Today in the gospel we hear about the elaborate celebration of the birthday of King Herod that ended with the killing of John the Baptist. A king got so excited at his birthday celebration that he made all manner of promises that ended in the killing John the Baptist! In the drama that unfolds in our gospel today, there are three main characters – Herod, John the Baptist, and Herodias. From each one of them we learn a lesson about human life.
Wisdom from the Gospel
The very first lesson we learn here is plain old wisdom that never make a big decision when emotions are high! When we are upset or angry; or when we are excited or extremely happy, that is not the best time to make big decisions or promises. Emotions tend to fog or cloud our reality and therefore affect our sense of judgment. That is what happened to Herod. In the middle of a birthday party where good food, wine, music and dance was abundant, he made all sorts of promises that he couldn’t back pedal on. Never making big decisions when emotions are high is valuable and timeless wisdom applies in management situations, in family life, in relationships, in matters of faith. People have said or done things in the middle of intense emotions that they ended up regretting the rest of their lives. Companies and organizations have been destroyed, and relationships have been irreparably damaged by decisions that were made under such circumstances. Slowing down is not weakness or indecision; it is part of the process of making good thoughtful decisions!
Second, from Herod we also learn a big lesson about the fragility of power. When a leader is driven by fear, carries a fragile ego, and is trapped in moral weaknesses, his power tends to be fragile. Such power can be easily manipulated by schemers, or such power can be dangerously misused by the leader. Such leaders see enemies everywhere, and they are sensitive to any form of critique or feedback about how they are doing. Every time we become sensitive to the interrogation of our authority or power whether in a family or a workplace, let us ask ourselves where and why we are reacting in such a manner! Is it our ego, do we harbor any inner fears, is our moral ground weak? What is the trigger of our reaction?
Third, from Herodias, we meet a woman who was offended by God’s truth, and instead of repenting, she sought the destruction of the messenger. Here was a woman who had hardened in her sin and her conscience no longer pricked or convicted her! In the example of Herodias, we get a spiritual warning to us all that the longer we resist God’s truth, the longer we self-justify our evil actions and thoughts, the harder it becomes for us to embrace repentance and conversion. It is only humility and an acknowledgement that we are imperfect and broken that our hearts are opened for God’s grace to work in us to attain redemption or spiritual rebirth.
Fourth, from John the Baptist we learn about his unshakable commitment to truth even when it meant standing up to a powerful ruler. His courage to speak about the irregular marriage of Herod painted someone who preferred radical obedience to God rather than obeying human authority. Such a decision comes with a price such as persecution, adversity, or even death.
A Prayer for Obedience
May we in our Mass today pray for faithfulness and radical obedience to God taking after the example of John the Baptist and many other saints. May we today pray for the grace to acknowledge our own sins, allow God’s grace to convert us and rebuild us so that we live out better the gospel. Amen.
- Today’s Readings
- Father Fred's inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center this morning. You can view the Mass (and the Rosary at the 30-minute mark) on the Family Rosary YouTube page.
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