The challenge of reversing a promise gone sour

As I read today’s Scripture readings, Sirach 47: 2-11 and Mk 6: 14-29, I was touched by the contrast. Sirach praises David for what he accomplished in his trusting walk with the Lord and his humble repentance of his sin.  Mark tells the story of Salome`, the 12-year-old daughter of Herod (Source: The Word Among Us, Daily Meditations for February 1-21, 2012,  p. 23). Her exotic dancing  at a banquet he hosted for his courtiers, his military officers and the leading men of Galilee delighted him so much that he promised her anything she asked of him, even half his kingdom. To his dismay, she asked for “the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”  Herod, who regrets his promise but does not have the courage to withdraw it, gives in to  his daughter's demands.  The glamorous voices outside of himself drown out the voice of the Spirit within.  He closes his ears to his conscience.

How sad, disgusting, ghastly is what happened at this banquet, not unnlike what we see repeated throughout history until this very day while leaders  and ordinary citizens, like ourselves, able to rise up against unjust "laws" and promises tend to sit back and seemingly do nothing:  the stoning  of women to death in the Middle East when they are victims of rape and considered a disgrace to their families,  the rejoicing of Hitler in the torture and death of millions in the holocaust and continued hate crimes, the abusing of thousands of persons  in prisons throughout the world when injustices are challenged, the publishing  of beatings and severe abuse on Facebook or YouTube to entertain vast audiences, millions of infants killed in the womb  every year while immoral legislature goes unchallenged,  and on and on!  Also, some of the movies produced by today’s entertainment industry and many advertisements on our TV’s glamorize violence as ghastly as bringing in the head of John the Baptist on a platter. 

Through God’s mercy may we turn this trend around and rise up to give glory to God, not to humanity’s abuse of humanity, not to the ugliness of sin and death. Like David may we “slew the giant,” (humanity’s enchantment with  the dark side of human nature), “defeat the skilled warrior” (those who war against that which is holy, that which is of God, that which is just and right in God’s sight), and raise up the might of his people who rely upon the Lord, respect the Lord, cherish the things of God and His holy ones, the saints.  What am I willing to do? What can I do? are questions I need to ask myself every day when "the Herods," the Herodias'es" and the "Salome`s" of this world ignore God's commandments and take delight in evil.