Haunting Decision

~~~ Jeremiah 26: 11-16, 24 ~~~ Psalm 69 ~~~ Matthew 14: 1-12 ~~~

Humans don't like to have the things they are doing wrong

brought to their attention.

Herod surely did not like John the Baptist telling him

 it was wrong for him to have relations with his sister in law.

Oops! Herod's hand was caught in the candy jar and he was reprimanded.

Herod was not a person of strong character...

he wanted to have John the Baptist killed but he feared the people.

The people considered John a prophet and valued what he said to them.

Later Herod's niece danced for him.  

In his aroused intoxicated state of pleasure,

he offered her whatever she wanted.

Prompted by her mother to ask for the head of John the Baptist;

Herod never batted an eye. John the Baptist was beheaded as a result

of a young woman's seductive dance.

Jesus must have been struck with great sadness

upon hearing of the death of John.

They were family; Mary had gone to visit soon after she consented

to be the mother of Jesus.

The two boys spent much time growing up together.

Herod has undoubtedly been haunted by this beheading.

So when he sees Jesus;

he thinks he must be seeing the 'ghost' of John the Baptist.

Herod's guilt is being realized in his believing that Jesus was somehow

John the Baptist.

Herod the tetrarch heard of the reputation of Jesus
and said to his servants, "This man is John the Baptist.
He has been raised from the dead;
that is why mighty powers are at work in him."

When you speak against the ruling authority you are taking a huge risk.

In those days freedom of speech was not a protected right.

In the first reading today Jeremiah is in a similar situation...

"This man deserves death;
he has prophesied against this city,
as you have heard with your own ears."

Jeremiah fervently proclaims that he is speaking the words

given to him from the Lord. The Lord sent him to warn the people

to reform their ways

before the Lord carries out his wrath upon them.

God extends his mercy to all of us,

but you must at least make an effort to change your ways. 

Today we are blessed with religious freedom.

Today we live in a country where freedom of speech is protected.

Human nature in all of its frailties has not changed after all of this time...

we continue to resist being told what we should not be doing.

As a society we are constantly bombarded with the temptations of

a 'young dancing girl'.

We live in a very material world where one is almost dared

to live a prayerful life.

Doing the right thing must come from within; not as a result of

what others may or may not think about you.

Herod did not have the character to act from his conscience.

Do You?