Home Daily Meditation Mark 6,14-29

Mark 6,14-29

by Fr. Luis A. Zazano
Mark 6-14-29

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 6,14-29

King Herod heard about Jesus, for his fame had become widespread, and people were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead; That is why mighty powers are at work in him.”
Others were saying, “He is Elijah”; still others, “He is a prophet like any of the prophets.”
But when Herod learned of it, he said, “It is John whom I beheaded. He has been raised up.”
Herod was the one who had John arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married.
John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”
Herodias harbored a grudge against him and wanted to kill him but was unable to do so.
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.
She had an opportunity one day when Herod, on his birthday, gave a banquet for his courtiers, his military officers, and the leading men of Galilee.
Herodias’s own daughter came in and performed a dance that delighted Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask of me whatever you wish and I will grant it to you.”
He even swore (many things) to her, “I will grant you whatever you ask of me, even to half of my kingdom.”
She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” She replied, “The head of John the Baptist.”
The girl hurried back to the king’s presence and made her request, “I want you to give me at once on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”
The king was deeply distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests he did not wish to break his word to her.
So he promptly dispatched an executioner with orders to bring back his head. He went off and beheaded him in the prison.
He brought in the head on a platter and gave it to the girl. The girl in turn gave it to her mother.
When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

Sensuality can lead you to cut off the head of an innocent person

1) Fame. It all starts here, in John’s fame. He is a man who does good and seeks to lead people to God. This produces fame and curiosity. Fame and curiosity are a bad combination, because they may lead you into a situation in which you must defend your principles. How much envy John must have suffered! How much gossip and absurd comments were said against him?… but he did not dwell on that. Don’t waste your time worrying about your image or your reputation. Look at what they said about John and Jesus… Do you think they won’t talk bad about you? So, don’t waste time on what they say about you – just go on evangelizing.

2) Sensuality. The dance of this woman leads “the powerful king” to lose his head! Herod is so distracted, that he ends up cutting off the head of an innocent man. Don’t let yourself be carried away by sensuality! Don’t let yourself be seduced by a passing fancy, because it can lead you to destroy the lives of people who have nothing to do with it. Forgive me for saying it this way, but don’t let a passing sensuality make you kill innocent people. Today, how many innocent people lose their heads, (the direction of their lives) because of the mistakes made by others?

3) The truth. John does not give up preaching the truth… he is a Martyr of the Truth. Today, you and I should ask God not to let us be carried away by the sensuality of a moment’s desire; a night out; or a dance… May we always be witnesses to the truth, even if our heads are cut off for defending our principles! Be faithful to the truth and the truth will set you free.

God bless you and be with you in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Remember, Heaven is our goal!

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