Flora Cantábrica

The Martyrdom of Saint John the Baptist

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August 29
The Martyrdom of Saint John the Baptist
Year 30
Lord, we pray for so many couples who live unmarried and in sin. Forgive them and grant them true conversion. And we beseech you never to cease sending us courageous preachers, who, like John the Baptist, do not allow sinners to remain in peace in their life of sin because it can lead them to perdition, and who awaken the consciences of their listeners so that each one may prefer to die rather than sin. The Gospel of Saint Mark tells us the death of the great forerunner, Saint John the Baptist, in the following way: «Herod had John the Baptist arrested and had brought him in chains to the prison, because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philippi, with whom Herod had gone to live in a free union. For John said to Herod: ‘It is not lawful for him to go and live with his brother’s wife.’ Herodias hated John the Baptist greatly for this and wanted to have him killed, but she could not because Herod had a profound respect for John and considered him a holy man, and he protected him, and when he heard him speak, he became thoughtful and fearful, and he listened to him with pleasure.» «But the opportune day arrived, when Herod gave a great banquet for all the nobles of the city on his birthday. The daughter of Herodias came to the feast and danced. Herod was very pleased with the dancing, and he swore to her with an oath, saying, ‘Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you, even if it is half my kingdom.'»
The girl went to her mother and asked, «What should I ask for?» She said, «Ask for the head of John the Baptist.» She ran to the king and said, «I want you to give me John the Baptist’s head right now on a platter.»
The king was filled with grief, but in order not to displease the girl and because he imagined he would have to fulfill this vain oath, he sent one of his guards to go to the prison and bring him John’s head. The other went to the prison, cut off his head, brought it on a platter, and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. When John’s disciples heard about it, they came and gave him Burial (Mark 6:17).
Herod Antipas had committed a sin that scandalized the Jews because it is strictly forbidden by the Holy Bible and by moral law. He had gone to live with his brother’s wife. John the Baptist publicly denounced him. It took great courage to make such a denunciation because those kings of the East were very despotic and would simply order the death of anyone who dared to reproach them for their mistakes.
At first, Herod was content simply to arrest John, because he had great respect for him. But the adulteress Herodias was on the alert to order the death at the first opportunity of anyone who told her concubine that the life they were leading was a sin.
When they demanded John’s head, the king felt enormous sadness because he held John in high esteem and was convinced he was a saint. Every time he heard him speak of God and the soul, he was deeply moved. But to avoid offending his cronies who had overheard his foolish oath, (which in truth could not force him, because he who swears to do something wrong is never forced to fulfill what he has sworn) and, in order not to displease that wicked woman, he ordered the holy forerunner to be killed.
This is a typical case of how one sin leads to another. Herod and Herodias began as adulterers and ended as murderers. The sin of adultery led them to crime, to the murder of a saint.
John died a martyr to his duty, because he had read the prophet Isaiah’s recommendation to preachers: «Beware: do not be dumb dogs that do not bark when thieves come to steal.» The Baptist saw that the enemies of the soul were coming to steal the salvation of Herod and his concubine and spoke out strongly. That was his duty. And he had the great good fortune to die for proclaiming that it is necessary to obey the laws of God and morality. He was a true martyr.
An ancient tradition tells that years later Herodias was walking on a frozen river when the ice broke open and she fell. It consumed her up to her neck, and the ice closed in and killed her. This may or may not have been the case. But what is historical is that Herod Antipas was later exiled to a distant country, with his concubine. And that the father of his first wife (whom he had sent away to stay with Herodias) invaded Antipas’s territory with his Nabataeans and caused him enormous harm. For there is no sin that goes unpunished.