Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

11And the priests and the prophets spoke to the leaders and to all the people, saying: “A judgment of death is for this man. For he has prophesied against this city, just as you have heard with your own ears.” 12And Jeremiah spoke to all the leaders and to the entire people, saying: “The Lord has sent me to prophesy, about this house and about this city, all the words that you have heard. 13Now, therefore, make your ways and your intentions good, and heed the voice of the Lord your God. And then the Lord will repent of the evil that he has spoken against you. 14But as for me, behold, I am in your hands. Do to me what is good and right in your eyes. 15Yet truly, know and understand this: if you kill me, you will be bringing innocent blood against yourselves, and against this city and its inhabitants. For in truth, the Lord sent me to you, so as to speak all these words in your hearing.” 16And then the leaders and all the people said to the priests and to the prophets: “There is no judgment of death against this man. For he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.”

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24But the hand of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, was with Jeremiah, so that he would not be delivered into the hands of the people, and so that they would not put him to death.

15Rescue me from the quagmire, so that I may not become trapped. Free me from those who hate me and from deep waters.

16Do not allow the tempest of water to submerge me, nor the deep to absorb me. And do not allow the well to close in on me.

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30I am poor and sorrowful, but your salvation, O God, has taken me up.

31I will praise the name of God with a canticle, and I will magnify him with praise.

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33Let the poor see and rejoice. Seek God, and your soul will live.

34For the Lord has heard the poor, and he has not despised his prisoners.

1In that time, Herod the Tetrarch heard the news about Jesus. 2And he said to his servants: “This is John the Baptist. He has risen from the dead, and that is why miracles are at work in him.” 3For Herod had apprehended John, and bound him, and put him in prison, because of Herodias, the wife of his brother. 4For John was telling him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5And though he wanted to kill him, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet. 6Then, on Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced in their midst, and it pleased Herod. 7And so he promised with an oath to give her whatever she would ask of him. 8But, having been advised by her mother, she said, “Give me here, on a platter, the head of John the Baptist.” 9And the king was greatly saddened. But because of his oath, and because of those who sat at table with him, he ordered it to be given. 10And he sent and beheaded John in prison. 11And his head was brought on a platter, and it was given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. 12And his disciples approached and took the body, and they buried it. And arriving, they reported it to Jesus.