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 discover an adulterous relationship? Would you
simply keep quite for fear of the consequence once you speak against it? Or you
courageously speak against 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 behavior
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 defeat 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 speaking out we are actually
leading them to the right and moral path of life. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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