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It’s a gruesome painting, isn’t it?I first saw this hanging in Thomas Jefferson’s house and I thought it such a strange painting to have in your home.The painting symbolizes two things to me.1. Destruction is what happens when people live for themselves and cannot stand to hear any kind of reprimand. The thing that pricks the conscience must be exterminated for people who want to remain in their sin. Herodias could not stand to have John the Baptist tell her that her marriage to Herod was sinful. Because she wanted to live how she wanted to live, she obsessed over ruining his life. The first chance she got, she took it and it was to silence him forever. Innocence will always be attacked by those that are self-serving and steeped in sin. Why? Because innocence shines a light on their darkness and they don’t want to let it go. 2. This is the reality of a life lived for Christ. Faithful Christians may not suffer the extreme of John the Baptist, but the light of Christ within us will be a problem for those who worship themselves and love their sin. It’s one thing to sin and hate it, it’s another to sin and love it. When you love it, you seek to destroy anything that tries to remind you of your enslavement to it. While this isn’t the most uplifting reality about Christianity, it does create a line in the sand. We either live for Christ or we live for the world. If the world is patting you on the back and leaves you alone, you can be sure that you look more like the world than you do Christ. So, we must have courage to live like John the Baptist, Catholic Pilgrims. Live the Faith boldly and travel well this Thursday.St. John the Baptist, pray for us!‍