In today's Gospel, Mark 6: 14-29, Herod, we learn, is very perplexed by John the Baptist, whom his wife, Herodias, wanted put to death but feared the people's reaction, as they had grown to love and respect John. (Herodias was Herod's brother's wife). Herod was trapped when, delighted by his daughter's dance performance, promised to give her anything she asked of him. When given this promise, the daughter went to her mother, Herodias, and asked her advice. Herodias told her daughter to ask for the head of John the Baptist, whom Herod had imprisoned. And thus it happened: John the Baptist was beheaded and his head brought to Herodias on a platter, as she had requested!
OMG! we may be saying to ourselves! Jealousy, anger and hatred, when entertained, can lead to treacherous ends--yes, even to murder! Every human being, ourselves included, are capable of doing disastrous deeds. If, like Herodias, we do not face the truth in our lives and feed our anger, we, too, are capable of harming others and, ultimately, ourselves. Truth sets us free! Lying to ourselves and not taking responsibility for our wrongdoing will lead to the web Herodias and Herod constructed for themselves.
May you and I have the courage and the humility to face the truth about ourselves and about our choices! May we come to the Lord with open hearts and minds, seeking to be set free of that which has the power to block us from the truth!
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