Herod the tetrarch heard of the reputation of Jesus and said to his servants, “This man is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why mighty powers are at work in him.” (Mt 14:1-2).

After the death of Herod the Great (4 BC), one of his sons, Herod Antipas, was given a portion of his father’s kingdom by the Roman Emperor Augustus. Thus, Herod Antipas was the tetrarch, or prince, of Galilee and Perea from 4 BC to 39 AD. Herod, like, Pontius Pilate, held power as long as he was a faithful servant to Rome.

News of the ministry of Jesus gets back to Herod and he believes Jesus to be John the Baptist raised from the dead. What follows is the backstory of how Herod arrested and unjustly beheaded John the Baptist. John is killed for speaking truth to power, as happened often in the long line of prophets before him. Jesus would continue John’s ministry calling for repentance. He too would also suffer capital punishment at the hands of Herod Antipas and Pontius Pilate. The Apostles and martyrs of the early Church also lived courageously and were bold witnesses of their faith even to point of giving their lives.

How are we living our faith  today? Are we faithful to the Gospel values that Jesus and the Apostles taught and were willing to die for?  Do we serve Herod Antipas and Pontius Pilate or Jesus the Christ? Do we serve fear or love?

It is important to stop and reflect on questions such as these from time to time, to examine our conscience and determine who it is that we are truly serving. God loves us more than we can ever mess up. We can only experience the fullness of his light, love, mercy, and forgiveness if we are willing to repent, to let him into the darkness of our failure of not putting into practice his will. In experiencing his forgiving embrace of love and mercy, we are more open to knowing his will, to knowing how he wants us to serve him. Empowered by his love, we can then begin again to take a step forward along the narrow path, recommitting ourselves to living as his disciple.

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Mass Readings for today, Saturday, August 5, 2017:

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/080517.cfm