St Agatha, Virgin and Martyr

Brothers and sisters,
let brotherly love remain!
Do not forget hospitality:
some people, without knowing it,
have welcomed angels into their homes.
Remember those who are in prison,
as if you were imprisoned with them.
Remember those who are mistreated,
because you also have a body.
Let marriage be honored by all,
let the marriage bed not be defiled,
for fornicators and adulterers will be judged by God.
Let your life not be inspired by the love of money:
be content with what you have,
for God himself has said:
I will never forsake you,
I will never abandon you.
That is why we can say with confidence:
The Lord is my helper,
I shall not fear!
What can any man do to me?
Remember your leaders:
they spoke the word of God to you.
Reflect on the outcome of the life they led,
and imitate their faith.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today,
and forever.

– The word of the Lord.

The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?

Though an army encamp against me,
my heart shall not fear;
though war rise against me,
yet will I trust.

Yes, he hides me in his shelter
in the day of trouble;
he conceals me in the secrecy of his tent,
he sets me high on the rock.

Your face, O Lord, do I seek:
do not hide your face from me.
Do not turn your servant away in anger:
you have been my help.

At that time,
as the name of Jesus was becoming well known,
King Herod heard about him.
People were saying:
"It is John, the one who baptized;
he has been raised from the dead,
and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him."
Some were saying:
"It is the prophet Elijah."
Others said:
"He is a prophet like those of long ago."
But when Herod heard this, he said:
"The one I beheaded, John—
he has been raised up!"
For it was Herod who had given orders to arrest John
and bind him in prison,
because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip,
whom he had taken as wife.
Indeed, John had told him:
"It is not lawful
for you to have your brother's wife."
So Herodias harbored a grudge against John,
and wanted to kill him.
But she could not,
because Herod was afraid of John:
he knew he was a righteous and holy man,
and he protected him;
when he heard him, he was very greatly perplexed;
still, he liked to listen to him.
But an opportunity came
when, on his birthday,
Herod gave a banquet for his dignitaries,
his military commanders, and the leading men of Galilee.
The daughter of Herodias came in and danced.
She pleased Herod and his guests.
The king said to the young girl:
"Ask me for whatever you want,
and I will give it to you."
And he swore an oath to her:
"Whatever you ask me, I will give you,
even half my kingdom."
So she went out and said to her mother:
"What should I ask for?"
Herodias answered:
"The head of John the Baptist."
At once, the young girl hurried back to the king
and made this request:
"I want you to give me right now
on a platter the head of John the Baptist."
The king was deeply grieved;
but because of his oath and his guests,
he did not want to refuse her.
Immediately he sent a soldier of the guard,
with orders to bring John's head.
The soldier went and beheaded John in the prison.
He brought the head on a platter,
gave it to the young girl,
and the young girl gave it to her mother.

When they heard of it,
John's disciples came and took his body
and laid it in a tomb.

– The Gospel of the Lord.