Daily Readings - Sat Aug 04 2018
Jeremiah
11Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and to all the people, "This man deserves the sentence of death, because he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears."12Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and all the people, saying, "The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the words you have heard.13Now therefore mend your ways and your deeds, and obey the voice of the LORD your God, and the LORD will relent of the disaster that he has pronounced against you.14But as for me, behold, I am in your hands. Do with me as seems good and right to you.15Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood upon yourselves and upon this city and its inhabitants, for in truth the LORD sent me to you to speak all these words in your ears."16Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, "This man does not deserve the sentence of death, 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 was not given over to the people to be put to death.
Matthew
1At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus,2and he said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him."3For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife,4because John had been saying to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."5And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet.6But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod,7so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.8Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter."9And the king was sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given.10He sent and had John beheaded in the prison,11and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.12And his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told 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.