Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist
Like most “old sayings” there usually is truth in their content. My favorite is “no good deed goes unpunished.” In several verses in the gospel of Mathew, Jesus notes the short life expectancy of a prophet. This of course should come as no surprise. When an individual or an institution is making a decision that they want to keep secret, the last thing that is needed is someone publicly exposing the truth. John the Baptist’s preaching, particularly his public denouncement of the behavior of someone who should have acted better, got his head delivered to him on a platter. Of the four cardinal virtues, prudence guides us on how and when to speak. Fortitude encourages us to speak when it is needed. And discernment occurs when we make the best judgment as to when and how to speak, even though the cost may be great, at least for now.