One Minute Reflection – 29 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist – Jeremias 1:17-19 – Mark 6:17-29 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Be not afraid at their presence; for I will make thee not to fear their countenance. ” – Jeremias 1:17
REFLECTION – “The Death of Christ stands at the head of an innumerable crowd of believers. Through this same Lord Jesus’ Power and, thanks to His Goodness, the precious deaths of His Martyrs and Saints have given birth to a great multitude of Christians. Indeed, never has the Christian religion been wiped out by the persecution of tyrants or the indefensible murder of the innocent! Rather, it has drawn greater increase from them each time.
We have an example of this in Saint John, who Baptised Christ and whose holy Martyrdom we celebrate today. That faithless King, Herod, true to his oath, wanted to completely exterminate the memory of John from the minds of men. Yet not only was John not destroyed but, men in their thousands, inflamed by his example, have welcomed death with joy for the sake of justice and truth … What Christian is there, worthy of the name, who does not venerate John today, he who Baptised the Lord? All over the world Christians honour his memory, all generations proclaim him blessed and his virtues suffuse the Church with their perfume. John did not live for himself alone and he has not died for himself alone either.” – Lanspergius (John Justus of Landsberg O,Cart,) the Carthusian (1489-1539) Monk, Theologian (Sermon for the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist).
PRAYER – May the great festival of St John the Baptist, Thy Precursor and Martyr, we beseech Thee, O Lord, assure for us the results of Thy saving help. Who lives and reign with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
AnaStpaul 