August 29: The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist
In order to preserve his innocence spotless, and to improve the extraordinary graces which he had received, he was directed by the Holy Ghost to lead an austere and contemplative life in the wilderness, in the continual exercises of devout prayer and penance, from his infancy till he was thirty years of age. How much does the precaution of a saint, who was strengthened by such uncommon privileges and graces, condemn the rashness of parents who expose children in the slippery time of youth to the contagious air of wicked worldly company, and to every danger! of, who, in stead of training them up in suitable habits of self-denial, humility, devotion, and reasonable application to serious duties, are themselves by example and pernicious maxims (i.e. sayings) the corruptors of their tender minds, and the flatterers of their passions, which they ought to teach them to subdue. , Butler's Lives of the Saints.
Let us follow Saint John's good example and give good example ourselves.
PRAYER: Saint John, let us always give good example, especially to innocent children, rather than teaching them how to become mortal sinners, as we have done in the past. Amen.
Truth, as the proverb says, is a very beautiful mother, but she usually bears a very ugly daughter; Hatred. St. John (the Baptist) experienced that speaking the truth very often arouses hatred and enmity against the speaker. Let us learn from him to speak the truth always, when duty requires it, even if it brings upon us the greatest misfortunes, for, if with St. John we patiently bear persecution, with St. John we shall become martyrs for truth., Goffine's The Church's Year. Galatians 4:16 Am I then become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
