Commentary
Wednesday, 8/29/2018, the Passion of St. John the Baptist
God Promises Deliverance
First Reading Commentary: Jeremiah 1:17-19
The LORD spoke to Jeremiah telling him to be strong and to proclaim His Word. The LORD said to Jeremiah, “Gird your loins; stand up and tell them all that I command you.”
The LORD promised Jeremiah that he would not be crushed and that he was not abandoned because he had been given the strength to stand up against the whole land. Jeremiah was given the strength to stand up to Judah’s kings, princes, priests and people so that they would not prevail over him. Because the LORD was with Jeremiah, he and would be delivered by the LORD.
Be strong, do not be afraid, I am with you, I will protect and take care of you and I will deliver you are all promises that have been made by the Father in the Old Testament. All of these promises were reinforced by the Son in the New Testament. All of these promises were true for Jeremiah, they were true for John the Baptist, they were true for the Apostles and disciples and they are true for each one of us. All we have to do is place our faith in God and proclaim His Word.
All of God's promises are each a part of the real promise which, is the promise of deliverance. We sometimes lose our focus on what the promise of deliverance means because we want or expect something which is physical in this life.
But through Jesus, the Son, God promises deliverance into the Kingdom of Heaven. Living our lives according to God’s Will should be our focus in life and therefore, our deliverance into the Kingdom should be our most treasured desire. God promises that if we stay with Him, He will stay with us and we will be delivered.
Greed Kills
Gospel Commentary: Mark 6:17-29
Herod had placed John the Baptist in prison because John had told Herod, that it was unlawful for him to be with his brother's wife, Herodias. According to Matthew's gospel, Herod wanted to kill John the Baptist but he was afraid of the people who followed him and regarded him as a prophet. Mark tells us that Herod feared John because he knew that John was a righteous and holy man.
But at a birthday party for Herod, the daughter of Herodias performed a dance which delighted Herod and his guests. Herod was so delighted that he swore to give her whatever she might ask for up to one half of his kingdom.
Herodias’ daughter asked her mother for advice and her mother prompted her to ask for the head of John the Baptist on a silver platter. Herod was distressed but because of his oath and the guests who witnessed the oath, he dispatched his executioner to bring back the head and present it to the girl, who upon receiving it, gave the head to her mother. When the disciples of John the Baptist heard what had happened, they took his body and laid it in a tomb.
The mission of John the Baptist was to preach God’s Word and proclaim to the people that the Messiah was among them. John did not deviate from his mission and saw it through even though it cost him his life.
Herodias no doubt thought that she had won her battle with John by arranging for his execution but in fact, it was John who won. John received his promise of deliverance but Herodias only proved her wickedness and greed.
When we think of greed, we usually think of money or material possessions. But there is also greed of the flesh and for Herodias; that greed was evidenced by her adultery. Through this act, we see once again, that one sin coexists and/or leads to another.
John the Baptist did nothing more than speak the truth about the adultery of Herodias. But sometimes, we cannot handle the truth because we do not want to hear it. Such was the case with Herodias who became angry, hated John the Baptist and sought revenge. Her hate led Herodias into becoming an accomplice to murder.
Herod also had greed of the flesh. Herodias was married to Philip, Herod’s brother and then to Herod which is why John had told Herod that the marriage was unlawful. This is the first time that we see Herod’s greed of the flesh which was so great that he took his brother’s wife which broke two of the commandments—Thou shall not commit adultery and Thou shall not covet thy neighbor’s wife. Again, one sin leading to another.
Then Herod showed his greed through his lust for Herodias’ daughter. That lust was so strong that he did something which I can only describe as stupid but a lot of men fall into this trap. He lost all of his common since which caused him to promise her whatever she wanted and that oath led him into murder.
But we also have to look at Herodias’ daughter. Just what kind of a dance did she do? Nuff said about that. And just what kind of morals did she have by honoring her mother’s request asking for the head of John the Baptist which made her an accomplice to murder?
The lesson in this gospel is simple. Greed is not considered a deadly sin without good reason. Greed kills everything good within one’s spirit, is the root of many other sins and destroys all of one’s opportunities of entering the Kingdom!
