The Beheading of St John the Baptist 	August 29
The major commemoration of John the Baptist is on 24 June. That was originally the commemoration of his birth, as 29 August was of his death. Although no longer described as the Birth of St John the Baptist, the main focus of the principal date is on John as the forerunner of Jesus. The entry for 24 June gives the outline of his life and ministry.
According to the Gospels, John’s death (Matthew 14:1-12; Mark 6:14-29) was occasioned by the pique of Herodias over John’s criticism of her marriage to Herod Antipas. But behind the immediate occasion of John’s death lay Herod’s anxieties about the messianic overtones of John’s more general call to repentance in view of God’s coming judgement. Such a message posed a threat to Herod’s security, especially as John was a popular figure. Josephus, the Jewish historian, places all responsibility for John’s death on Herod, who carried it out to prevent a popular uprising against himself.
For Liturgical Use
The Calendar provides for a general commemoration of John the Baptist on 24 June, and on 29 August for a particular commemoration of his death at the hands of Herod Antipas. John’s call to repentance and his message of God’s coming judgement had connotations of messianic claims that Herod found extremely worrying. John was eventually the victim of Herodias’s anger at his criticism of her marriage to Herod.
Sentence
Deliverance is at hand for those who fear you, O Lord, so that your glory may dwell in our land.	Psalm 85:9
Collects
Just and merciful God,
you called John the Baptist to witness to your commands,
even at the cost of his life;
give us courage to contend for justice
and to speak for the oppressed to the end;
through Jesus Christ our Redeemer.
Jesus, let not our disgust at John’s execution
distract us from the bestial behaviour which caused it,
and which in our civilised society,
happens day by day.
Psalms	3	119:161-168
Readings
Jeremiah 1:14-19		Called to witness
Revelation 6:9-11		Put to death for the word
Matthew 14:1-12		The death of John the Baptist
Post Communion Sentence
Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist.”		Matthew 11:11