The king was deeply distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests he did not wish to break his word to her (Mk 6:26).
The king referenced in today’s Gospel is the tetrarch, Herod Antipas, one of the sons of Herod the Great. He reveals the weakness of his character when he calls for the beheading of John the Baptist, much as a foreshadowing of Pilate before the crowd asking for Jesus’ death. Both condemned innocent men to die and they knew it, hesitated in fulfilling the deed, but followed through anyway. They each decided to take John and Jesus’ lives. Herod chose to protect his foolish oath to Salome, instead of standing up and defending the dignity of the life of John the Baptist. Pilate caved into the pressure of the crowds who claimed he was no spokesman for Caesar. In both cases, innocent men were brutally murdered without any regard for their lives.
For the first part of his gospel, Mark has shown the opposite. He has shown what true leadership in the person and actions of Jesus who instead of disregarding and degrading human beings empowered them through his teaching. A better way of wholeness and union with the God and with each other is presented by his words and his actions. Jesus freed the possessed, healed those who had been on the outside bound by illness and/or sin. Instead of the weak will and cowardice of Herodias, we recently saw the strength of purpose and courage of the woman with the hemorrhage.
While Mark provides us with this interlude and flashback of the death of John the Baptist, the apostles are on the march proclaiming the gospel, healing, and exorcising demons in Jesus’ name. They are putting into practice what they had learned. They are allowing their hearts and minds to be changed by the Word of God. Herod did not allow the same seeds of God’s word to find any root in his heart. Instead of listening to the words of John, repenting from his sin, and allowing himself to be transformed, he chose his own passions over the truth, imprisoned John and then chose his moment of execution. There was a moment of hesitation, before that fateful decision. That pause could have grown to inspiration, but instead withered and died under the heat of his ego.
Unlike Herod, Jesus showed the moral courage to stand up for and empower those who were considered other, lesser, unclean, possessed, and social outcasts. Jesus, like John, showed courage by speaking the truth that God gave him to reveal. John was willing to lose his head as God’s spokesman and preparing the way for his Son, Jesus was willing to be crucified. John cleared the way for Jesus and Jesus walked the way that led to the cross, died, and conquered death. He did so, so that each one of us might have life, and have it to the full.
We have a choice to make each day and each moment. We can choose to refuse the gift of Jesus’ life given and follow the enemy or receive the gift of Jesus’ life and follow Jesus. Herod and Pilate made their choices and the woman with the hemorrhage and the apostles made theirs. May we choose to follow Jesus and allow his words to find rich soil, that we may allow our hearts and mind to be transformed. In choosing Jesus and allowing his light to shine, our vices whither and die, while our virtues will be nourished and grow.
Photo: We choose with each thought, word, and action whether to curve in upon ourselves, into the darkness, or open our hearts and minds to Jesus and reflect his light.
Spiritual Stepping Stones 