Daily Readings - Sat Aug 04 2018
Jeremiah
11And the priests and the prophets spoke to the leaders and to all the people, saying: "A judgment of death is for this man. For he has prophesied against this city, just as you have heard with your own ears.12And Jeremiah spoke to all the leaders and to the entire people, saying: "The Lord has sent me to prophesy, about this house and about this city, all the words that you have heard13Now, therefore, make your ways and your intentions good, and heed the voice of the Lord your God. And then the Lord will repent of the evil that he has spoken against you14But as for me, behold, I am in your hands. Do to me what is good and right in your eyes15Yet truly, know and understand this: if you kill me, you will be bringing innocent blood against yourselves, and against this city and its inhabitants. For in truth, the Lord sent me to you, so as to speak all these words in your hearing.16And then the leaders and all the people said to the priests and to the prophets: "There is no judgment of death against this man. For he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.24But the hand of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, was with Jeremiah, so that he would not be delivered into the hands of the people, and so that they would not put him to death
Matthew
1In that time, Herod the Tetrarch heard the news about Jesus2And he said to his servants: "This is John the Baptist. He has risen from the dead, and that is why miracles are at work in him.3For Herod had apprehended John, and bound him, and put him in prison, because of Herodias, the wife of his brother4For John was telling him, "It is not lawful for you to have her.5And though he wanted to kill him, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet6Then, on Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced in their midst, and it pleased Herod7And so he promised with an oath to give her whatever she would ask of him8But, having been advised by her mother, she said, "Give me here, on a platter, the head of John the Baptist.9And the king was greatly saddened. But because of his oath, and because of those who sat at table with him, he ordered it to be given10And he sent and beheaded John in prison11And his head was brought on a platter, and it was given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother12And his disciples approached and took the body, and they buried it. And arriving, they reported it to Jesus
Sermon
The readings today present us with two powerful stories of prophets who faced severe opposition for speaking the truth. In the first reading, Jeremiah stands before the leaders and people of Jerusalem, delivering a difficult message from God. He warns them that their sinful ways have brought judgment upon the city, but he also offers hope: if they repent, God will relent. Despite the danger, Jeremiah remains steadfast, trusting in God’s mission for him. The people, though divided, ultimately spare his life, thanks to the intervention of Ahikam, a righteous man who stands by him.
In the Gospel, we see a very different outcome. John the Baptist, a prophet who boldly called King Herod to repentance, is brutally executed as a result of Herod’s pride and fear. Herod, swayed by his own desires and the manipulations of Herodias, breaks his oath and has John beheaded. This tragic event reminds us that speaking the truth can come at a great cost. John’s disciples, grief-stricken, take his body and bury it, but they also go to tell Jesus, showing their trust in God’s plan even in the face of suffering.
Both readings remind us that living as disciples of Christ requires courage and integrity. Like Jeremiah and John, we are called to speak the truth, even when it is uncomfortable or unpopular. This might mean standing up for justice, challenging wrongdoing, or simply living according to our faith in a world that often opposes it. The moral lesson here is clear: our faith must be bold and unwavering, even in the face of adversity. Let us ask for the grace to imitate these prophets, trusting that God will guide us and give us the strength to remain faithful, no matter the cost.