Memorial of the Martyrdom of Saint John the Baptist
1 Thessalonians 4:9-11
Psalm 98:1, 7-8, 9
Mark 6:17-29
It seems to me that today’s readings center on our inborn talents and the importance of using them in the service of God and our fellow man.
Paul's letter stresses to the Thessalonians that having been called by God to love, they must exercise this love to create a climate of peace within their community and develop a sense of fellowship.
John the Baptist's martyrdom illustrates that using God's gifts does result in good to others but opens the possibility of sacrificing one's own life. The world must be brought to see that it fools itself into thinking it can live comfortably in sin. “Telling it like it is”, however, can be a dangerous task, because the secular world despises and is anxious to shame and silence, by any means, critics of their values and behavior.
Those willing to suffer and die for the sake of preserving God's word throughout history are the saints and martyrs who deserve our thanks and God's blessings for selflessly exhorting us to embrace values leading to salvation.
We have to ask ourselves if we believe God has gifted us in any way. If we want to grow spiritually and make a genuine effort to develop these gifts, we need to discern them prayerfully. With greater appreciation for and use of our gifts we should be able to notice how they bring increased glory to God and more meaning to our life.
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