To be a disciple is not easy

By Archbishop Thomas Wenski - The Archdiocese of Miami

Archbishop Thomas Wenski preached this homily at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Doral Aug. 5, 2017. He was about to embark on a motorcycle ride to Key West with Bear Woznick, to tape an episode of Bear’s EWTN television program, Long Ride Home.

Today's Gospel reading underscore the costs of discipleship: John — prophet — is executed by Herod — a king — for speaking the truth. There has always been tension between prophets and kings, between religion and politics and Church and State. And John’s death is a foreshadowing of Jesus' own death; Jesus would be executed by Pontius Pilate, who like Herod was politically strong but morally weak.

While Herod was somewhat attracted by John's preaching, and suspects that Jesus might be John come back from the dead, he was not happy to be called on the carpet by John. That's why he got put into prison. Herod had left his own wife and taken up with his brother's — which according to Jewish teachings was tantamount to incest. John's telling the truth about this relationship was not politically — and so the politician punished him even though John remained popular among the people, which protected him for a while from anything worse. Until that birthday party....

The more evil a society becomes, the more likely its members will seek to silence the righteous whose words or lives reproach its character. The more evil a society becomes, the less it will be willing to tolerate those who dissent from participating in its evil. We see this today in our country. In earlier times, those who disagree with abortion, for example, were granted the right to conscientious objection. In other words, you would not be forced to violate your conscience by participating in one. Nurses, doctors were protected; even taxpayers were protected by various types of legislation, like the Hyde or Weldon amendments, that forbade tax money from directly subsidizing or paying for abortions. Today, as a society we've become less tolerant: If you defend traditional marriage, you are considered a "bigot," a "hater." And, as we’ve seen in recent years, even nuns who run nursing homes were threatened with fines that would put them out of business if they did not go along with the government's mandate to cover abortion and abortion-inducing drugs in their health plans.

For a young girl to ask for the head of John the Baptist on a platter seems to be a very barbaric act from a more primitive time, yet beheadings today are not uncommon. And last year in France an elderly priest's throat was slit by someone claiming to act in the name of ISIS.

Along our life's journey, as followers of Christ, we are called to witness to truth, to justice and to mercy. We walk with Jesus with our eyes focused on God; like Jesus we must seek to do the Father's will. But in a world turned away from God, those who turn towards God will face opposition and resistance. Sometimes our facing towards God will be taken by those who have turned against him as an insult; sometimes as a provocation or as being subversive to the established order.

It is too easy to take the path of least resistance, giving in to expediency or convenience. But the Lord, in the Sacrament of Confirmation, gives the gifts of his Holy Spirit to strengthen us and give us courage. And his mercy always accompanies us.

Now, God’s mercy does not deny the reality of sin — for if there is no sin, there is no need for mercy. But his mercy reminds us that we are more than the sum total of our failures. And in his loving kindness we can find forgiveness and healing.

To be a disciple is not easy — but let us never see our call to discipleship as a burden. It is a gift that calls forth from us our very best. To know Jesus and his truth is the best thing that could ever happen to us. The martyrs — like John the Baptist — remind us that this gift is worth living for, and even dying for. And certainly it is worth sharing with others. On this Saturday in which we also remember Mary, the first disciple, let us ask her to intercede for us and help make us worthy of the promises of Christ.