Gospel: 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.
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Reflection:
How would
you react if you see an adulterous relationship? Would you simply keep your mouth shut for
fear of the consequence once you speak against it? Or you courageously correct
it never minding the consequence that it may bring you?
Saint
John the Baptist chose the road less travelled, he denounced the adulterous
relationship of King Herod and Herodias. Thus, he dearly paid for it with his
life. John could just have pretended to see no evil and hear no evil. But John did not let their adulterous relationship
pass by him quietly, he made noise by denouncing it.
What if
we are John? How would we react? Would
we just let it happen, be indifferent and do nothing? The problem with this
kind of attitude is we are perpetuating and consenting with evil. And we all
know that evil will not bring us any good. So the moral action that we must do
is to correct any form of evil and immorality.
Just like
what John did, this is very difficult to do but we have to do it otherwise
we are consenting with evil. By correcting them we are actually leading them to
the right and moral path of life. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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