This blog follows the daily bible readings of the catholic Church

Reading 1,  Jeremiah 26:11-16, 24

11 The priests and prophets then said to the chief men and all the people, ‘This man deserves to die, since he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears.’

12 Jeremiah, however, replied to all the chief men and all the people as follows, ‘The Lord himself sent me to prophesy against this Temple and this city all the things you have heard.

13 So now amend your behaviour and actions, listen to the voice of your God, and He will relent about the disaster that he has decreed for you.

14 For myself, I am, as you see, in your hands. Do whatever you please or think right with me.

15 But be sure of this, that if you put me to death, you will be bringing innocent blood on yourselves, on this city and on its inhabitants, since the Lord has truly sent me to you to say all this for you to hear.’

16 The chief men and all the people then said to the priests and prophets, ‘This man does not deserve to die: he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.’

Gospel, Matthew 14:1-12

1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the reputation of Jesus 2 and said to his court, ‘This is John the Baptist himself; he has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.’

3 Now it was Herod who had arrested John, chained him up and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. 4 For John had told him, ‘It is against the Law for you to have her.’ 5 He had wanted to kill him but was afraid of the people, who regarded John as a prophet. 6 Then, during the celebrations for Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and so delighted Herod  that he promised on oath to give her anything she asked.

8 Prompted by her mother she said, ‘Give me John the Baptist’s head, here, on a dish.’ 9 The king was distressed but, thinking of the oaths he had sworn and of his guests, he ordered it to be given her, 10 and sent and had John beheaded in the prison. 11 The head was brought in on a dish and given to the girl, who took it to her mother. 12 John’s disciples came and took the body and buried it; then they went off to tell Jesus.

Aung San Suu Kyi, truth- teller

The issue in both extracts today is the life or death or a prophet whose words have annoyed those in power. Jeremiah is able to defend himself courageously by insisting his words are from God, whereas John is prison has no voice. Another difference is that Jeremiah survives, ultimately because he has a powerful protector, whereas John dies because of the embarrassment of a king caught out in a rash promise in public. The one survives because of an accident the other dies because of a whim. The weakness of the people who speak the truth is clearly set out: they are at risk from those in power. It is difficult, but not on the whole dangerous, to speak the truth in the U.K. I do think of truth-speakers in North Korea, Burma, Iran and many other nations, some of them dead, some still alive, carrying out their task. They may or may not claim to speak in the name of God, but what other than a transcendent truth can lead them to place their frailty against the power of the state. We should ask a blessing upon them and speak up on their behalf today.