He was not afraid to speak the truth, possessing a supernatural courage, knowing that his life could be taken from him.
When reading about St. John the Baptist's martyrdom, it can be inspiring to consider the profound courage he had to speak the truth, challenging those in power by pointing out their lives of sin.
For many of us, we'd much rather avoid any conflict and go about our daily business without any trouble.
Where did St. John the Baptist receive the courage and strength to be so confident in his proclamation of the truth? He surely knew that by doing so he was putting a target on his back.
Fueled by prayer
Pope Benedict XVI reflected on this aspect of St. John the Baptist's life when recalling the feast of the Passion of St. John the Baptist during a general audience. He explained the source of St. John the Baptist's courage:
We see this great figure, this force in the Passion, in resistance to the powerful. We wonder: what gave birth to this life, to this interiority so strong, so upright, so consistent, spent so totally for God in preparing the way for Jesus? The answer is simple: it was born from the relationship with God, from prayer, which was the thread that guided him throughout his existence.
When looking at the little information we have about St. John the Baptist, it is clear that he was a man of prayer. It was this deep spiritual life that fueled his courage.
Pope Benedict XVI pointed out, "The entire existence of the Forerunner of Jesus was nourished by his relationship with God, particularly the period he spent in desert regions (cf. Lk 1:80). The desert regions are places of temptation but also where man acquires a sense of his own poverty because once deprived of material support and security, he understands that the only steadfast reference point is God himself."
In spending much time by himself in the desert, St. John the Baptist prepared his heart to rely entirely on God and his providence, trusting that he would always be at his side.
This reliance on God provided St. John the Baptist the ability to speak the truth, knowing he could be killed for it. He had absolute trust that he was doing what God sent him to do and did not shrink in fear of what could happen to him.
If we want to possess the same courage as St. John the Baptist, we need to devote our lives to prayer, developing our relationship with God so that we too have a complete trust in God's love for us.
