Now Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account
of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, for John had said to him, “It is
not lawful for you to have her.” Although he wanted to kill him, he feared the
people, for they regarded him as a prophet. But at a birthday celebration for
Herod, the daughter of Herodias performed a dance before the guests and
delighted Herod so much that he swore to give her whatever she might ask for.
Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John
the Baptist.” The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests
who were present, he ordered that it be given, and he had John beheaded in the
prison. His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who took it
to her mother. His disciples came and took away the corpse
and buried him; and they went and told Jesus.
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
Do you always see to it that you always do good so that you would have a
clear conscience? Guilt of conscience is the worst enemy that we can ever have
because we don’t see it yet it keeps on bothering us.
When King Herod heard of Jesus he thought that John had been raised from
the dead. Why was he thinking of John? Because he was the one responsible for
John’s undeserved death, the injustice that he did to John was perpetually
bothering him.
It had been haunting him for the longest time, that’s why upon hearing of
the reputation of Jesus he became so afraid because he thought that Jesus was
John.
The wrongs that we’ve done in the past would hang around our neck like an
albatross. We would be reminded of it every now and then unless we make a
positive action to heal it.
Let us avoid doing anything that would hurt anyone, let us always do good
and let us always be humble and peaceful. And if ever we offend or hurt the
feelings of someone we must not do it again and we have to apologize.
- Marino J. Dasmarinas
