A sculpture of Saint John the Baptist bearing a cross adorns the Charles Bridge in Prague, Czech Republic, with the Prague Castle and Saint Vitus Cathedral in the background. (Getty Images)
Saint John the Baptist is aptly referred to as the “precursor” of our Lord, Jesus Christ. A precursor is literally one who “runs ahead of” another. In other words, John prepared his fellow Jews for the ministry of Jesus. In that capacity, John mirrored, in an anticipatory way, the life of Jesus.
The birth of John the Baptist was announced by the angel Gabriel to John’s father, Zechariah. Likewise, the Birth of Jesus was foretold to the Virgin Mary by the same angel. Both John and Jesus prepared for public ministry by a period of prayer and isolation in the wilderness. John was the voice who prepared the way for Jesus the Word. John and Jesus both ran afoul of civil authorities and were quickly disposed of in cruel fashion as a matter of convenience rather than principle.
In the liturgical calendar of the Church, the births of both John and Jesus are celebrated as solemnities on June 24 and December 25, respectively. Likewise, the Passion of John is commemorated every year on August 29, while the Passion of the Lord is commemorated annually on Good Friday.
Among the many attributes of John the Baptist, one of the most important was that he was completely authentic and a genuine disciple of Jesus. He harbored no pretense, knew his mission and fulfilled it. Scripture appropriates to John the words of the prophet Isaiah: “a voice of one crying out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord. Make straight his paths.’” (Mk 1:3) Referring to his relationship to Jesus, John said: “One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” (Mk 1:7-8)
Later, when a potential dispute was perceived by John as brewing between his followers and the followers of Jesus, John reiterated that he was not the Messiah, but was sent before him. (Jn 3:28) Then he stated unequivocally that Jesus must increase while he must decrease. (Jn 3:30)
On the other hand, Herod, who had John decapitated, was inauthentic and disingenuous to the core. Scripture says John castigated Herod for having married Herodias, who was the wife of his brother Philip. As a result, Herodias harbored a grudge against John and had Herod arrest him. “Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. … When he heard him speak, he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him.” (Mk 6:20)
When Herod swore a foolish oath to the daughter of Herodias to grant her heart’s desire for having delighted him and his guests with her dance, he was very much distressed when the girl, at the prompting of her mother, requested the head of John the Baptist on a platter. He acted contrary to his deepest feelings just to appease Herodias and not to go back on his word and embarrass himself in front of his guests. It is noteworthy that Pontius Pilate acted in much the same way when he handed Jesus over to the mob to be crucified.
So the story of John the Baptist and Herod draws a stark contrast between the two. John always acted to save souls. Herod acted against his conscience just to save face. John was up-front, honest and genuine; Herod was dissimulating, dishonest and deceitful.
The challenge to all us modern-day followers of Jesus is clear. Our authenticity as disciples of Christ shines forth clearly through our deeds rather than our words. And the way we vote is an important, indeed crucial indication of that authenticity.
To assist Catholics in preparing themselves for voting, the bishops of the United States have prepared a guide that can be accessed online: “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship.” The document contains a wealth of information from Catholic teaching that should inspire us to put on “the mind of Christ” (1 Cor 2:16) as we seek to exercise our civic duty in a responsible way.
The document is not based on partisanship or personalities, the latest news or trends on social media, but rather on timeless values and principles. Recalling the example of the Good Samaritan, we are encouraged to consider our vocation as citizens of both the United States and the whole world. Thus, we are called to bind and heal the wounds of injustice, hatred and division among all people and to seek the common good.
Following the most basic foundational principle of our nation, stated in the first sentence of the “Declaration of Independence,” the Catholic voter is obliged to uphold the unalienable right to life of the human person. Among grave threats to the life and dignity of the human person are euthanasia, gun violence, terrorism, the death penalty and human trafficking. However, the guide says, “The threat of abortion remains our preeminent priority because it directly attacks our most vulnerable and voiceless brothers and sisters and destroys more than a million lives per year in our country alone.”
The virtue of prudence is highlighted as indispensable to a well-formed conscience. That cardinal virtue empowers us “to discern our true good in every circumstance and to choose the right means of achieving it.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1806) Cultivating that virtue enables us to do good and avoid evil.
Everything presented in the guide is meant to help us exercise our role as citizens who are not only responsible and well-informed, but also genuine, authentic disciples of Christ. So, as we consider candidates for elected office this year, we should strive to put aside personalities and individual quirks, difficult as it may be, as well as media biases that are both subtle and obvious. Instead, our focus should be on the major issues of the day and how the past statements and policies of the candidates portend how they are likely to deal with them in the future.
As Catholics, we pride ourselves on our authenticity as unabashed followers of Jesus, just like John the Baptist. Are the candidates running for high office this year genuinely the persons they purport to be on political ads, in interviews and in the debates? We have the right to demand authenticity from them and the duty to discern their truthfulness. In that task, may Saint John the Baptist be our patron and guide.
Father Edward Kolla is a retired priest of the Diocese.
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