Today's Gospel in Art - The Beheading of John the Baptist

Salome with the head of St. John the Baptist, by Caravaggio 1607 © Palacio Real, Madrid

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 5th February 2021 - Mark 6:14-29

King Herod had heard about Jesus, since by now his name was well known. Some were saying, 'John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.' Others said, 'He is Elijah'; others again, 'He is a prophet, like the prophets we used to have.' But when Herod heard this he said, 'It is John whose head I cut off; he has risen from the dead.'

Now it was this same Herod who had sent to have John arrested, and had him chained up in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife whom he had married. For John had told Herod, 'It is against the law for you to have your brother's wife.' As for Herodias, she was furious with him and wanted to kill him; but she was not able to, because Herod was afraid of John, knowing him to be a good and holy man, and gave him his protection. When he had heard him speak he was greatly perplexed, and yet he liked to listen to him.

An opportunity came on Herod's birthday when he gave a banquet for the nobles of his court, for his army officers and for the leading figures in Galilee. When the daughter of this same Herodias came in and danced, she delighted Herod and his guests; so the king said to the girl, 'Ask me anything you like and I will give it you.' And he swore her an oath, 'I will give you anything you ask, even half my kingdom.' She went out and said to her mother, 'What shall I ask for?' She replied, 'The head of John the Baptist.' The girl hurried straight back to the king and made her request, 'I want you to give me John the Baptist's head, here and now, on a dish.' The king was deeply distressed but, thinking of the oaths he had sworn and of his guests, he was reluctant to break his word to her. So the king at once sent one of the bodyguard with orders to bring John's head. The man went off and beheaded him in prison; then he brought the head on a dish and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. When John's disciples heard about this, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

Reflection on the Painting

Caravaggio painted this canvas three years before his death. By this time he was obsessed with the subject of the beheading of St John the Baptist. He made various different compositions around this topic. This one is a more meditative version. We see the muscular executioner, Herodias and Salome grouped closely around Saint John's head, which has its eyes closed. Herodias and the executioner look down at the head, pleased with the outcome. But Salome looks decidedly uncomfortable, even distressed, and looks away from Saint John. She looks at us!

It is mainly the pose of the executioner which is fascinating. He is looking down at the head of St John, but his gaze is very meditative. The horrendous story of our reading today gets turned in this painting into a profound meditation on death, human malevolence and our own sinfulness. We are all like the executioner at times. He makes me think of Saint Longinus the Centurion, who conducted Jesus' crucifixion and pierced the side of Jesus with a lance. Afterwards he converted to Christianity. We don't know what happened to St John's executioner. I'd like to think that like Longinus he may have found Christ. We don't know. Saint Longinus seized on the moment of piercing Christ and allowed it to change his life. He went from soldier of Rome to soldier of Christ in that very moment…

LINKS

Today's story - https://christian.art/en/daily-gospel-reading/692
Christian Art - www.christian.art/index.php