It is of course a great privilege to receive a
divine call to be a Prophet. It is a calling principally to proclaim the truth
God wishes to be communicated to people. It is a great privilege but it does
not make one’s life comfortable.
First of all it requires one to live a life focused
intensely upon God – a totally dedicated life of prayer and contemplation. In
John’s time it meant living in the desert for long periods of time.
Secondly, when a prophet faithfully proclaims God’s
word - the truth - people do not always respond positively. As we know with St
John many people came out from the towns and villages to listen to him. He was
a popular figure to many. Though he was popular, John did not court popularity.
He spoke the truth in uncompromising fashion. Not everyone like to hear the truth. However his mission from God
was to speak the truth from God without adornment.
Now of course it is one thing speaking the truth
about the immoral life of those who have little power in society – like his
condemnation of teachers of the law or the Pharisees. But it is a far more
risky matter to point out the immorality of a tyrant king! But of course that
is what St John did. And because of this Herod had him imprisoned.
Herod is conflicted within himself about this. Herod
retains some respect for John as a prophet, he retains therefore some respect
for God, but nevertheless he is still living in sin. And because he is living
in sin, still attached to his sin, his mind is clouded. Sin does this to us
all. Though God has made us rational creatures, what sin does is cloud our
minds from seeing the truth – even when someone we respect proclaims that truth
to us, even when we know God Himself condemns our sinfulness. Sin causes us
inner conflict – such as it did for king Herod.
For Herodias the sin she had delighted in was so
much a part of her life that she no longer felt inner conflict, she reacted
with horrible anger. We can almost hear her say, “How dare this simple, dirty
man condemn the king and his wife? The king can marry whom he chooses to marry!”
She has totally rejected God, and has therefore no respect for God’s prophet.
This sin probably opened her heart to demonic influence: we do know her heart
turned to a wicked and vile plan using her daughter to eradicate this prophet.
St John, the innocent spokesman of God, becomes a martyr for the truth –
speaking up for God’s institution of marriage unto death.
So today we praise God for the witness of St John
the Baptist, and we ask for his prayers in our time that we might be blessed
with his courage to stand up for the truth. But let us also remember we need to
beware the clouding effect of sin – let us never fail to turn to God and repent
of our sins, even those we don’t want to admit are sin, though the church
teaches us it is so.
IH
