Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 6, 17-29
Herod was the one who had John the Baptist 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’ 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.
Truth hurts but prevails
1. Herod. In my years as a priest, I have seen non-believers really fall deeply in love, but I have also seen and heard many people who claim to be believers, who despise their spouse or work late so that they don’t have to go home and see her or him. They even secretly wish they were widowed. I’ve also seen women who dress provocatively, but are God-fearing and honest. And I’ve also seen demure and modest women, who tear everyone apart with their tongues without mercy, even exploiting and manipulating those close to them. I’ve seen worldly people seeking God in their own way and I have seen people of God secretly loving the world. During these years I’ve also seen people with no future and no projects, but that have gone very far with God at their side. But I’ve also seen graduates in theology and even doctors in philosophy who haven’t got very far. I’ve seen evil people get up and change their lives and I’ve seen good people who get tired of being good and begin to live with resentment and melancholy. I’ve seen leaders who attacked other leaders to hide the thirst for power that trapped them, losing even the respect of the communion that unites them in the Church. It’s sad when a priest no longer talks about God but starts talking about other priests. Many times, I’ve found more understanding from Evangelicals, Jews and atheists, who listen to me or see me, than from my own Catholic brothers and sisters, many of whom have condemned me to hell. But sadly, I also see how many of us want to have people’s heads cut off for proclaiming the truth. And when you are before a Herod with authority, there are not many who will defend you. That’s why I invite you to confront that “Herod”, if you must.
2. I will grant you. You can’t have everything in life because there will always be some sort of emptiness within you. When you seek to have everything, you become a capricious person and I would even dare say “a murderer”, because you kill the identity of others wanting them to be your puppets. You kill them when your whim leads you to try and make them be what you want them to be, even using passion and manipulation, or using their feelings as a low blow to achieve your goal. There is nothing sadder than a person using another through passion and infatuation, because it not only destroys a life but a history and even a family.
3. Behead. Not taking risks is riskier than risk itself. Fear of risk explains why so many people live on the defensive. Sometimes we allow our fears to dictate our decisions. Life without risk has no gain. Remember that indecision is also a decision, in other words, you can make the decision of staying still, of not doing anything. I invite you to have the courage that John had and to make the decision you have to make and do what you have to do, even if it goes wrong. But don’t live in fear; live in faith and truth instead, because when there’s lack of faith there’s lack of courage. Come on! Even if they want to cut your head off, go on, because you have a lot to give.
Don’t forget that something good is on the way!
God bless you and be with you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
