Passion of Saint John the Baptist

"He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah" Luke 1: 17
Today we commemorate the Passion of Saint John the Baptist which preceded the Passion of Christ. In every way John was the forerunner to Christ, even in his death. John was the son of Our Blessed Mother Mary's cousin Elizabeth.  In the Gospel of Luke, the angel Gabriel announces the birth of John to Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah, similarly Gabriel also announced the birth of Jesus to Mary and Joseph. John baptized with water and preached repentance to prepare the way for the Messiah Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. The Old Testament was fulfilled in the New Testament in John being the new Elijah who announced the first coming of the Messiah. We the church of God are the modern day Elijahs who need to prepare the world for the second coming of Jesus. As Carmelites we have a very unique and special role model in Elijah who was fearless in being faithful to God. Similarly we're challenged in these days to stand firm in our faith and overcome evil with good. 
John the Baptist did not approve of Herod's marriage to his brother's wife. So at an opportune time, when the daughter of Herodias had pleased Herod with a dance performance, Herodias had her daughter ask for the head of Saint John the Baptist on a platter as a reward. In the book by Bishop Walmseley of England, "The General History of the Christian Church from her birth to her final triumphant state in Heaven: Chiefly deduced from the Apocalypse of St. John" he observes the similarities between the martyrdom of John the Baptist and the martyrdom of Saint John Fisher who is the patron saint of the Diocese of Rochester, NY. Saint John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, England, was beheaded on 22 June, 1535 two days before the Feast of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist. John Fisher was beheaded for refusing to annul the first marriage of Henry VIII. Both were beheaded for standing up for the same moral truth. The church today continues to uphold the sanctity of marriage amidst so much criticism, however annulments are also granted when there is valid impediments as an act of mercy. 
May we prepare our own hearts for the coming of Jesus in the Eucharist by following the commandments of God and proclaim the second coming of Jesus by our lives!