Give me John the Baptist's head here on a platter

 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus and said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him."  For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife.  Because John had said to him "It is not lawful for you to have her."  And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.  But when Herod's birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod.  Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.  So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, "Give me John the Baptist's head here on a platter."  And the king was sorry; nevertheless, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her.  So he sent and had John beheaded in prison.  And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.  Then his disciples came and took away the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

- Matthew 14:1-12

Yesterday we read that when Jesus had finished preaching in parables, that He departed from Capernaum.  When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, "Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works?  Is this not the carpenter's son?  Is not His mother called Mary?  And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?  And His sisters, are they not all with us?  Where then did this Man get all these things?"  So they were offended at Him.  But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house."  Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus and said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him."  For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife.  Because John had said to him "It is not lawful for you to have her."  And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.  But when Herod's birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod.  Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.  So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, "Give me John the Baptist's head here on a platter."  And the king was sorry; nevertheless, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her.  So he sent and had John beheaded in prison.  And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.  Then his disciples came and took away the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus.  Here Matthew gives us the history behind Herod's fear that Jesus is John the Baptist, risen from the dead.  Herod had married Herodias, his brothers' former wife, while his brother was still living.  John had denounced this as a violation of Jewish Law, and for this reason he was imprisoned.  My study bible comments from the perspective of a traditional view in the Church:  it saw the martyrdom of St. John the Baptist in the context of God's plan of salvation.  This allowed the coming of the Messiah to be announced to the souls in Hades, with John as forerunner and prophet of Christ there as well as on earth.

This story of violence and gruesome actions taking place at a birthday party tells us a great deal of the state of the ancient world into which Christ was born.  There is no flinching here at the reality of violence and cruelty.   The one thing that had kept John from death for speaking out against Herod was his stance as a revered figure among the people, who considered him to be a prophet and a holy man.  This is a world of power, where power is abused as often as it is exercised in one form or another -- and in particular by modern standards of what people call "civil rights."   It describes a world in which state authority is understood to be so absolute as there will be no questioning of these actions, and a king's rash promise to a young girl holds power simply because he does not want to go back on his oath in front of those important people in attendance.  This is the world of injustice in which Christ preaches His Sermon on the Mount, and teaches the oppressed about His way of responding to it and living in it.  If we stop to think of the injustices of today's world and compare them to our ancient history -- and the time of the life of Christ and His environment -- then we sometimes may want to consider how much responsibility we bear for choosing how we will choose to live.  John fearlessly preached righteousness in this world.  He lived in abject poverty, not among the privileged or even average people.  Jesus had no place to lay His head (8:20).  We may also understand corruption, violence, injustice, and abuse of power in the hands of those in high places in our modern world, in all kinds of ways and in all kinds of places.  But our Lord did not come to live in castles or mansions or an easy life.   Jesus spoke of John the Baptist to the people also comparing him to those who led easier lives:  "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses."  He was defending John as "a prophet, and greater than a prophet" in the face of criticism by the Pharisees that he was too rough (see 11:7-15).  But both the prophet and the Lord we follow were born into a world of great power and great injustice, and one of the power of great empire.  They lived their lives through its worst aspects -- even to crucifixion -- so that they could give us the way that we in turn honor to walk through it.  When we realize what they lived, how they lived, and what they experienced, it should make us even more committed to this way of life in the midst of our own realities.  Let us understand they have lived the way they lived already for love of us, and we must in turn honor what they offer as the greatest wisdom, and the gift of greatest love.   Let us endure and resist the temptations of a world that would seduce with violence and power and deceitful riches, and share in their strength to do so.