Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/571

 king was  grieved  on  hearing  these  words,  but  thinking  himself bound to  keep  the  oath  which  he  had  sworn  before  his  guests, he sent  word  to  the  gaoler,  who  beheaded* John  and  presented his head  on  a dish  to  the  wicked  daughter  of  a still  more  wicked mother. Then the  disciples  of  the  holy  Baptist  took  the  body of their  master,  and  buried  it;  and  they  came  to  tell  Jesus  what had happened.

Growth in  sin.  When  Herod  persuaded  his  brother  Philip’s  wife to leave  her  lawful  husband  for  him,  both  he  and  Herodias  committed a grievous  sin. This sin  led  them  on  to  commit  other  sins. Herod threw  John  into  prison,  though  he  “knew  him  to  be  a just and holy  man”. He thus  sinned  against  justice. Herodias hated the holy  Baptist,  persuaded  her  daughter  to  sin,  and  thus  caused  the Saint’s death.

Oaths. Herod  sinned  by  taking  an  oath  thoughtlessly  and  without necessity. Now, ought  he  to  have  kept  his  oath  when  the  sinful  request for John’s  head  was  made  to  him? No; for  an  oath  to  do  something sinful is,  in  itself,  invalid. A man sins  if  he  takes  such  an  oath,  and he sins  again  if  he  keeps  it.

Human respect  made  Herod  grant  the  girl’s  cruel  request. He was ashamed  in  the  presence  of  his  guests  to  break  a promise  which obviously could  not  apply  to  a gift  such  as  was  asked  of  him. He did not fear  to  offend  God  by  committing  a very  grievous  sin,  but  he shrank  from  the  false  judgment  of  men,  and  thus  gave  the  cruel  and murderous order  on  his  birthday — the  very  day  when  those  in  power were accustomed  to  perform  acts  of  mercy.

Sharing in  the  guilt  of  others.  Even  the  guests  were  not  innocent of John’s  death. They ought  to  have  remonstrated  with  Herod,  and not have  passed  by  his  sin  in  silence.

Virtue alone  is  beautiful.  We  all  detest  the  daughter  of  Herodias. She was  beautiful,  she  wore  fine  clothes,  she  danced  very  cleverly,  but she had  a vicious  heart.

St. John  died  a martyr  to  his  calling.  Having  been  called  by  God to be  a preacher  of  penance,  he  represented  Herod’s  sin  to  him,  and reminded him  of  the  law  of  God. On this  account  he  died  a violent death at  the  age  of  thirty-two. To him  applies  the  eighth  beatitude: “Blessed are  they  who  suffer  persecution,  for  justice’  sake.”  His  soul passed directly  into  Limbo,  where  he,  like  St.  Joseph,  awaited  the