>> A READING FROM THE BOOK OF SIRACH. LIKE THE CHOICE FAT OF THE SACRED OFFERINGS, SO WAS DAVID IN ISRAEL. HE MADE SPORT OF LIONS AS THOUGH THEY WERE KIDS, AND OF BEARS, LIKE LAMBS OF THE FLOCK. AS A YOUTH HE SLEW THE GIANT AND WIPED OUT THE PEOPLE'S DISGRACE, WHEN HIS HAND LET FLY THE SLING STONE THAT CRUSHED THE PRIDE OF GOLIATH. SINCE HE CALLED UPON THE MOST HIGH GOD, WHO GAVE STRENGTH TO HIS RIGHT ARM TO DEFEAT THE SKILLED WARRIOR AND RAISE UP THE MIGHT OF HIS PEOPLE, THEREFORE THE WOMEN SANG HIS PRAISES, AND ASCRIBED TO HIM TENS OF THOUSANDS AND PRAISED HIM WHEN THEY BLESSED THE LORD. WHEN HE ASSUMED THE ROYAL CROWN, HE BATTLED AND SUBDUED THE ENEMY ON EVERY SIDE. HE DESTROYED THE HOSTILE PHILISTINES AND SHATTERED THEIR POWER TILL OUR OWN DAY. WITH HIS EVERY DEED HE OFFERED THANKS TO GOD MOST HIGH, IN WORDS OF PRAISE. WITH HIS WHOLE BEING HE LOVED HIS MAKER AND DAILY HAD HIS PRAISES SUNG; HE SET SINGERS BEFORE THE ALTAR AND BY THEIR VOICES HE MADE SWEET MELODIES, HE ADDED BEAUTY TO THE FEASTS AND SOLEMNIZED THE SEASONS OF EACH YEAR SO THAT WHEN THE HOLY NAME WAS PRAISED, BEFORE DAYBREAK THE SANCTUARY WOULD RESOUND. THE LORD FORGAVE HIM HIS SINS AND EXALTED HIS STRENGTH FOREVER; HE CONFERRED ON HIM THE RIGHTS OF ROYALTY AND ESTABLISHED HIS THRONE IN ISRAEL. THE WORD OF THE LORD. THANKS BE TO GOD. >> BLESSED BE GOD MY SALVATION! >> BLESSED BE GOD MY SALVATION! >> GOD'S WAY IS UNERRING, THE PROMISE OF THE LORD IS FIRE TRIED; HE IS A SHIELD TO ALL WHO TAKE REFUGE IN HIM. >> BLESSED BE GOD MY SALVATION! >> THE LORD LIVE! AND BLESSED BE MY ROCK! EXTOLLED BE GOD MY SAVIOR. THEREFORE WILL I PROCLAIM YOU, O LORD, AMONG THE NATIONS, AND I WILL SING PRAISE TO YOUR NAME. >> BLESSED BE GOD MY SALVATION! >> YOU WHO GAVE GREAT VICTORIES TO YOUR KING AND SHOWED KINDNESS TO YOUR ANOINTED, TO DAVID AND HIS POSTERITY FOREVER. >> BLESSED BE GOD MY SALVATION! (ORGAN) >> ♪ ALLELUIA ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA ♪ >> ♪ ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA ALLELUIA ♪ >> ♪ BLESSED ARE THEY WHO HAVE KEPT THE WORD WITH A GENEROUS HEART, AND YIELD A HARVEST THROUGH PERSEVERANCE ♪ >> ♪ ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA ALLELUIA ♪ >> ♪ DOMINUS VOBISCUM ♪ >> ♪ ET CUM SPIRITU TUO ♪ >> ♪ LECTIO SANCTI EVANGELII SECUNDUM MARCUM ♪ >> ♪ GLORIA TIBI, DOMINE ♪ >> KING HEROD HEARD ABOUT JESUS, FOR HIS FAME HAD BECOME WIDESPREAD, AND PEOPLE WERE SAYING, JOHN THE BAPTIST HAS BEEN RAISED FROM THE DEAD; THAT IS WHY MIGHTY POWERS ARE AT WORK IN HIM. OTHERS WERE SAYING, HE IS ELIJAH; STILL OTHERS, HE IS A PROPHET LIKE ANY OF THE PROPHETS. BUT WHEN HEROD LEARNED OF IT, HE SAID, IT IS JOHN WHOM I BEHEADED. HE HAS BEEN RAISED UP. HEROD WAS THE ONE WHO HAD JOHN ARRESTED AND BOUND IN PRISON ON ACCOUNT OF HERODIAS, THE WIFE OF HIS BROTHER PHILIP, WHOM HE HAD MARRIED. JOHN HAD SAID TO HEROD, IT IS NOT LAWFUL FOR YOU TO HAVE YOUR BROTHER'S WIFE. HERODIAS HARBORED A GRUDGE AGAINST HIM AND WANTED TO KILL HIM BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. HEROD FEARED JOHN, KNOWING HIM TO BE A RIGHTEOUS AND HOLY MAN, AND KEPT HIM IN CUSTODY. WHEN HE HEARD HIM SPEAK HE WAS VERY MUCH PERPLEXED, YET HE LIKED TO LISTEN TO HIM. HERODIAS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY ONE DAY WHEN HEROD, ON HIS BIRTHDAY, GAVE A BANQUET FOR HIS COURTIERS, HIS MILITARY OFFICERS, AND THE LEADING MEN OF GALILEE. HIS OWN DAUGHTER CAME IN AND PERFORMED A DANCE THAT DELIGHTED HEROD AND HIS GUESTS. THE KING SAID TO THE GIRL, ASK OF ME WHATEVER YOU WISH AND I WILL GRANT IT TO YOU. HE EVEN SWORE MANY THINGS TO HER, I WILL GRANT YOU WHATEVER YOU ASK OF ME, EVEN TO HALF OF MY KINGDOM. SHE WENT OUT AND SAID TO HER MOTHER, WHAT SHALL I ASK FOR? HER MOTHER REPLIED, THE HEAD OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. THE GIRL HURRIED BACK TO THE KING'S PRESENCE AND MADE HER REQUEST, I WANT YOU TO GIVE ME AT ONCE ON A PLATTER THE HEAD OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. THE KING WAS DEEPLY DISTRESSED, BUT BECAUSE OF HIS OATHS AND THE GUESTS HE DID NOT WISH TO BREAK HIS WORD TO HER. SO HE PROMPTLY DISPATCHED AN EXECUTIONER WITH ORDERS TO BRING BACK HIS HEAD. HE WENT OFF AND BEHEADED HIM IN THE PRISON. HE BROUGHT IN THE HEAD ON A PLATTER AND GAVE IT TO THE GIRL. THE GIRL IN TURN GAVE IT TO HER MOTHER. WHEN HIS DISCIPLES HEARD ABOUT IT, THEY CAME AND TOOK HIS BODY AND LAID IT IN A TOMB. ♪ VERBUM DOMINI ♪ >> ♪ LAUS TIBI, CHRISTE ♪ >> TODAY WE CELEBRATE THE FRANCISCAN ST. JOSEPH OF LEONESSA WHO LIVED IN THE 1500S. HE WAS AN ACTIVE CAPTION IN NAPLES AND IN CONSTANTINOPLE SERVING THE POOR AND THE COMMUNITY AMONG THE CHRISTIANS. AND RETURN TO ITALY AND DIED THERE. HE WAS A GREAT PREACHER AND MINISTERED TO THE POOR. TODAY WE HAVE THE READING OF JOHN THE BAPTIST AND HIS MARTYRDOM AND HE REALLY HE DIED SPEAKING OUT IN DEFENSE OF THE SANCTITY OF MARRIAGE. WE HAVE HEROD OF ANTIPAS IS THE HEROD TODAY HE IS CALLED THE TETRARCH. HE IS THE SON OF HEROD THE GREAT WHO DIED I BELIEVE IN ABOUT 4 BC. AND HE WAS KNOWN FOR HIS GREAT BUILDING PROJECTS. UNBELIEVABLY CRUEL. AND THIS HEROD'S BROTHER WAS IN CHARGE DURING THE SLAUGHTER OF THE INNOCENTS WHEN JESUS WAS AN INFANT AND THIS IS HEROD THE TETRARCH, THE KINGDOM HAD BEEN DIVIDED INTO 4 PARTS. HIS PART WAS GALILEE AND THIS REGION EAST OF THE JORDAN RIVER AND IT IS IN PART OF THE DEAD SEA. JERUSALEM IS TO THE WEST. JUDEA WAS TO THE WEST AND HE WAS TO THE EAST AND HE HAD A PRISON AND A FORTRESS OVERLOOKING THE DEAD SEA THE RUINS ARE STILL THERE TODAY AND THAT IS BELIEVED WHERE THIS EVENT TOOK PLACE. AND JOHN THE BAPTIST DENOUNCED HEROD'S UNION WITH HERODIAS THAT WE HEAR MENTIONED TODAY IN MATTHEW'S GOSPEL AS WELL. HEROD ANTIPAS WANTED HIS HALF BROTHER PHILLIP'S WIFE, HERODIAS, AND THEY DID MARRY WE ARE TOLD IN THE GOSPEL. AND JOHN CALLED THEM OUT. HE SAID IS NOT LAWFUL. IT IS A VIOLATION OF THE MOSAIC LAW TO MARRY YOUR BROTHER'S WIFE WHILE YOUR BROTHER IS STILL LIVING. LEVITICUS 20 BUT WAS IT IS CONTINUATION IN THE HERODIAN DYNASTY. A STEADY STREAM OF IMMORALITY AND CRUELTY AND DEATH AND BLOODSHED. MARRIAGE COMES FROM OUR CREATOR. IT COMES FROM GOD. WE SEE IT IN THE VERY BEGINNING OF GENESIS. ADAM AND EVE. WE SPEAK OF A NATURAL LAW OF MARRIAGE. IN CHRISTIANITY IS RAISED TO THE DIGNITY OF A SACRAMENT BUT IT PREEXISTED THE SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE. MARRIAGE ITSELF COMES FROM GOD. SOME OF THE ELEMENTS OF THIS NATURAL LAW MARRIAGE IS YOU HAVE ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN. ESTABLISHED BETWEEN THE SPOUSES THROUGH CONSENT. A PARTNERSHIP FOR THE WHOLE OF THEIR LIVES. AND IT IS GIVEN TO MANKIND FOR THE GOOD OF THE SPOUSES. AND PROCREATION OF CHILDREN. THOSE ARE NATURAL LAW ELEMENTS OF MARRIAGE. THE CHURCH'S TEACHING ON CONTRACEPTION IS REALLY PART OF THE NATURAL LAW. AND IT CAN BE DEFENDED BY REASON ALONE. IT IS INTERESTING, LATER HEROD ANTIPAS WOULD BE EXILED BY THE ROMAN EMPEROR. DUE TO DIFFERENT POLITICS AND UPRISINGS AND POWER GRABS. IT WAS EXILED TO LYONS FRANCE AND HERODIAS WENT WITH HIM. SHE DID NOT HAVE TO DO THAT BUT SHE DID. SHE SUFFERED EXILED WITH HIM. AND IT SHOWS A GLIMMER OF HOPE AND ALL OF THIS IS CERTAIN GOODNESS AND ALL OF US EVEN ESPECIALLY FROM THIS WICKED SEEN IN THE GOSPEL. BUT WE SEE ELEMENTS OF MARRIAGE ACROSS ALL CULTURES AND ALTHOUGH IT HAS FALLEN AND IT IS NOT THERE IN ITS FULLNESS OR GREATNESS IN ALL CULTURES WE SEE SOME OF THESE ELEMENTS ALWAYS PRESENT IN A SOCIETY MOST OF THE TIME. IT RECOGNIZES THE GREATNESS AND IMPORTANCE OF MARRIAGE TO SOME DEGREE. SO IN CHRISTIANITY BETWEEN THE BAPTIZED IF YOU HAVE TO BAPTIZED PEOPLE THE MARRIAGE IS RAISED TO THE DIGNITY OF A SACRAMENT. AND IT STRENGTHENED. UNITY. THE INDISSOLUBILITY OF THE MARITAL BOND IS STRENGTHENED AND IT HAS A SPECIAL FIRMNESS IN THE SACRAMENT. VATICAN II SPEAKS OF IT AS BEING CAUGHT UP IN DIVINE LOVE. THAT GOD IS PRESENT THERE. IN THE SACRAMENT. THE SPOUSES ARE SERVING EACH OTHER, LOVING EACH OTHER AND LOVING GOD IN THAT. IT IS A SACRAMENT. SO IT IS A GREAT PATH TO HOLINESS. IT SERVES A UNION WITH GOD. I WAS THINKING THE OTHER DAY WHEN WE HAD THE SENDING OUT OF THE 2 X 2 YOU COULD LOOK AT MARRIAGE IS THIS BUT YOU ARE SENT INTO THE WORLD THE 2 OF YOU HUSBAND AND WIFE AND YOU STRENGTHEN EACH OTHER YOU LOVE EACH OTHER YOU CAN HELP ONE ANOTHER ON THE PATH TO HOLINESS. ACCOUNTABILITY THERE. ACCOMPANIMENT. STRENGTHENING THAT YOU HAVE ANOTHER PERSON WITH YOU. YOU ARE NOT DOING THIS BY YOURSELF. YES THERE IS A FALLEN ASPECT THE DIFFICULTIES AND THERE IS SIN BUT THERE IS ALSO THE PRESENCE OF THIS GREAT STRENGTH ON OUR PATH TO BE SAINTS IN MARRIAGE. NOW IN TODAY'S PASSAGE WE SEE THIS IS ESPECIALLY JUST A MASS OF WICKEDNESS IN FALLENNESS. HERODIAS IS IF YOU LOOK AT THE FAMILY TREE IN SOME WAYS SHE IS THE NIECE OF HEROD. YOU HAVE SO MANY ELEMENTS OF VIOLATION AND DYSFUNCTION HERE. SHE IS NOT HAPPY WITH JOHN THE BAPTIST CALLING OUT THERE MARRIAGE. AS NOT BEING LEGITIMATE. SHE IS LOOKING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO KILL HIM. THE PROBLEM IS HEROD, HE IS CURIOUS ABOUT JOHN THE BAPTIST. WE ARE TOLD THAT HE LIKES TO LISTEN TO HIM. HE HAS A CERTAIN FASCINATION TO HIS PREACHING. SO HE JUST TAKES HIM INTO CUSTODY. IN THIS PRISON. AND HE HAS A BIRTHDAY PARTY AND WHICH WAS NOT TYPICAL OF THE JEWISH CULTURE. SO IT STRESSES SOME OF THE GENTILE PAGAN SITUATION TO HAVE A BIRTHDAY PARTY BUT HE INVITES THE LEADING MEN TO THIS BANQUET THE LEADING MEN OF GALILEE AND THE MILITARY OFFICERS SO IT IS PROBABLY MOSTLY MEN AT THIS PARTY AND YOU KNOW WE KNOW HERODIAS HIS DAUGHTER JOSEPHUS TELLS US HER NAME WAS SALOMé. JOSEPHUS WAS A GREAT HISTORIAN. SHE PERFORMS THE STANCE THAT THE LIGHTS EVERYONE. HEROD SWEARS AN OATH THAT HE WILL GIVE HER WHATEVER SHE WANTS EVEN HALF OF HIS KINGDOM. IT IS PROBABLY A VERY SENSUAL DANCE. AROUSED PASSIONS. THEY WERE PROBABLY DRINKING. THE MOTHER HERODIAS SEIZES ON THIS OPPORTUNITY AND SHE SAYS I WANT THE HEAD OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. IT IS JUST SO SHOCKING AND UNBELIEVABLY WICKED. THIS PARTY ENDS UP WITH MURDER AND BEHEADING. EVEN ON A PLATTER. BRINGING OUT A PLATTER ALMOST LIKE A COURSE OF A MEAL. AND IT JUST SHOWS HOW FALLEN AND WICKED AND EVIL THAT WE ARE CAPABLE OF. WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THE WEAKNESS OF HUMANITY. THE FALLEN NATURE OF IT. THAT WITHOUT GOD'S GRACE, WITHOUT HIS LAW, WITHOUT HIS CORRECTION, WITHOUT SOME KIND OF HELP OR STRENGTH, THE POSSIBILITY OF WICKEDNESS IS ALWAYS, ALWAYS THERE. IT CAN BE BAFFLING AT TIMES. IT IS LIKE WHERE DOES THIS UNGODLY RAGE AND HATRED COME FROM? THERE IS A REBELLION IN THE WORLD. AT TIMES IN OURSELVES BUT WITHOUT GOD'S GRACE, IF WE DO NOT HAVE THE HUMILITY TO RECOGNIZE OUR NEED FOR GOD LOOK AT WHAT WE ARE CAPABLE OF. AND YET IN THE MIDST OF ALL OF THAT WE HAVE THIS INCREDIBLY ELOQUENT WITNESS OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. THAT HE IS THE PROPHET SENT TO PREPARE THE WAY FOR JESUS. HE SAID THAT HE MUST DECREASE. JOHN MUST DECREASE AND THAT JESUS MUST INCREASE SPEED THAT IS HUMILITY. THAT IS RECOGNIZE THE SOURCE OF GREATNESS OF OUR STRENGTH LOOKING TOWARDS GOD FOR THE SOURCE OF ALL THINGS. AND HE DIES IN DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE WHICH IS AT THE HEART OF SOCIETY AND THE CULTURE, FAMILY. THE WAY OF MARRIAGE IN THE WAY THE FAMILY IS THE WAY OF THE WORLD. THE FUNDAMENTAL CELL OF HUMANITY. ALL OF HUMANITY PASSES THROUGH THE CELL OF THE FAMILY WE COULD SAY. JOHN PAUL II SAID THAT IN A BEAUTIFUL WAY. JOHN DIES SPEAKING UP FOR THIS GREAT REALITY THAT WE HAVE THAT WE ARE CALLED TO LIVE. WE ARE TOLD THAT HIS DISCIPLES CAME AND TOOK HIS BODY AND LAID IT IN A TOMB. I THINK THERE IS SOMETHING SO POWERFUL AND SIMPLE ABOUT THAT THAT THE DISCIPLES RECOGNIZED THIS SACRIFICE, THIS TRAGEDY, THIS INJUSTICE THAT TOOK PLACE AND RESPECTED AND REVERED TO JOHN. NONE BORN OF WOMEN IS GREATER THAN JOHN THE BAPTIST WE ARE TOLD. HE IS 1 OF THE GREAT SAINTS OF THE CHURCH. HE WAS MARKED WITH SEVERAL FEAST DAYS IN THE CHURCH. HIS WITNESS AND STRENGTH. SO IN THE MIDST OF FALLENNESS GOD'S GRACE IS AT WORK. HE IS ALWAYS THERE. HE IS THERE TO STRENGTHEN US. THAT HOLINESS IS POSSIBLE. THAT THIS CANNOT CHOKE OUT OUR PERSONAL CALLED TO HOLINESS. HOW WE ARE TO LIVE AND BE IN THE WORLD. AND CERTAINLY TODAY WE SEE MARRIAGE UNDER SO MANY THREATS AND DIFFICULTIES IN A MATERIALISTIC CONSUMER CULTURE THAT IS STARING AT THE FAMILY. IT IS A CALLED A WITNESS TO LIVE THIS BEAUTIFUL SACRAMENT AS BEST WE CAN. RELYING ON GOD'S GRACE. I THINK ESPECIALLY OUR LADY ALSO PRAYING THE ROSARY CAN STRENGTHEN THE MARRIAGE AND ITS WITNESS TODAY AND IT IS SUCH A POWERFUL WITNESS BECAUSE IT IS A NATURAL INSTITUTION WE COULD SAY GIVEN TO US BY GOD AND THERE IS SOMETHING IN HUMAN NATURE THAT JUST CRAVES THAT. EVEN IN OUR MEDIA, OUR TELEVISION MOVIES, THERE IS SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL WHEN YOU SEE A MARRIAGE IN THAT. IT SPEAKS TO US. IT DRAWS US. I WANT TO BE IN A RELATIONSHIP OF LOVE. I WANT TO KNOW AND TO LOVE SOMEBODY ELSE. MARRIAGE IS A SPECIAL PLACE OF THIS RELATIONSHIP AND LIVING THIS OUT IN THE BEAUTY OF CHILDREN. IT SPEAKS TO EVERYONE. CHRISTIANITY CAN BE ON THE FRONT LINE WITNESS TO THIS. IT CAN BE SUCH A POWERFUL CALLED OF THE GOSPEL AND TO THE CHURCH TO BELIEF IN GOD BECAUSE IT IS TREASURED IN THE CHURCH AND STRENGTHENED IN THE CHURCH IN HER SACRAMENTS.
