Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-99) - God is faithful

Dearest Goddaughter,

Today is the Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist.

"God is faithful. . ." wrote Saint Paul to the Corinthians. In the same way that God is faithful, Saint John the Baptist remained His faithful prophet until his martyrdom at the hands of Herod and Herodias. Saint John the Baptist was the forerunner and, in that role, he pointed out our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as the Messiah, declaring with exultation: "Behold the Lamb of God".

John the Baptist was also not afraid to point out the waywardness of others, even Herod, and this brought the wrath of Herodias upon him. Yes, John remained faithful to God even in the face of death. Unlike John, Herod did not have the courage to act righteously because he did not want to lose face in front of others. Even though Herod knew that John was a "righteous and holy man" and "liked to listen to him," he caved under pressure from others and had John the Baptist beheaded.

In our spirituality life, the Spirit of God will help us discern right from wrong; however, we must pray for the courage to follow the guidance and do the right thing, even if we are pressured to do otherwise. Herod "was deeply distressed" when Herodias' daughter, at the behest of her mother, asked for the head of John the Baptist. In our spiritual life, when we are discerning something, the sense of deep distress should be a sign to us from the Spirit that we are on the wrong path, a path that leads us away from God and His will in our life. The peace of Christ is what we should experience when we are on the right path that leads us closer to Jesus.

God is faithful; therefore, let us have the courage to be faithful to Him in words and deeds.

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: 1 Cor 1:1-9 and Mk 6:17-29 (see below).

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Herod was the one who had John the Baptist 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,

"Ask of me whatever you wish and I will grant it to you."

He even swore many things to her,

"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 at 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.