Commentary
Wednesday, 8/29/2018, the Passion of St. John the Baptist
Are You Listening?
First Reading Commentary: 1 Corinthians 1:26-31
We write a resume when looking to apply for a well-paying job or to advance our career. We make every effort to put forth our best appearance when looking to win someone’s favor. And, oh, what great lengths we will go to just to catch the attention of someone that we are attracted to or have a crush on.
All of this is normal. What’s more, if you do not do these things, you will not be very successful in this world. You will probably not have many friends and may never find that one true love.
But if you want to be in God’s food favor and be with Him in heaven, then we should listen to what Paul tells us today in his first letter to the Corinthians. God does not need to be impressed. God does not want to be impressed. God made us and knows us better than we know ourselves. God just wants us to love Him and love each other. Everything else will work itself out.
Paul makes this point by making it clear that God does not choose those who we might consider. Instead, God chooses the foolish, the weak and the lowly. Paul says that God’s way is that no human being might boast before God.
However, today’s first reading concludes with Paul paraphrasing Jeremiah 9:23, “Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord.” This is another one of those times where we can throw the dictionary out of the window. Paul’s paraphrasing of Jeremiah is not telling us to brag. Far from it.
If you read all of Jeremiah 9:23, you will find that the message is for us to know God. To know God is to know that He brings about kindness, justice and uprightness on the earth. We are not capable of doing that ourselves.
We are going through critical times and today’s message is exactly what we all need to hear right now. Question is: How many of us are listening?
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 of Heaven!
