Daily Readings - Sat Aug 04 2018
Jeremiah
11Then spake the priests and the prophets unto the princes and to all the people, saying, This man is worthy to die; for he hath prophesied against this city, as ye have heard with your ears.12Then spake Jeremiah unto all the princes and to all the people, saying, The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that ye have heard.13Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you.14As for me, behold, I am in your hand: do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you.15But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof: for of a truth the LORD hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears.16Then said the princes and all the people unto the priests and to the prophets; This man is not worthy to die: for he hath spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God.24Nevertheless the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.
Matthew
1At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,2And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.3For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife.4For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.5And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.6But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.7Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.8And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger.9And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her.10And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.11And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.12And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and 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.