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.
Herodias 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.
His 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?”
Her mother 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.

He respected him

1. Your identity. The Gospel recounts that Herod heard about Jesus and believed He was John, who had been raised from the dead. Herod compared Jesus with John. Today, take time to examine whether you are genuine in how you live or if you often measure yourself against others. Our busy lives and efforts to maintain appearances can cause us to lose sight of who we truly are. We may slowly start to fit into what others expect of us, which can result in depression and anxiety. Be like Jesus—present yourself as you truly are. Stay authentic, even when it comes with challenges.

2. Herodias. She is portrayed as a woman consumed by hatred. Hatred always leads to death and destruction. To hate is not just to wish harm upon someone—it’s to wish they no longer exist. Hatred results in the destruction of another’s life and, at the same time, brings ruin to your own. Living with resentment and bitterness means you cannot truly enjoy life, as you are continually focused on harming the other person.

3. On a platter. When power and the desire for revenge take hold of you, they can make you act irrationally, even to the point of silencing or eliminating those who disagree with you. How often do we “cut off” people simply because they think differently? Instead, strive for peace within and always live truthfully—this is how you build your real identity.

Remember 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.