Mark 6:17-29 John the Baptist Beheaded

The Russian Orthodox Convent of the Ascension is located in the village of A-Tur on Mt Olives. According to Orthodox tradition is the site where Jesus ascended to heaven 40 days after resurrection.

   A chapel behind the church is dedicated to John the Baptist, and according to tradition his head was found in a jar hidden in a cavity under the mosaic floor of an ancient Armenian church.           

The Mass Gospel passage this morning has its larger setting in the Solemnity of ‘John the Baptist Beheading’ at the end of August 29^th.      

In fact John the Baptist surfaces in the four Gospels, there are 13 references in the Naverre Commentary.

I just pick one reference; “Later, the Apostle St. John will speak of him in the Gospel: "There was a man sent from God, whose name was John" ( Joh_1:6  );
but the sacred text points out that, despite this, he was not the light, but rather the witness to the light ( Joh_1:6-8  ).  More correctly, ( Joh_5:35  )”. 

He was the lamp carrying the light

It puts John the Baptist in his place.

The carrying of light in Candlemass liturgy links John Baptist with the voice of Simeon, “The Light of the Gentiles.” Luk 2:32  a light for revelation to the Gentiles.

As we ourselves are not the light but lamps.

Looking after the Sanctuary Lamp, I am indeed not to let out the lamp to go out.

As being lamps of light, we have our ‘confiteor’ of our History of our Salvation  at the beginning the Eucharist.

NOTE; 
Dear, A C,

Thank you.
You introduced us to Decapolis from the Monday Gospel.
Today, Friday Gospel, leads on to another Jordan place of John the Baptist Beheading.
Megaerus lies south the Decapolis.
Interest Bible Geography.
Thank you.
D.

Machaerus, Herod's Fortress
The Jordanian village of Mkawer, 25 miles southwest of Madaba, is home to the ruins of Machaerus, the Black Fortress, the place of execution  

   

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: A C ---
Sent: Tue, 1 February, 2011 15:52:58
Subject: Decapolis

Walking encyclopedia that you are, you probably know already what I had to look up after yesterday's Gospel:

The names of the traditional Ten Cities of the Decapolis come from the Roman historian
 Pliny the Elder (N.H. 5.16.74).
They are:

1. Gerasa (Jerash) in Jordan
2. Scythopolis (Beth-Shean) in Israel, the only city west of the Jordan River
3. Hippos (Hippus or Sussita) in Israel
4. Gadara (Umm Qais) in Jordan
5. Pella (West of Irbid) in Jordan
6. Philadelphia, modern day Amman, the capital of Jordan
7. Al Husn in Jordan
8. Capitolias (Beit Ras) in Jordan (Dion, Jordan)
9. Canatha (Qanawat) in Syria
10. Arabella (Irbid), in Jordan
11. Raphana in Jordan
12. Damascus, the capital of modern Syria; Damascus was considerably north of the others and so is sometimes thought to have been an "honorary" member.

According to other sources, there may have been as many as eighteen or nineteen Greco-Roman cities counted as part of the Decapolis. For example, Abila is very often cited as belonging to the group.

The cities

Map of Roman Palestine with the Decapolis cities labeled in black.

The oval forum and cardo of Gerasa (Jerash)