The Choices Before Us

Scripture – Mark 6:21-29: ²¹Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. ²²When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” ²³And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.” ²⁴She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” “The head of John the Baptist,” she answered. ²⁵At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” ²⁶The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. ²⁷So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, ²⁸and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. ²⁹On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

Reflection: There is so much wrong in this whole scene. Choices are made along the way that left Herod stuck in a corner. In the end, he was trapped by his own words, fueled by his lust for his wife’s daughter, who may well have been his niece. This is a picture of a sorry family.

It looks like John the Baptist came out the best here. He was set free from prison. He died with his integrity intact. His memory would be honored.

Lord, please save me from the bad choices I’m tempted to make. I know the Evil One is constantly ready to take advantage when opportune times come. Keep me alert. Keep me safe. I have no chance to resist apart from you.

An Invitation: For anyone interested in sharing their personal reflections from this week’s readings, you are invited to come by the Tim Hortons donut shop at Dix-Toledo and Northline in Southgate this Sunday morning at 9:45am. We’ll have a cup of coffee and see what the Lord has been teaching us this week.