Saint Alphonsus Mary de’ Liguori, Bishop and Doctor — Memorial
Feria Readings
First Reading
Jeremiah 26:11–16, 24
‘This man has spoken to us in the name of the Lord’
The priests and prophets addressed the officials and all the people, ‘This man deserves to die, since he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears.’
Jeremiah, however, replied to the people as follows:
‘The Lord himself sent me to say all the things you have heard against this Temple and this city. So now amend your behaviour and actions, listen to the voice of the Lord your God: if you do, he will relent and not bring down on you the disaster he has pronounced against you. For myself, I am as you see in your hands. Do whatever you please or think right with me. 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 citizens, since the Lord has truly sent me to you to say all these words in your hearing.’
The officials 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.’
Jeremiah had a protector in Ahikam son of Shaphan, so he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 68(69):15–16, 30–31, 33–34
Lord, in your great love, answer me.
Draw me out of the mire, that I may not stick fast:
deliver me from them that hate me,
and out of the deep waters.
Let not the tempest of water drown me,
nor the deep swallow me up:
and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.
Lord, in your great love, answer me.
But I am poor and sorrowful:
thy salvation, O God, hath set me up.
I will praise the name of God with a canticle:
and I will magnify him with praise.
Lord, in your great love, answer me.
Let the poor see and rejoice:
seek ye God, and your soul shall live.
For the Lord hath heard the poor:
and hath not despised his prisoners.
Lord, in your great love, answer me.
Gospel Acclamation
Matthew 5:10
Alleluia, alleluia!
Happy are they who suffer persecution for justice’ sake:
the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
Alleluia!
Gospel
Matthew 14:1–12
The beheading of John the Baptist
Herod the tetrarch heard about the reputation of Jesus, 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.’
Now it was Herod who had arrested John, chained him up and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. For John had told him, ‘It is against the Law for you to have her.’ He had wanted to kill him but was afraid of the people, who regarded John as a prophet. 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. Prompted by her mother she said, ‘Give me John the Baptist’s head, here, on a dish.’ The king was distressed but, thinking of the oaths he had sworn and of his guests, he ordered it to be given her, and sent and had John beheaded in the prison. The head was brought in on a dish and given to the girl, who took it to her mother. John’s disciples came and took the body and buried it; then they went off to tell Jesus.
Reflection
Jeremiah stands before people who have already decided that he deserves to die. His defence is remarkably calm. He does not bargain for his safety, withdraw his message or attack his accusers. He simply tells them that the Lord sent him and calls them once again to amend their behaviour and listen to God.
Jeremiah understands that truth does not belong to the speaker. It comes from God and must be delivered faithfully. He places his life in their hands, but he does not place his conscience there. His accusers may decide what happens to his body, but they cannot determine whether he remains obedient to the Lord.
The Catechism teaches that Christians must bear witness to the Gospel and to the faith they have received (CCC 2472). This witness does not require aggression or self-righteousness. Jeremiah speaks firmly, but his purpose is still reconciliation. Even while facing death, he reminds the people that God will relent if they change their ways.
The psalm takes us inside the heart of someone suffering for faithfulness. The speaker feels trapped in mire and threatened by deep waters. He does not pretend to be fearless or untouched by suffering. He calls upon God because he knows that human strength is not enough.
Yet the psalm does not remain in despair. The one who is poor and sorrowful promises to praise God. Pain is not denied, but neither is God’s power to save. The poor are invited to rejoice because the Lord hears them and does not despise his prisoners. This hope connects the experience of Jeremiah with that of John the Baptist.
In the Gospel, John is imprisoned because he tells Herod a truth that Herod does not want to hear. Herod knows that John is regarded as a prophet, and he is distressed when asked to have him killed. His distress shows that his conscience has not fallen completely silent. He senses that the demand is wrong, but he lacks the courage to act upon what he knows.
Herod becomes trapped by his own pride. He has made a reckless promise before his guests and fears the humiliation of withdrawing it. His public image matters more to him than an innocent life. He chooses what will preserve his reputation rather than what is morally right.
The Catechism describes conscience as a judgement of reason by which a person recognises the moral quality of a particular act (CCC 1778). Herod appears to recognise the evil before him, yet he refuses to obey that judgement. Conscience must not merely be heard; it must be followed and properly formed by God’s truth.
John the Baptist shows the virtue of fortitude. Fortitude gives us firmness in difficulties and constancy in pursuing what is good, even when doing so requires sacrifice (CCC 1808). John does not lose his life because he is careless with it. He loses it because he refuses to declare lawful what is contrary to God’s law.
The death of John also points towards Christ. An innocent man is condemned by a ruler who knows the decision is unjust but gives way to pressure. John’s martyrdom prepares us to recognise the greater injustice of the Passion, where Jesus gives his life for the salvation of the world. Martyrdom is the supreme witness given to the truth of the faith (CCC 2473).
Saint Alphonsus Mary de’ Liguori devoted himself to helping people understand moral truth through the mercy of God. He resisted both a harsh approach that crushed the sinner and a careless approach that weakened the call to conversion. For him, moral teaching was not about winning arguments. It was about leading souls towards freedom in Christ.
That balance matters. Truth without mercy can become a weapon, while mercy separated from truth offers no genuine healing. Jeremiah calls the people to amend their lives because God is willing to relent. John confronts Herod because sin cannot be healed by pretending it is not sin. Both prophets speak because conversion remains possible.
These readings ask us to examine what governs our choices. Do we follow a conscience formed by God’s word, or do we allow pride, fear and the opinions of others to decide for us? Most of us will not face the dramatic trials of Jeremiah or John, but smaller tests arrive every day. We may be tempted to remain silent, agree with what we know is wrong or protect our reputation at another person’s expense.
Christian courage does not mean speaking harshly about every fault we see. It means remaining faithful when love requires honesty. It also means receiving correction without attacking the person who brings it. Sometimes we are called to speak like Jeremiah; at other times, we are the people being asked to amend our behaviour.
God does not ask us to manufacture courage alone. The psalm teaches us to call upon him from the deep waters. The Lord hears the poor, strengthens those who seek him and gives grace to those who choose fidelity over approval.
One line to carry today:
Lord, form my conscience in your truth and give me courage to obey it when faithfulness becomes costly.
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