Tainted Love

~~~ Sirach 47:2-11 ~~~ Psalm 18 ~~~ Mark 6:14-29 ~~~

This is February, the month we celebrate Valentine's Day...
the month dedicated to love.
Oddly enough according to those who keep wedding statistics
 June is the most popular month for weddings.

The first reading lists all of the wonderful things David did;
making him one of the most loved leaders.
He tackled beast and man.
He slew the giant with a slingshot.
He was favored by God...God loved him.
The women sang his praises; in other words they loved him.

David did love God too.

With his whole being he loved his Maker
and daily had his praises sung;
What is not to love about David...he sings to the Lord in prayer.

The LORD forgave him his sins
and exalted his strength forever...
Love was the driving force for all that David
did for his people and his God.
This deep love made his personal failings that much more painful for him.

The gospel has an undercurrent of tainted love...
love that has gone sour...
love that has broken hearts...
love that has turned to taking another's life.

Herod is so confused by his sin
that he cannot identify the beautiful qualities of love.

His sinful love affair leads him to the brutal sin of murder.

Love never leads one into sin.
Herod does not even demonstrate healthy love with his daughter.
The mother daughter relationship is warped.
The daughter is willing to entertain her mother's revengeful heart.
She went out and said to her mother,
“What shall I ask for?”
Her mother replied, “The head of John the Baptist.”

Herod expressed his love by ordering
the beheading of someone he respected, John the Baptist.

He gave the head of John to the girl.
The girl gave the head to her mother.
This evil domino effect takes precedence over love.

God always blesses us with love.
What do we offer in return to him?
How do you love others?
Peace.