the Baptist, an event recorded with great detail in the Gospels, particularly in the Gospel of Mark, (Mk 6: 17-26), which we hear read at Mass, the sad story of a weak and foolish tyrant, of which there are a fair number in the world today. I don’t need to remind you who they might be.

 

​The first part of the story tells us of Herod’s fascination with John and the hatred for him of Herodius, his partner as we would call her according to the present fashion. Mark writes: “Herod sent to have John arrested, and had him chained up in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife whom he had married. For John had told Herod, ‘It is against the law for you to have your brother’s wife.’ As for Herodias, she was furious with him and wanted to kill him; but she was not able to, because Herod was afraid of John, knowing him to be a good and holy man, and gave him his protection. When he had heard him speak, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he liked to listen to him.” Now if Herod knew John to be a good and holy man, it was because the whole of Israel knew that to be true. He was a highly regarded prophet and believed by many to be the Messiah. John’s preaching caused Herod to fear and panic, yet he loved to hear him speak and resisted Herodias’ desire to have him put to death.

 

​However, her opportunity came on Herod’s birthday and she hatched a plan together with her daughter by Philip, her true husband. It’s a sordid tale and you can see where things are leading. The outcome is tragic and will lead to Herod and many others thinking that perhaps Jesus is John come back to life. This is what Mark writes: “An opportunity came on Herod’s birthday when he gave a banquet for the nobles of his court, for his army officers and for the leading figures in Galilee. When the daughter of this same 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 hurried straight back to the king and made her request, ‘I want you to give me John the Baptist’s head, here and now, 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. So the king at once sent one of the bodyguard with orders to bring John’s head. The man went off and beheaded him 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 about this, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.” We find similar accounts in the Old Testament and in ancient literature. Although he was deeply distressed, even in his cups, at the thought of putting John to death, nevertheless Herod is trapped by his own stupidity and weakness and has no alternative, unless he is to lose face, than to grant the girl her wish, which he must know to be that of her mother, of having John’s head on a platter “here and now.”

 

The gruesome act is accomplished and John’s disciples to come take away his body for burial. Was Herodias any more the wife of Herod for the beheading of John the Baptist? What purpose was served by this barbarous act? John the Prophet and Forerunner of the Lord became a saint and it became clear that Jesus was the Messiah, but as for Herod and Herodias, they were simply confirmed as inveterate sinners and all their plans came to nothing that day. There is much to be learnt from this story.