Gospel for August 29, 2015 (Saturday) Beheading of John the Baptist

Jn 14:1-6

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.

Gospel for July 10, 2015 (Friday)

Mt 10:16-23

Jesus said to his Apostles, "Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.  Beware of people, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans.  When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say.  You will be given at that moment what you are to say.  For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.  Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.  You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved.  When they persecute you in one town, flee to another.  Amen, I say to you, you will not finish the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes."

The Word in other words

The discourse of Jesus in today's gospel is prophetic.  He tells us what the Christians in some places are experiencing: incomprehension, contradictions, and persecution.

When this happens we know that "it was in the program."  But Jesus also asks something from us: "the wisdom of simple courage which leads to fidelity up to its final consequences, and the prudence that does not look gratuitously for conflict and resolution" (Segundo Galilea)

A few years back I had the chance of joining the  "footsteps of St. Paul's pilgrimage" (Greece, Turkey, and Italy).  In that pilgrimage not only did I see the actual missionary route of St. Paul, but I was able to imagine and feel profoundly the difficulties, persecutions and sufferings he endured, as well as the loneliness, frustrations, and disappointments he overcame.  Amidst those ruined structures which were then magnificent and imposing amidst those beautiful places that we've seen, were also landmarks where St. Paul was challenged, insulted, derided, maligned and put into prison because of Christ.  We know very well from the letters of St. Paul and from Church history how the Christian communities that he had established in those regions suffered the same fate.

But what stood out from all these was the strong faith of the early Christians, their wisdom that led to fidelity till the end.  St. Paul said: "Trials of every sort come to us, but we are not discouraged.  We are left without answer, but we do not despair; persecuted but not abandoned, knocked down but not crushed (2 Cor 4:8-9)

In the same way, as Christians, let us be aware of the fearful scenario that awaits us as followers of Christ.  Yet. let us develop a strong faith in Jesus, so that no matter what happens we hang on to Him.  Like the woman after the super typhoon Yolanda who was seen praying inside the Palo cathedral, we can say: "My faith is stronger than Yolanda."

                  -Fr. Eliseo Yyance, SVD(DWC, San Jose, Occ. Mindoro)