Gospel

Mark 6:17-29

Herod was the one who had John the Baptist arrested and bound in prison

on account of Herodias,

the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married.

John had said to Herod,

“It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”

Herodias harbored a grudge against him

and wanted to kill him but was unable to do so.

Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man,

and kept him in custody.

When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed,

yet he liked to listen to him.

She had an opportunity one day when Herod, on his birthday,

gave a banquet for his courtiers,

his military officers, and the leading men of Galilee.

Herodias’ own daughter came in

and performed a dance that delighted Herod and his guests.

The king said to the girl,

“Ask of me whatever you wish and I will grant it to you.”

He even swore many things to her,

“I will grant you whatever you ask of me,

even to half of my kingdom.”

She went out and said to her mother,

“What shall I ask for?”

She replied, “The head of John the Baptist.”

The girl hurried back to the king’s presence and made her request,

“I want you to give me at once

on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”

The king was deeply distressed,

but because of his oaths and the guests

he did not wish to break his word to her.

So he promptly dispatched an executioner with orders

to bring back his head.

He went off and beheaded him in the prison.

He brought in the head on a platter and gave it to the girl.

The girl in turn gave it to her mother.

When his disciples heard about it,

they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

Reflection

It's always perplexed me about the death of John the Baptist. He was the greatest prophet. He was the forerunner of Jesus. He presented Jesus to the world. He had such an important role, and yet he dies at night in a prison with no one around. And it's caused by a bizarre promise made by an intoxicated king. How do we read that?

It strikes me that John had always placed Christ so far above him, and he knew the difference. And it seems proper in a way that when you look at the death of Jesus in the death of John the Baptist, they couldn't be further apart. And that seems proper. And in the humility of John the Baptist, it seems appropriate.

Closing Prayer

Father, help us to have the humility of John the Baptist. Help us to recognize that we are not the Messiah, and that anything we do through him, with him, for him, is a gift to us. It's not about us, not about our greatness, not about our holiness. It's about surrendering to the story, and the story is Jesus. We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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