Study of Head (John the Baptist III), Executed by Ana Maria Pacheco (born 1943), Polychrome wood, porcelain, onyx, nails, Executed in 1992, © The Cathedral of St John the Baptist, Norwich, England
Today (29.08.2025), as we commemorate the Martyrdom of St John the Baptist, I am drawn to his courage. He spoke the truth without fear, even when it meant confronting those in power. He did not remain silent in the face of injustice, and his whole life pointed beyond himself towards Christ. He paid with his life because he would not betray his mission.
His witness unsettles me. It makes me ask where I am called to speak out today, and what it means for me to prepare the way of the Lord. I cannot think about John’s courage without thinking of the places where human dignity is being crushed. What am I doing about the genocide in Gaza? How do I respond to the brutal wars in Ukraine and Sudan? What do I say or do in the face of injustices that persist in our society, and the struggles happening within my local community, at my workplace or in my family?
It is tempting to look away, to protect myself from the pain of these questions, or to believe that what I can do will make no difference. Yet John’s life tells me otherwise. His words—“He must increase; I must decrease”—remind me that my task is not to seek comfort or recognition but to let Christ shine through my words and actions. Even small acts of truth and justice matter when they point others towards God’s presence.
John’s faithfulness, right to the end, gives me hope. He did not waver in prison, nor shrink back when death drew close. He trusted in God’s will, and his life prepared the way for Christ. As a member of the Cardijn Community, I feel called to follow that path—to speak truth with love, to act for justice with courage, and to remain faithful in the face of difficulty. In doing so, I pray that my life too may, in its own small way, prepare the way for Jesus today.