A Homily for the Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist
Friday, August 29, 2025
Prince of Peace Catholic Church – 8:00 Mass
Jeremiah 1:17-19; Psalm 71:1-2, 3-4a, 5-6ab, 15ab and 17; Mark 6:17-29
Audio Recording
Today we recall the martyrdom of Saint John the Baptist. His death was not simply a political misfortune — it was the bitter fruit of sin left unchecked. Lust led to pride, pride to rash oaths, and oaths to murder. Sin always spreads, and when ignored, it destroys.
John confronted Herod and Herodias, declaring their union unlawful. He spoke not out of meddling but to guard the moral conscience of Israel. If rulers lived in corruption, the people would follow. Like Elijah before him, John risked everything to proclaim God’s truth and prepare hearts for the Messiah.
Herod’s story shows how sin escalates. What began as adultery ended in the execution of a prophet. Sin never remains a private matter; it grows until it consumes others.
This week we saw evil strike again, in Minneapolis, where children gathered for Mass were attacked by gunfire. Two young lives were lost and many more were injured. Hundreds of others were traumatized and left to wonder how this could happen, at Mass of all places.
This evil was not only violence against people — it was defiance against God, a direct assault on innocence and Christian worship. Evil always mocks what is holy and strikes what is pure. The truth is that evil hates innocence because innocence reflects God. Evil despises the Church because God’s truth unmasks its lies.
Herod’s feast ended in the death of the greatest prophet who ever lived. And this week a sacred liturgy ended in the bloodshed of children attending Mass. In both of these heinous events the innocent paid the price of sin’s escalation into acts of unthinkable evil.
What does this mean for us? Herod admired John’s words but never changed his life. Many today admire the Gospel but stop short of conversion. The question is: will we live like Herod, protecting our pride, or like John, unafraid to witness to God’s truth and turn from the sin in our lives? Will we humbly admit our sins or make excuses for them, convincing ourselves that they really aren’t so bad.
This Gospel also warns against silence. At Herod’s banquet, no one spoke up. Their silence made his guests complicit in John’s beheading. When we face violence, injustice, or attacks against the Church, do we remain silent? Or do we stand for Christ? Discipleship means bearing witness, even when it costs.
And, finally, we must never doubt the power of prayer. Some say prayer is not enough in the face of evil, but prayer is never wasted. Prayer is the channel of God’s grace and consolation. Our prayer does not replace taking action against evil, but it does sustain that action. And it helps to console those who come face to face with the dragon. Today we join together in prayer for the people of Minneapolis, for the children lost, for the wounded, for grieving families, and for a traumatized community. Through prayer, God binds wounds, strengthens hearts, and transforms grief into hope.
“Prayer is never wasted. It is the lifeline by which God pours His consolation and grace into the lives of those who suffer.”
The Passion of John the Baptist is a mirror for us today. It shows the power of sin, the courage of truth, and the cost of discipleship. Evil still mocks what is holy, but Christ has conquered sin and death. May we, like John, be faithful and fearless, trusting that the light shines in the darkness, and that the darkness cannot overcome it.
And may we always recognize and turn from our sins so as to reflect the light of truth to those around us. May we never make excuses for our sins and regularly visit the confessional to keep them in check, confident that our merciful Lord will forgive us and prevent our sins from developing into unrestrained evil — evil that ultimately destroys us and attempts to destroy those around us.
Saint John the Baptist…pray for us.