Today the Church commemorates the Passion of Saint John the Baptist, the prophet who prepared the way for Christ and ultimately gave his life for speaking the truth.

John was called by God to prepare the people for the coming of the Messiah, preaching repentance and baptising in the River Jordan. Yet he always pointed beyond himself towards Jesus, declaring: “Behold, the Lamb of God.”

John’s courageous witness eventually led to his imprisonment. He had openly challenged King Herod Antipas over his unlawful marriage to Herodias, his brother’s wife. During a banquet, Herod made a reckless promise to Herodias’ daughter after she danced before his guests. Prompted by her mother, she asked for the head of John the Baptist.

Although distressed, Herod ordered John to be beheaded in prison.

John’s entire life was one of selfless witness. He sought neither power nor glory for himself, but continually directed others towards Christ. As he said of Jesus: “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

His martyrdom reminds us that faithfulness to the Gospel sometimes demands great courage. John refused to remain silent in the face of wrongdoing, even when speaking the truth ultimately cost him his life.

Today, we ask for the courage to follow his example: to remain faithful to Christ, to speak the truth with conviction and to point others towards the Lamb of God.

🙏 Saint John the Baptist, pray for us.