To learn from the freedom and coherence of John and Jesus.    Mt. 14:1-12

The account of the beheading of the Baptist seems to have been brought here by Matthew, as a disturbing memory, aroused by the bewilderment that Jesus creates, as He makes himself known. John and Jesus were free men who spoke freely and said what they had to say. If John’s mission is linked to that of Jesus, his violent death and burial may prefigure that of Jesus. This story of Matthew has all the elements to build a drama: passion and revenge; fear and complacency; banal dance and a human life served on a platter at a banquet. We are invited to take it in prayer today, as a question to our freedom, to our coherence with the values of the Kingdom, when we judge some or remain silent and cover up for others… and with that, we make it possible for evil to perpetuate itself. This is an invitation to examine today in prayer that dimension of our apostolic life.