Herod was the one who had John arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married. John had said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." Herodias harbored a grudge against him and wanted to kill him but was unable to do so. Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and kept him in custody. When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him. She had an opportunity one day when Herod, on his birthday, gave a banquet for his courtiers, his military officers, and the leading men of Galilee. Herodias' own daughter came in and performed a dance that delighted Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, "I will grant you whatever you ask of me, even to half of 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 back to the king's presence and made her request, "I want you to give me a once on a platter the head of John the Baptist." The king was deeply distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests he did not wish to break his word to her. So he promptly dispatched an executioner with orders to bring back his head. He went off and beheaded him in the prison. He brought in the head on a platter and gave it to the girl. The girl in turn gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
The Word in other words
During my college days, I worked in a non-governmental organization which fought for the rights of poor farmers. I wrote the press releases and joined others on street rallies. We put up barricade-tents in front of contested farm lands. We were harassed by private armies and well-known political families. Guns were aimed at our faces. I was then very idealistic and willing to put my life in danger. When my father heard this, he was more concerned with his son's life. He told me, "Fighting for justice is good. But there are more victims than victors in our country, where life is disposable. Who is going to fight for you when those criminals shoot you? It will be your parents."
As the church celebrates today the beheading of John the Baptist as a feast, it is not about the morbid delight of getting oneself killed. It is about the martyrdom of John who gave witness to the truth. He was not silent before the evil surrounding him. He went against the mainstream who's rather play safe. The prophet John said the right thing, even if it was at the wrong time and place.
Being prophetic is dangerous to one's health. That is why there is a saying: "Play it safe." Nobody wants to rock the boat. It is better to shut up, so that nobody will bother you. This survival instinct can, however, be dangerous in a situation of injustice. Ninoy Aquino bravely went home to the Philippines despite repeated warnings that his life was in danger. He said, "The Filipino is worth dying for." Many less-known political prisoners in our country have the same conviction. Nelson Mandela, also an ex-political prisoner, said: "Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it." He triumphed like John the Baptist, who may have lost his head, but won his soul for standing for the truth.
