Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and kept him in custody. When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him. One topic often neglected when talking about the Founding Fathers was their emphasis on virtue. They were aware of the fact that no matter how carefully they built the structures of governance, if the people were not full of civic virtue the society would not survive. This was not new to them but is an ancient truth in scripture and philosophy as embodied by John the Baptist. Instead of power politics and might makes right he insisted that the king live a virtuous life. If he did not, the body politic would be sick. John the Baptist reminds us that if we want to heal our battered nation we must re-dedicate ourselves to a commitment to truth and justice, to lives lived prudently and temperantly.
