Following One’s Conscience!

Friday, February 6, 2026

Sir 47:2-11; Mk 6:14-29

Today’s Gospel highlights the integral role that conscience plays in our moral formation. 

The text presents two prominent characters: John the Baptist and King Herod. It is important to note that Herod was forced to think of John when Jesus came, representing the very values that the baptizer symbolized in his life. The detailed description of John’s martyrdom follows Herod’s confusion about Jesus’ identity and his mission. 

The Gospel inspires us to reflect on the role of conscience through the characteristics and personalities of John and Herod.

John’s conscience stands for righteousness. This is why he was never afraid to speak the truth even though he was the King of the land. John called out King Herod on account of marrying Herodias, his brother’s wife, as it was not only immoral but was also against the Jewish law. John remained uncompromising in his approach even though it was against the most influential person in the land and would ultimately cost his very life. John’s commitment to truth and his selflessness in mission underline his faithfulness to God. His courage and integrity reveal that his conscience only obeyed God with no fear of mortal men. 

Herod starts well as someone who feared and admired John, a holy and righteous man. However, instead of following the directions of the man of God to change his life for the better, he becomes a victim of his political and personal insecurities, thus leading him to a great moral failure. The reckless promise he makes in front of everyone and his distress over it later only underline the destructive power of rashness, the play of pride, the role of fear, and the inner longing for human approval. As a result, though Herod knew what was good, he could not act on it. His inability to follow his conscience cements his downfall.

John’s life is a testament to the fact that we must stand by the side of God’s truth even when it is unpopular and even when the world opposes it. John is proof that God’s truth endures though efforts are relentless to silence it. Through his martyrdom, John proclaims that the truth we stand for is worth dying for because it aligns with the heart of God. 

Let us pray that we may hearken to God’s whispers in the inner forum of our conscience. 

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar