Saint of the Day (August 29, 2007) - Beheading of John the Baptist.*

The drunken oath of a king with a shallow sense of honor, a seductive dance and the hateful heart of a queen combined to bring about the martyrdom of John the Baptist. The greatest of prophets suffered the fate of so many Old Testament prophets before him: rejection and martyrdom. The voice crying in the desert did not hesitate to accuse the guilty, did not hesitate to speak the truth. But why? What possesses a man that he would give up his very life?

This great religious reformer was sent by God to prepare the people for the Messiah. His vocation was one of selfless giving. The only power that he claimed was the Spirit of Yahweh. I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matthew 3:11). Scripture tells us that many people followed John looking to him for hope, perhaps in anticipation of some great messianic power. John never allowed himself the false honor of receiving these people for his own glory. He knew his calling was one of preparation. When the time came, he led his disciples to Jesus: The next day John was there again with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, Behold, the Lamb of God. The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus (John 1:35-37). It is John the Baptist who has pointed the way to Christ. John's life and death were a giving over of self for God and other people. His simple style of life was one of complete detachment from earthly possessions. His heart was centered on God and the call that he heard from the Spirit of God speaking to his heart. Confident of God's grace, he had the courage to speak words of condemnation or repentance, of salvation.

Comment:

Each of us has a calling to which we must listen. No one will ever repeat the mission of John, and yet all of us are called to that very mission. It is the role of the Christian to witness to Jesus. Whatever our position in this world, we are called to be disciples of Christ. By our words and deeds others should realize that we live in the joy of knowing that Jesus is Lord. We do not have to depend upon our own limited resources, but can draw strength from the vastness of Christ's saving grace.

Quote:

So they came to John and said to him, Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you testified, here he is baptizing and everyone is coming to him. John answered and said, No one can receive anything except what has been given him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said [that] I am not the Messiah, but that I was sent before him. The one who has the bride is the bridegroom; the best man, who stands and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. So this joy of mine has been made complete. He must increase; I must decrease (John 3:26–30).


(This entry appears in the print edition of Saint of the Day.)



*the above mentioned are added to this post from the mails recieved from - "AmericanCatholic. org" goodnews@americancatholic.org



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A good friend of mine, shreedhar (http://www.orkut.com/Profile.aspx?uid=4285683754807292048), used to pen me daily with the word of god for that day, at times from the reading of that day or otherwise. And what I used to like so much is the prayer and thought that he is used to add. With his permission I have added it below, so will do everyday possible.


Today's Scripture

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." (Matthew 5:9)

Today's WordLet's spend our time building people up, not tearing them down! God says that when you honor others, you will receive honor. Bless others, and you will be blessed. If we allow strife and conflict into our relationships, those valuable connections will be damaged. Making peace takes time; it's something we have to work at each day. Here's one idea to get you started. When you begin to feel tension and strife enter a conversation, stop for a moment . . . take a deep breath and consider the path you are taking. The Bible encourages us to "hold every thought captive" (2 Corinthians 10:5). Maybe you need to walk away for a minute -- take a break and come back to it later. Whatever it takes, make the decision to be a peacemaker!

A Prayer for Today

God, thank you for caring so much about me. You have given me the strength to love others and make peace with the people You have put into my life. I commit to be a peacemaker, not a person that stirs up dissention. I pray that my relationships will honor You. In Jesus' name. Amen.


Thank you , God bless.