Daily Catholic Lectio
Fri, 6 February ‘26
Fourth Week in Ordinary Time, Friday
Sirach 47:2-11. Mark 6:14-21
He is John
The Gospel opens with a strange and troubled confession from Herod Antipas: “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised” (Mk 6:16). This statement comes immediately after Jesus has sent his disciples on mission, two by two. Mark places these two scenes together with care. Mission is followed by misunderstanding, rejection, persecution—and even death. This is not accidental. It is a lesson, first for the disciples, then for the early Church, and now for us.
In this Gospel passage, three things stand out clearly: the confusion of Herod, the killing of John the Baptist, and the continuation of the mission.
First, confusion. Herod hears about Jesus and is deeply unsettled. Some say Jesus is Elijah, others a prophet. Herod alone says, “He is John!” This is not faith; it is fear. Herod recognizes holiness, but he cannot surrender to it. He admired John, listened to him gladly, yet imprisoned him. He knew the truth but lacked the courage to live by it. Herod is torn between conscience and convenience, between the Word of God and the pressures of power, pleasure, and public image. His confusion mirrors the confusion of many who sense the call of God but are unwilling to change their lives.
Second, killing. John the Baptist is murdered, not because he did evil, but because he spoke the truth. He confronted Herod’s sinful relationship with Herodias, reminding him that power does not place anyone above God’s law. John’s death reveals a hard truth: the world does not reward goodness with goodness. Often, it punishes integrity. John’s suffering is also a foreshadowing of Jesus’ own death—the fate of the innocent who stand for truth. Mark wants the disciples to understand this clearly: following Jesus does not guarantee safety, success, or applause. It may lead to rejection, persecution, and even annihilation.
Third, continuation. The story does not end with John’s death. His disciples come, take his body, and lay it in a tomb. John is silenced, but his mission is not buried. Jesus continues preaching with greater freedom and courage. Later, after Jesus’ death, his disciples will do the same. The mission of God cannot be stopped by violence. Truth may be crucified, but it always rises in new witnesses.
This is the hard lesson of today’s Gospel: doing good does not protect us from evil.
Faithfulness does not spare us from suffering. There are moments when life overwhelms us, when injustice seems to win, when our best efforts are misunderstood or crushed. The Gospel does not offer cheap comfort. It offers realism—and hope rooted in God.
The first reading from the Book of Sirach shifts the tone, offering a eulogy to King David. David is praised for his victories, his courage, his skill in music and poetry. But above all, he is remembered for his trust in the Lord. David’s strength did not come merely from his talents or achievements, but from his relationship with God. Even with his failures, David remained a man who returned to the Lord with a repentant heart.
Placed alongside the Gospel, David’s life reminds us that trust in God does not eliminate struggle, but it gives meaning to it. John the Baptist trusted God and lost his life. Jesus trusted the Father and went to the cross. David trusted God and faced battles, betrayals, and pain. In all three, God’s purpose moved forward.
What does this mean for us today?
It means we should abandon the illusion that goodness guarantees comfort. The Christian life is not a bargain with God—I do good, God protects me from all harm. Rather, it is a relationship of trust: Even when harm comes, God is with me. We are called to live faithfully, not successfully; truthfully, not safely.
“He is John!” Herod says in fear. But the Church is called to say it in hope: John lives wherever truth is spoken with courage; wherever conscience is valued over convenience; wherever God’s mission continues despite opposition.
Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi
Archdiocese of Madurai
Missionary of Mercy
Yesu Karunanidhi 
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