Thursday 29 August

Passion of St John the Baptist (M)

Jeremiah 1:17-19; Psalm 71; Mark 6:17-29

Sin seeks company.

Herodias felt threatened because John preached repentance and accused her of adultery. Instead of repenting, Herodias plotted John’s death, manipulating her daughter so that Herod killed John to save face. Sin seeks company. It wants to draw others into crushing webs of deceit. We begin simply enough, but become tempted to hide sin, peace disappears, fear consumes us, we feel driven to protect ourselves to avoid exposure. God draws gently toward truth, sin drives by fear. Are you feeling drawn, or driven?