The story of humanity is peppered with instances where the powerful are challenged by the prophetic voices of the meek.  And it comes as little surprise that frequently in efforts to secure one’s own position of power, endeavouring to silence the prophet invariably backfires. 

If the execution of John the Baptist teaches us anything, it is about faithfulness to the truth.  Where ambition and ego override truth, the message of today’s gospel certainly rings out loud and clear.    

The story provides us with the opportunity to reflect on what the values are that motivate us; what attitudes define who we are; what behaviours demonstrate our view of the world. We find ourselves in a time of uncertainty, in a world where confrontation, intolerance and oppression are rife, where the voice of power overrides the cries of the powerless. 

We believe that hope is found in the Christ of the Gospel, Christ Jesus who humbled himself, ‘taking the form of a slave’.  The prophetic voice in this troubled world of today must be that of you and me.  If our faithfulness to the Gospel is authentic, we cannot shy away from being that voice in our families, our schools, our workplaces, our community, our world.    

By Gerry Crooks