February 7, 2025
Friday of the Fourth Week in
Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 327
Reading 1
Let brotherly love continue.
Do not neglect hospitality,
for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels.
Be mindful of prisoners as if sharing their imprisonment,
and of the ill-treated as of yourselves,
for you also are in the body.
Let marriage be honored among all
and the marriage bed be kept undefiled,
for God will judge the immoral and adulterers.
Let your life be free from love of money
but be content with what you have,
for he has said, I will never forsake you or abandon you.
Thus we may say with confidence:
The Lord is my helper,
and I will not be afraid.
What can anyone do to me?
Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you.
Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (1a) The Lord is my light and my salvation.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life's refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Though an army encamp against me,
my heart will not fear;
Though war be waged upon me,
even then will I trust.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
For he will hide me in his abode
in the day of trouble;
He will conceal me in the shelter of his tent,
he will set me high upon a rock.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Your presence, O LORD, I seek.
Hide not your face from me;
do not in anger repel your servant.
You are my helper: cast me not off.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart,
and yield a harvest through perseverance.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
King Herod heard about Jesus, for his fame had become
widespread,
and people were saying,
"John the Baptist has been raised from the dead;
That is why mighty powers are at work in him."
Others were saying, "He is Elijah";
still others, "He is a prophet like any of the prophets."
But when Herod learned of it, he said,
"It is John whom I beheaded. He has been raised up."
Herod was the one who had John 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.
Herodias 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.
His 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?"
Her mother 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.
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/020725.cfm
Commentary on Hebrews 13:1-8
As we come to the end of the Letter there are the usual
pieces of practical advice, each one calling for personal reflection.
The Hebrew Christians are instructed to:
Love each other like brothers and sisters.
This is a central teaching of the New Testament. At the Last Supper
Jesus gave his “new” commandment:
…love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also
should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples,
if you have love for one another.”
(John 13:34-35)
If our every word, action and relationship is based on this
commandment, we cannot go far wrong. See also Paul’s famous hymn to love in 1
Corinthians chapter 13, and chapters 3 and 4 of 1 John.
Welcome strangers.
The people may be entertaining an angel without knowing it. This
happened to Abraham when he offered the hospitality of his home to three
strangers. The same ‘angels’ were also received in the house of Lot, who lived
in Sodom (Genesis chap 18-19). Similarly, Gideon (chap 6) and Manoah (chap
13-16) in the Book of Judges entertained people who were in fact God’s
messengers. We, of course, are called on to recognise the presence of Christ in
every person and most of all, in the needy stranger:
Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least
of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me. (Matt 25:40)
Remember those who are in prison and emphathise with their
situation.
God loves them too, no matter what they may have done:
I was in prison and you visited me. (Matt 25:36)
The reason for the imprisonment is not mentioned; it seems
not to be a relevant factor.
Remember those being abused or oppressed in any way.
Again, such people are to be treated in the way one would like to be
treated if found in such a situation.
Respect the marriages of others and maintain the fidelity of their
own.
Fornication and adultery will bring down God’s judgement; such behaviour
is not for Christians.
Remove monetary greed from their lives and be content with what
they have.
Jesus had said:
Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed,
for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions. (Luke
12:15)
Also, Paul said:
I have learned to be content with whatever I have. (Phil
4:11)
The reason is that God looks after his own. This is
especially true when we belong to a good community; everyone will take care of
everyone else. So the author of Hebrews quotes from Psalm 118 in support of
what he is saying:
With the Lord on my side I do not fear.
What can mortals do to me? (Ps 118:6)
Respect those leaders who brought the Word of God to them.
They may be already dead but the memory of their lives provides models
for them to follow.
The author sums up his teaching by reminding them that the
Risen Jesus is still with them:
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
The Jesus they know in their present Christian life is
exactly the same as the Jesus of “yesterday” who walked the roads of Galilee,
preached his Gospel, died on the Cross and rose again. And he is the same Jesus
whom they will meet in the life to come.
For them now to compromise Jesus’ absolute supremacy by
going back to the ways of the old dispensation, the old priesthood and rituals,
is to turn their backs on something far more assuring—the redemptive life and
work of Jesus, the Son of God. The instructions here are just as relevant for
us today as they were for the Hebrews to whom this Letter was addressed.
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Commentary on Mark 6:14-29
Jesus was now becoming well known over a wide area. There
was much speculation as to who he was (a major theme of Mark’s Gospel). Some
were suggesting that he was John the Baptist (who had by this time been
executed) come to life again, or that he was the prophet Elijah, who was
expected to return just before the coming of the Messiah, or that he was a
prophet in his own right, “like one of the prophets of old”. We know, of
course, that all those speculations were wrong. The true answer will emerge
very soon.
King Herod, steeped in superstition and full of fear and
guilt, was convinced that Jesus was a re-incarnation of John the Baptist, whom
he had beheaded. We now get the story as to how this happened in today’s
Gospel.
Herod Antipas, also known as Herod the Tetrarch, was the son
of Herod the Great, who was king when Jesus was born. When the older Herod
died, his kingdom was divided among his three surviving sons. Archelaus
received half of the territory, Herod Antipas became ruler of Galilee and
Perea, while Philip (Herod Boethus) became the ruler of the northern territory
on the east side of the Jordan. The title ‘Tetrarch’ indicates that he was
ruler of one quarter of the whole territory.
It is clear that Herod had great respect for John, as he
would also have for Jesus later on. The problem arose because John had
denounced Herod’s taking the wife (Herodias) of his half-brother Herod Boethus.
This was in clear violation of Jewish law. The historian Josephus also says
that Herod feared that John, so popular with the people, might instigate a riot
against him.
It was this woman, Herodias, who now wanted to be rid of
John, but could not do so because of Herod Antipas’ respect for him. Herod had
gone as far as arresting John, but even when John was in prison, Herod loved to
listen to him, despite being puzzled by John’s preaching.
Herodias saw her opportunity when Herod threw a party for
his court to celebrate his birthday. She knew her husband’s weaknesses.
Herodias’s daughter was brought in to dance and utterly captivated Herod. Deep
in his cups, he made a rash promise. He would give her anything, even half of
the territory he governed. Under the prompting of the mother, the girl makes
the gruesome request for John’s head on a dish.
Herod was aghast, but because of his oath in the presence of
his guests, he dared not renege on his promise. John was beheaded, and the head
given to the mother. Afterwards, John’s disciples came and took his body and
gave him a decent burial.
We might notice some similarities between this story and the
passion of Jesus. Both Herod and Pilate recognised in John and Jesus,
respectively, people of obvious goodness of life, wisdom and integrity. The
hatred of Herodias for John parallels the hatred of the Jewish leaders for
Jesus—in both situations the ‘haters’ called for execution by the ruler (Herod
in one case, Pilate in the other). After the deaths of John and Jesus,
disciples asked and received permission for a decent burial.
John is the precursor of Jesus, not only in announcing the
coming of Jesus, but also in giving his life for the integrity of his beliefs
and in bringing God’s message to the people. We are called to do the same.
Preparing the way for Jesus and his message must become an integral part of
every Christian’s life. Without our cooperation, without our going ahead of
Jesus, his message will not be heard.
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Friday, February 7, 2025
Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer
Lord our God,
help us to love you with all our hearts and to love all men
as you love them. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Gospel Reading - Mark 6: 14-29
King Herod had heard
about him, since
by now his
name was well known. Some were
saying, 'John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous
powers are at work in him.' Others said, 'He is Elijah,' others again, 'He is a
prophet, like the prophets we used to have.' But when Herod heard this, he
said, 'It is John whose head I cut off; he has risen from the dead.' Now it was
this same Herod who had sent to have John arrested and had had him chained up
in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife whom he had married.
For John had told Herod, 'It is against the law for you to have your brother's
wife.' As for Herodias, she was furious with him and wanted to kill him, but
she was not able to do so, because Herod was in awe of John, knowing him to be
a good and upright man, and gave him
his protection. When he had heard him speak, he was greatly perplexed, and yet
he liked to listen to him.
An opportunity came on Herod's birthday when he gave a
banquet for the nobles of his court, for his army officers and for the leading
figures in Galilee. When the daughter of this same Herodias came in and danced,
she delighted Herod and his guests; so, the king said to the girl, 'Ask me
anything you like and I will give it you.' And he swore her an oath, 'I will
give you anything you ask, even half 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 at once rushed back to the king and made her request, 'I want you to
give me John the Baptist's head, immediately, on a dish.' The king was deeply
distressed but, thinking of the oaths he had sworn and of his guests, he
was reluctant to break his word to her. At
once the king sent one of
the bodyguards with orders to bring John's head. The man went off and
beheaded him in the prison; then he brought the head on a dish and gave it to
the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother.
When John's disciples heard about this, they came and took
his body and laid it in a tomb.
Reflection
The Gospel today describes how John the Baptist was victim
of the corruption and of the arrogance of the government of Herod. He died
without being judged by a tribunal, during a banquet given by Herod with the
great men of the kingdom. The text gives much information about the time of the
life of Jesus and on the way in which the
powerful of the time exercised power. From the beginning of the Gospel of Mark
we perceive or see a situation of suspense. He had said: “After John had been
arrested, Jesus went into Galilee proclaiming the Gospel of God!” (Mk 1: 14).
In today’s Gospel, almost suddenly, we know that Herod had already killed John
the Baptist. Therefore, the reader asks himself: “What will he do now with
Jesus? Will he suffer the same destiny? Rather than drawing up a balance of the
opinions of the people and of Herod on Jesus, Mark asks another question: “Who
is Jesus?” This last question grows throughout the Gospel until it receives the
definitive response from the centurion at the foot of the Cross: “Truly, this
man was the Son of God!” (Mk 15: 39)
• Mark 6: 14-16. Who
is Jesus? The text begins with a balance on the opinions of the people and of
Herod on Jesus. Some associated Jesus to John the Baptist and to Elijah. Others
identified him with a Prophet, that is, with someone who spoke in the name of
God, who had the courage to denounce the injustices of the powerful and who
knew how to animate the hope of the
little ones. Persons tried to understand Jesus starting from the things that
they themselves knew, believed, and
hoped. They tried to make him fit into familiar criteria of the Old Testament
with its prophecies and its hopes, and of the Tradition of the Ancient, with
their laws. But these criteria were not sufficient. Jesus could not fit in
those criteria. He was much greater!
• Mark 6: 17-20. The cause for the killing of John. Galilee,
the land of Jesus,was governed by Herod
Antipas, the son of King Herod, the Great, from the year 4 BC up to the year 39
after Christ. In all, 43 years! During
the whole lifetime of Jesus,
there had been no changes in the government of Galilee! Herod Antipas was the
absolute Lord of everything; he listened to
no one and
did whatever he pleased!
But the one,
who really commanded in
Palestine, from the year 63 BC, was the Roman Empire. Herod, in order
not to be removed from office, tried to
please Rome in everything. He insisted above all, in an efficient administration which would
provide income for the Roman Empire. The only thing that concerned or
worried him was his security and promotion. Therefore, he
repressed any type of subversion. Flavio Giuseppe, a writer
of that time, says that the reason for the imprisonment of John the Baptist was
the fear that Herod had of a popular revolt. Herod liked to be called benefactor of the people, but
in reality, he was a tyrant (Lk 22: 25).
The denouncement of John against him (Mk 6: 18), was the drop which filled up
the cup, and John was thrown into prison.
• Mark 6: 21-29:
The plot of
the murdering. The
anniversary and the banquet
of the feast,
with dancing and orgies! This was an environment in which the alliances
were plotted. To the feast attended and were present “the great of the court,
the officials and important persons from Galilee.” In this environment the murdering
of John the Baptist was plotted. John, the prophet, was a living denouncement
in this corrupt system. This is why he was eliminated under the pretext of a
problem of
personal vengeance. All this reveals the moral weakness of
Herod. So much power accumulated
in the hands of a man who did
not control himself!
Under the enthusiasm of the feast and of the wine, Herod
swore lightly to give something to the young dancer. And superstitious as he
was, he thought that he had to maintain his oath. For Herod, the life of his
subjects counted nothing had no value. He used them as he wanted and decided
what to do with them just as he decided where to place the chairs in his house.
Mark gives an account of how things happened and lets the community draw the
conclusions.
Personal Questions
• Do you know the case of persons who have died victims of
corruption and of the dominion of the
powerful? And do you know persons in our community and in our Church victims of
authoritarianism and of an excess of power?
• Herod, the powerful who thought to be the owner of life
and death of the people, was a great
superstitious person, and feared John the Baptist. He was a coward before the
great, a corrupt man before the girl. Superstition, cowardice, and
corruption distinguished the
exercise of the power of
Herod. Compare this with the religious and civil power today
in the various levels of society and of the Church.
Concluding Prayer
This God, his way is blameless; the word of Yahweh is refined
in the furnace, for he alone is the shield of all who take refuge in him. (Ps
18: 30)
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