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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260829
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SUMMARY:Vigils reading - Martyrdom of St John the Baptist
DESCRIPTION:reading from Bede the Venerable on \nTHE MARTYRDOM OF \nST JOHN THE BAPTIST \n◊◊◊ \nAs a forerunner of our Lord’s birth\, preaching and death\, John showed in \nhis struggle a goodness worthy of the sight of heaven. In the words of Scripture: \n“Though in the sight of men he suffered torments\, his hope is full of \nimmortality.” We justly commemorate the day of his birth with a joyful \ncelebration\, a day which he himself made festive for us through his suffering \nand which he adorned with the crimson splendor of his own blood. We do \nrightly revere his memory with joyful hearts\, for he stamped with the seal of \nmartyrdom the testimony which he delivered on behalf of our Lord. \nThere is no doubt that blessed John suffered imprisonment and chains as \na witness to our Redeemer\, whose forerunner he was\, and gave his life for him. \nHis persecutor had demanded not that he deny Christ\, but only that he should \nkeep silent about the truth. Nevertheless\, he died for Christ. Does Christ not say: \n“I am the truth?” Therefore\, because John shed his blood for the truth\, he surely \ndied for Christ. Through his birth\, preaching and baptizing\, he bore witness to \nthe coming birth\, preaching and baptism of Christ\, and by his own suffering he \nshowed that Christ also would suffer. \nSuch was the quality and strength of the man who accepted the end of this \npresent life by shedding his blood after the long imprisonment. He preached the \nfreedom of heavenly peace\, yet was thrown into irons by ungodly men; he was \nlocked away in the darkness of prison\, though he came bearing witness to the \nLight of life and deserved to be called a bright and shining lamp by that Light \nitself\, which is Christ. John was baptized in his own blood\, though he had been \nprivileged to baptize the Redeemer of the world\, to hear the voice of the Father \nabove him\, and to see the grace of the Holy spirit descending upon him. But to \nendure temporal agonies for the sake of the truth was not a heavy burden for \nsuch men as John; rather it was easily borne and even desirable\, for he knew \neternal joy would be his reward. \nSince death was ever near at hand through the inescapable necessity of \nnature\, such men considered it a blessing to embrace it and thus gain the reward \nof eternal life by acknowledging Christ’s name. Hence the apostle Paul rightly \nsays: “You have been granted the privilege not only to believe in Christ but also \nto suffer for his sake.” He tells us why it is Christ’s gift that his chosen ones \nshould suffer for him: “The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be \ncompared with the glory that is to be revealed in us.”
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-martyrdom-of-st-john-the-baptist-3/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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