Things just haven’t changed in 2000 years have they! Because if you speak up boldly in the name of truth, then you can expect to suffer the consequences even today.
John the Baptist is a perfect example. It wasn’t his message that the Messiah was coming; it wasn’t his message of repentance; it wasn’t his message that we need to be Baptized; it wasn’t any of these messages that did him in. Rather, it was a simple truth- that it is unlawful to marry your brother’s wife. That’s what did John the Baptist in. Marrying your brother’s wife was wrong according to Jewish Law. John the Baptist was bold enough to tell that directly to Herod’s face. Now Herod was like the President in our country today- the king. Imagine how Herod and his wife would react to such a direct public denunciation of them. Indeed Herodias, the lady Herod married, was so enraged at this simple truth; that she connived with her daughter to have John the Baptist beheaded. It was human nature, albeit human nature at its worst. Because evil people react with evil when they are caught in their evil.
Let’s fast forward to today. The same thing is happening in this country, isn’t it? Our bishops through the NCCB, are speaking out boldly about a whole host of issues. They are speaking the truth: Abortion is murder, so a woman really doesn’t have the right to choose that; Marriage is between a man and a woman; so unions between two same sex people may be something else, but they are not marriage; and contraception is against the natural Law of God. And what has the Government done in reaction? They are forcing the Catholic Church, Catholic institutions, and Catholic owned businesses to accept and pay for these evils, or else. “Wait a minute”, you say, “this hasn’t happened yet.” Well, the waiting time for the HHS mandate is over in just a short month. But the offending provisions of the mandate are still there and the Supreme Court has already set the stage for legalizing gay marriage. It’s like our Bishops have had their heads cut off.
Did you know that before the first draft of the HHS mandate came out the leading Bishops were called to Washington, and they were told to get the radicals in the Church under control? Yes, the Government tried to intimidate our Bishops. But they stood strong, and so the Government reacted with impunity. They opted to just go ahead and force our compliance. The Government is determined to cripple the Church by figuratively cutting off the head; because their mandate could close our institutions and wreak financial havoc in our Churches.
We must not allow ourselves to be intimidated by it. We have to speak up, just like John the Baptist did and just like our Bishops have. We have to confront evil with the truth. And it is especially important that we do it now when we are under attack. We need to do it in any way we can- letters to our Congress; letters to HHS, letters to the President; in the next election; and with our pocketbooks; however. It is time for us to stand up for truth now.
And there is hope. Because truth is on our side, and God with it. For as Jeremiah says in today’s reading: “They will fight against you but not prevail over you, for I am with you to deliver you says the Lord”.