Scripture:
Jeremiah 26:11-16, 24
Matthew 14:1-12
Reflection:
It is innocent blood you bring on yourselves, on this city and its citizens. For in truth, it was the Lord who sent me to you, to speak all these things for you to hear.
Our readings for today begin with this challenging, heart-rendering cry from the prophet Jeremiah. His cry is a wonderful commentary on the events of the gospel. As we see John was executed not so much for what he had to say – after all it was the truth and his preaching did resonate with Herod – but he was executed because the truth disturbed Herodias.
In fact, both Herod and Herodias are weak in the face of the truth, and both are complicit in actions that allow evil to manifest itself.
Herodias helps us to see a tendency in human behaviour to avoid an ‘inconvenient truth’. John was silenced to still a voice that spoke to the deeper levels of a person’s heart – to the place where conscience dwells and where God can stir up our spirit. To avoid such a challenge Herodias goes to extraordinary and cruel lengths.
Her example warns us of dishonesty within our own being – how dangerous it can be to tell ourselves lies till we start to believe them.
Meanwhile, Herod helps us see how conformity can allow others to determine one’s moral response. Films love to portray him as infatuated, unhealthily so, with Salome, his stepdaughter, but his deeper failing is his inability to live his own truth in front of others.
He cannot stand up to the crowd, he cannot risk changing his views and adopting a moral position for fear of what others might think (for they certainly would not have said anything!).
His example shows us the dangers of trying to avoid embarrassment in such ways that one can succumb to, and collaborate in, a greater injustice.
Herod and Herodias seek comfort based on privilege, power and position, but in fact model a level of weakness that resonates across time. Their example stands before us to illustrate not their worldly power, but the power of those inner voices of fear and self-preservation to mislead us so that we betray our true natures.
On the other hand, John’s example of being faithful to the end, stands before us to inspire, and guide us.
Yes, all through our lives there will always be inner voices, tempting us to seek easy resolutions and weak responses. In contrast we see the kind of courage needed to follow Jesus, in the one who prefigured him and who foreshadowed the courage that Jesus too would show.
Fr. Denis Travers, C.P., is the Provincial Superior of Holy Spirit Province, Australia.