There are several stories in the Bible which illustrate the foolhardiness of swearing oaths without reflecting sufficiently on the consequences, and the story of Herod's foolishness is one of them.

Because of his importance in the life of Jesus and in the history of our salvation we celebrate two feasts of St John the Baptist, his birth and his death at the hands of Herod, according to the two accounts given in the Gospels.

John the Baptist was fearless in challenging Herod on his improper liaison with his sister-in-law, Herodias and consequently in enduring Herodias' hatred.

In this John can be a good example for the Church in all ages, especially in an age like ours when so many non-believers, and even believers, try to exert so much pressure on the Church to change its doctrinal and moral teaching to suit those who cannot accept that they are in a rather ambiguous if not precarious situation facing God and their eternal salvation.