Lent, Day 38: the kingdom of heaven suffers violence

These are remains from a church built around the 5th century AD on top of Masada. The window below where the apse would have been looks across the dead sea toward Herod's transjordanian palace - the place where tradition held he executed John the Baptist. In this way the monks would constantly look to and remember John, God's servant, greater than a prophet, who pointed the way to our Savior in both life and death.

And she came in immediately with haste to the king, and asked, saying, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter." And the king was exceedingly sorry; but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. And immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard and gave orders to bring his head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother.