Memorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori,
Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Lectionary: 406
Lectionary: 406
The priests and prophets said to
the princes and to all the people,
“This man deserves death;
he has prophesied against this city,
as you have heard with your own ears.”
Jeremiah gave this answer to the princes and all the people:
“It was the LORD who sent me to prophesy against this house and city
all that you have heard.
Now, therefore, reform your ways and your deeds;
listen to the voice of the LORD your God,
so that the LORD will repent of the evil with which he threatens you.
As for me, I am in your hands;
do with me what you think good and right.
But mark well: if you put me to death,
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.”
“This man deserves death;
he has prophesied against this city,
as you have heard with your own ears.”
Jeremiah gave this answer to the princes and all the people:
“It was the LORD who sent me to prophesy against this house and city
all that you have heard.
Now, therefore, reform your ways and your deeds;
listen to the voice of the LORD your God,
so that the LORD will repent of the evil with which he threatens you.
As for me, I am in your hands;
do with me what you think good and right.
But mark well: if you put me to death,
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.”
Thereupon the princes and all the
people
said to the priests and the prophets,
“This man does not deserve death;
it is in the name of the LORD, our God, that he speaks to us.”
said to the priests and the prophets,
“This man does not deserve death;
it is in the name of the LORD, our God, that he speaks to us.”
So Ahikam, son of Shaphan,
protected Jeremiah,
so that he was not handed over to the people to be put to death
so that he was not handed over to the people to be put to death
Responsorial
Psalm69:15-16, 30-31, 33-34
R. (14c) Lord, in your great
love, answer me.
Rescue me out of the mire; may I not sink!
may I be rescued from my foes,
and from the watery depths.
Let not the flood-waters overwhelm me,
nor the abyss swallow me up,
nor the pit close its mouth over me.
R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.
But I am afflicted and in pain;
let your saving help, O God, protect me.
I will praise the name of God in song,
and I will glorify him with thanksgiving.
R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.
“See, you lowly ones, and be glad;
you who seek God, may your hearts revive!
For the LORD hears the poor,
and his own who are in bonds he spurns not.”
R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.
Rescue me out of the mire; may I not sink!
may I be rescued from my foes,
and from the watery depths.
Let not the flood-waters overwhelm me,
nor the abyss swallow me up,
nor the pit close its mouth over me.
R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.
But I am afflicted and in pain;
let your saving help, O God, protect me.
I will praise the name of God in song,
and I will glorify him with thanksgiving.
R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.
“See, you lowly ones, and be glad;
you who seek God, may your hearts revive!
For the LORD hears the poor,
and his own who are in bonds he spurns not.”
R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.
AlleluiaMT 5:10
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMT 14:1-12
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.”
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.”
Now Herod had arrested John, bound
him, and put him in prison
on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip,
for John had said to him,
“It is not lawful for you to have her.”
Although he wanted to kill him, he feared the people,
for they regarded him as a prophet.
But at a birthday celebration for Herod,
the daughter of Herodias performed a dance before the guests
and delighted Herod so much
that he swore to give her whatever she might ask for.
Prompted by her mother, she said,
“Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”
The king was distressed,
but because of his oaths and the guests who were present,
he ordered that it be given, and he had John beheaded in the prison.
His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl,
who took it to her mother.
His disciples came and took away the corpse
and buried him; and they went and told Jesus.
on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip,
for John had said to him,
“It is not lawful for you to have her.”
Although he wanted to kill him, he feared the people,
for they regarded him as a prophet.
But at a birthday celebration for Herod,
the daughter of Herodias performed a dance before the guests
and delighted Herod so much
that he swore to give her whatever she might ask for.
Prompted by her mother, she said,
“Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”
The king was distressed,
but because of his oaths and the guests who were present,
he ordered that it be given, and he had John beheaded in the prison.
His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl,
who took it to her mother.
His disciples came and took away the corpse
and buried him; and they went and told Jesus.
Meditation: Herod's
Reaction to John the Baptist
Do
you ever feel haunted by a past failure or a guilty conscience? King Herod, the
most powerful and wealthy man in Judea, had everything he wanted, except a
clear conscience and peace with God. Herod had respected and feared John the
Baptist as a great prophet and servant of God. John, however did not fear to
rebuke Herod for his adulterous relationship with his brother's wife. He ended
up in prison because of Herodias' jealousy. Herod, out of impulse and a desire
to please his family and friends, had John beheaded. Now his conscience is
pricked when he hears that all the people are going to Jesus to hear his
message of repentance and to see his mighty works. Herod is now haunted by the
thought that the prophet he murdered might now be raised from the dead!
A sign of vanity and cowardice
Unfortunately for Herod, he could not rid himself of sin by ridding himself of the man who confronted him with his sin. Herod's power and influence was badly flawed. He could take a strong stand on the wrong things when he knew the right. Such a stand, however, was a sign of weakness and cowardice. Where do you get the strength of will and heart to choose what is right and to reject what is bad?
God is our help and our strength
The Lord Jesus gives grace and help to the humble, to those who acknowledge their weaknesses and their sinfulness, and who look to God for his mercy and pardon, wisdom and strength. His grace and pardon not only frees us from a guilty conscience, it enables us to pursue holiness in every area of our lives, in our thoughts and intentions as well as our words and actions.
Fight fear with faith
God's grace enables us to fight fear with faith and to overcome the temptation to compromise good with evil. Do you rely on God's grace and help to choose his way of holiness and to reject whatever would weaken your faith and loyalty to Jesus Christ?
A sign of vanity and cowardice
Unfortunately for Herod, he could not rid himself of sin by ridding himself of the man who confronted him with his sin. Herod's power and influence was badly flawed. He could take a strong stand on the wrong things when he knew the right. Such a stand, however, was a sign of weakness and cowardice. Where do you get the strength of will and heart to choose what is right and to reject what is bad?
God is our help and our strength
The Lord Jesus gives grace and help to the humble, to those who acknowledge their weaknesses and their sinfulness, and who look to God for his mercy and pardon, wisdom and strength. His grace and pardon not only frees us from a guilty conscience, it enables us to pursue holiness in every area of our lives, in our thoughts and intentions as well as our words and actions.
Fight fear with faith
God's grace enables us to fight fear with faith and to overcome the temptation to compromise good with evil. Do you rely on God's grace and help to choose his way of holiness and to reject whatever would weaken your faith and loyalty to Jesus Christ?
Heavenly
Father, form in me the likeness of your Son Jesus that I may imitate him in
word and deed. Help me to live the gospel faithfully and give me the strength
and courage I need to not shrink back in the face of hardship and temptation.
Daily
Quote from the Early Church Fathers: Integrity is a hardship for the morally
corrupt, by Peter Chrysologus (400-450 AD)
"John
aroused Herod by his moral admonitions, not by any formal accusation. He wanted
to correct, not to suppress. Herod, however, preferred to suppress rather than
be reconciled. To those who are held captive, the freedom of the one innocent
of wrongdoing becomes hateful. Virtue is undesirable to those who are immoral;
holiness is abhorrent to those who are impious; chastity is an enemy to those
who are impure; integrity is a hardship for those who are corrupt; frugality
runs counter to those who are self-indulgent; mercy is intolerable to those who
are cruel, as is loving-kindness to those who are pitiless and justice to those
who are unjust. The Evangelist indicates this when he says, "John said to
him, 'It is not lawful for you to have the wife of your brother Philip.'"
This is where John runs into trouble. He who admonishes those who are evil
gives offense. He who repudiates wrongdoers runs into trouble. John was saying
what was proper of the law, what was proper of justice, what was proper of salvation
and what was proper certainly not of hatred but of love. And look at the reward
he received from the ungodly for his loving concern!" (excerpt
from SERMONS 127.6-7)
[Peter Chrysologus, 400-450 AD, was a renowned preacher and bishop of Ravena in the 5th century]
[Peter Chrysologus, 400-450 AD, was a renowned preacher and bishop of Ravena in the 5th century]
SATURDAY, AUGUST 1, MATTHEW 14:1-12
Memorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, priest and doctor of the Church
(Jeremiah 26:11-16, 24; Psalm 69)
Memorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, priest and doctor of the Church
(Jeremiah 26:11-16, 24; Psalm 69)
KEY VERSE: "This man is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why mighty powers are at work in him" (v. 2).
TO KNOW: As Jesus' reputation spread, Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great and the ruler of Galilee, heard of the marvelous deeds that Jesus had performed. Herod feared that Jesus was John the Baptist raised from the dead. The king had imprisoned the prophet because of his courageous stance against the ruler's illicit marriage (Lv 18:16, 20:21). Herod wanted to kill the popular prophet, but he was afraid that his death would cause the people to revolt. At Herod's birthday party, he promised his step-daughter that he would grant her any request if she would dance for his guests. Prompted by her mother, Herodias, the girl asked for John's head as her reward. Like the prophets before him, John was murdered for proclaiming the truth of God.
TO LOVE: What are today’s important issues for which I need to take a stand?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to speak out against the injustices that I see.
Memorial of Alphonsus Liguori, bishop and doctor of the Church
Alphonsus Liguori was ordained at age 29. He was noted for his simple, clear style of preaching, and his understanding manner in the confessional. He was often opposed by Church officials for a perceived laxity toward sinners. He founded the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Liguorians or Redemptorists). Alphonsus was appointed bishop in 1762, and worked to reform the clergy and revitalize the faithful in the diocese. In 1775 he resigned his office due to his health, and went into what he thought was a prayerful retirement. In 1777 the royal government threatened to disband his Redemptorists. Calling on his knowledge of theology, and his skills as a lawyer, Alphonsus defended the Redemptorists so well that they obtained the king's approval. Alphonsus was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius IX in 1871.
Saturday 1 August 2020
St Alphonsus Liguori
Jeremiah 26:11-16, 24. Lord, in your great love, answer me –
Psalm 68(69):15-16, 30-31, 33-34. Matthew 14:1-12.
‘It is against the Law for you to have her’
Speaking truth to power has inherent dangers. Journalists all
around the world experience this regularly, if not daily. Seventy-one
journalists were murdered or killed worldwide in 2017. At least 34 were singled
out for murder while reporting, covering an incident or because of their status
as journalists. In 2018 the number was 63. The most dangerous countries for
journalists were Afghanistan, Syria, India, Mexico and the United States. In
2018, for the third consecutive year, 251 journalists were imprisoned
worldwide.
In Australia, the Federal Police raided the offices of the ABC
and of a News Corp journalist. It remains unclear if charges will be laid.
Here, there is no legal protection for whistle-blowers. Prosecution of Witness
K and Bernard Collaery remains in process. They revealed that Australia had
wire-tapped Timor Leste offices.
Will I speak out about injustice, corruption or wrongdoing?
Saint Alphonsus Liguori
Saint of the Day for August 1
(September 27, 1696 – August 1, 1787)
 |
| Stained glass window of Saint Alphonse Liguori | Carlow Cathedral | Franz Mayer & Co. (Mayer & Co. of Munich) |
Saint Alphonsus Liguori’s Story
Moral theology, Vatican II said, should be more thoroughly
nourished by Scripture, and show the nobility of the Christian vocation of the
faithful and their obligation to bring forth fruit in charity for the life of
the world. Alphonsus, declared patron of moral theologians by Pius XII in 1950,
would rejoice in that statement.
In his day, Alphonsus fought for the liberation of moral
theology from the rigidity of Jansenism. His moral theology, which went through
60 editions in the century following him, concentrated on the practical and
concrete problems of pastors and confessors. If a certain legalism and
minimalism crept into moral theology, it should not be attributed to this model
of moderation and gentleness.
At the University of Naples, Alphonsus received a doctorate in
both canon and civil law by acclamation, at the age of 16, but he soon gave up
the practice of law for apostolic activity. He was ordained a priest, and concentrated
his pastoral efforts on popular parish missions, hearing confessions, and
forming Christian groups.
He founded the Redemptorist congregation in 1732. It was an
association of priests and brothers living a common life, dedicated to the
imitation of Christ, and working mainly in popular missions for peasants in
rural areas. Almost as an omen of what was to come later, he found himself
deserted after a while by all his original companions except one lay brother.
But the congregation managed to survive and was formally approved 17 years
later, though its troubles were not over.
Alphonsus’ great pastoral reforms were in the pulpit and
confessional—replacing the pompous oratory of the time with simplicity, and the
rigorism of Jansenism with kindness. His great fame as a writer has somewhat
eclipsed the fact that for 26 years he traveled up and down the Kingdom of
Naples preaching popular missions.
He was made bishop at age 66 after trying to reject the honor,
and at once instituted a thorough reform of his diocese.
His greatest sorrow came toward the end of his life. The
Redemptorists, precariously continuing after the suppression of the Jesuits in
1773, had difficulty in getting their Rule approved by the Kingdom of Naples.
Alphonsus acceded to the condition that they possess no property in common, but
with the connivance of a high Redemptorist official, a royal official changed
the Rule substantially. Alphonsus, old, crippled and with very bad sight,
signed the document, unaware that he had been betrayed. The Redemptorists in
the Papal States then put themselves under the pope, who withdrew those in
Naples from the jurisdiction of Alphonsus. It was only after his death that the
branches were united.
At 71, Alphonsus was afflicted with rheumatic pains which left
incurable bending of his neck. Until it was straightened a little, the pressure
of his chin caused a raw wound on his chest. He suffered a final 18 months of
“dark night” scruples, fears, temptations against every article of faith and
every virtue, interspersed with intervals of light and relief, when ecstasies
were frequent.
Alphonsus is best known for his moral theology, but he also
wrote well in the field of spiritual and dogmatic theology. His Glories
of Mary is one of the great works on that subject, and his book Visits
to the Blessed Sacrament went through 40 editions in his lifetime,
greatly influencing the practice of this devotion in the Church.
Reflection
Saint Alphonsus was known above all as a practical man who
dealt in the concrete rather than the abstract. His life is indeed a practical
model for the everyday Christian who has difficulty recognizing the dignity of
Christian life amid the swirl of problems, pain, misunderstanding and failure.
Alphonsus suffered all these things. He is a saint because he was able to
maintain an intimate sense of the presence of the suffering Christ through it
all.
Saint Alphonsus Liguori is the Patron Saint of:
Theologians
Vocations
Vocations
Lectio Divina: Matthew 14:1-12
Lectio Divina
Saturday, August 1, 2020
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
God our Father and protector,
without You nothing is holy,
nothing has value.
Guide us to everlasting life
by helping us to use wisely
the blessings You have given to the world.
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.
without You nothing is holy,
nothing has value.
Guide us to everlasting life
by helping us to use wisely
the blessings You have given to the world.
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.
2) Gospel Reading - Matthew 14:1-12
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." Now Herod had
arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, the
wife of his brother Philip, for John had said to him, "It is not lawful
for you to have her." Although he wanted to kill him, he feared the
people, for they regarded him as a prophet. But at a birthday celebration for
Herod, the daughter of Herodias performed a dance before the guests and
delighted Herod so much that he swore to give her whatever she might ask for.
Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me here on a platter the head of
John the Baptist." The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and
the guests who were present, he ordered that it be given, and he had John
beheaded in the prison. His head was brought in on a platter and given to the
girl, who took it to her mother. His disciples came and took away the corpse and
buried him; and they went and told Jesus.
3) Reflection
•Today’s Gospel describes the way in which John the Baptist was
the victim of corruption and arrogance of the government of Herod. He was
killed without due process, during a banquet of the king, with the powerful of
the kingdom. The text gives us much information on the time in which Jesus
lived and on the manner in which power was used by the powerful of that time.
• Matthew 14:1-2. Who is Jesus for Herod? The text begins by telling about the opinion which Herod had of Jesus: "This is John the Baptist himself, he has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in Him.” Herod tries to understand Jesus starting from the fear which assailed him after murdering John. Herod was very superstitious and hid his fear behind the ostentation of his riches and his power.
• Matthew 14:3-5: The hidden cause of the murder of John. Galilee, the land of Jesus, was governed by Herod Antipas, the son of King Herod the Great, from the year 4 BC until the year 38 AD. Forty-three years in all! During the lifetime of Jesus, there were no changes of government in Galilee! Herod was the absolute lord of everything; he did not render an account to anyone; he did whatever passed through his mind: arrogance, lack of ethics, absolute power, without control from the people! But the one who ruled Palestine since the year 63 BC was the Roman Empire. Herod, in Galilee, so as not to be dismissed, tried to please Rome in everything. Above all, he insisted on an efficient administration which would bring riches to the Empire. His concern was his own promotion and his security. For this reason, he repressed any type of subversion. Matthew says that the reason for murdering John was because John had denounced Herod, because Herod had married Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. Flavius Joseph, a Jewish writer of that time, says that the true reason for the imprisonment of John the Baptist was Herod’s fear that there would be a popular revolt. Herod liked to be called the benefactor of the people, but in reality he was a tyrant (Lk 22:25). John’s denunciation of Herod was the drop that caused the glass to overflow: “It is against the Law for you to have her.” And John was put in prison.
• Matthew 14:6-12: The plot of the murderer. An anniversary and a festive banquet, with dances and orgy! Mark says that in the feast were “the great of the court, the officials and the important people of Galilee” (Mk 6:21). This is the environment in which the murder of John the Baptist is planned. John, the prophet, was a living denunciation of that corrupt system. This is why he was eliminated, as a personal revenge. All this reveals the moral weakness of Herod. So much power accumulated in the hands of one man, unable to control himself! In the enthusiasm of the feast and from the wine, Herod makes a promise by oath to Salome, the young dancer, daughter of Herodias. Superstitious as he was, he thought that he had to respect this oath and respond to the caprice of the girl, and because of this he ordered the soldier to bring the head of John on a tray and give it to the dancer, who then gave it to her mother. For Herod, the life of his subjects was worthless. He disposes of them as he would the staircases in his house!
The three characteristics of the government of Herod: the new capital, large estates, and the class of functionaries:
a) The New Capital. Tiberiade was inaugurated when Jesus was only 20 years old. It was called that in order to please Tiberius, the emperor of Rome. It was inhabited by the lords of the earth, the soldiers, the policemen, the unscrupulous judges (Lk 18:1-4). The taxes and the products of the people were channeled into it. It was there that Herod made his orgy of death (Mk 6:21-29). Tiberiades was the city of the palaces of the King, where those who wore soft, delicate dresses lived (cf. Mt 11:8). The Gospels do not record that Jesus ever entered this city.
b) The large estates. Scholars say that during the long government of Herod, the large estates grew, causing harm to community property. The Book of Enoch denounces the lords of the land and expresses the hope of the little ones: “And then the powerful and the great will no longer be the lords of the land” (En 38:4). The ideal of ancient times was the following: “Each one will peacefully sit under his vine and nobody will frighten them” (1 Mac 14:12; Mic 4:4; Zech 3:10). But the politics of the government of Herod made this ideal impossible.
c) The class of functionaries. Herod created a whole class of functionaries faithful to the project of the King: the Scribes, the merchants, the lords of the land, the officers of the market, the tax collectors, the militia, the policemen, the judges, the local heads. In every village there was a group of people which supported the government. In the Gospels, some Pharisees appear together with the Herodians (Mk 3:6; 8:15; 12:13), and that shows the alliance between the religious power and the civil power. The life of the people in the villages was very controlled, both by the government and by the religion. Much courage was necessary to begin anything new as John and Jesus did! It was the same as attracting to yourself the anger of the privileged ones, both from the religious and the civil powers.
• Matthew 14:1-2. Who is Jesus for Herod? The text begins by telling about the opinion which Herod had of Jesus: "This is John the Baptist himself, he has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in Him.” Herod tries to understand Jesus starting from the fear which assailed him after murdering John. Herod was very superstitious and hid his fear behind the ostentation of his riches and his power.
• Matthew 14:3-5: The hidden cause of the murder of John. Galilee, the land of Jesus, was governed by Herod Antipas, the son of King Herod the Great, from the year 4 BC until the year 38 AD. Forty-three years in all! During the lifetime of Jesus, there were no changes of government in Galilee! Herod was the absolute lord of everything; he did not render an account to anyone; he did whatever passed through his mind: arrogance, lack of ethics, absolute power, without control from the people! But the one who ruled Palestine since the year 63 BC was the Roman Empire. Herod, in Galilee, so as not to be dismissed, tried to please Rome in everything. Above all, he insisted on an efficient administration which would bring riches to the Empire. His concern was his own promotion and his security. For this reason, he repressed any type of subversion. Matthew says that the reason for murdering John was because John had denounced Herod, because Herod had married Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. Flavius Joseph, a Jewish writer of that time, says that the true reason for the imprisonment of John the Baptist was Herod’s fear that there would be a popular revolt. Herod liked to be called the benefactor of the people, but in reality he was a tyrant (Lk 22:25). John’s denunciation of Herod was the drop that caused the glass to overflow: “It is against the Law for you to have her.” And John was put in prison.
• Matthew 14:6-12: The plot of the murderer. An anniversary and a festive banquet, with dances and orgy! Mark says that in the feast were “the great of the court, the officials and the important people of Galilee” (Mk 6:21). This is the environment in which the murder of John the Baptist is planned. John, the prophet, was a living denunciation of that corrupt system. This is why he was eliminated, as a personal revenge. All this reveals the moral weakness of Herod. So much power accumulated in the hands of one man, unable to control himself! In the enthusiasm of the feast and from the wine, Herod makes a promise by oath to Salome, the young dancer, daughter of Herodias. Superstitious as he was, he thought that he had to respect this oath and respond to the caprice of the girl, and because of this he ordered the soldier to bring the head of John on a tray and give it to the dancer, who then gave it to her mother. For Herod, the life of his subjects was worthless. He disposes of them as he would the staircases in his house!
The three characteristics of the government of Herod: the new capital, large estates, and the class of functionaries:
a) The New Capital. Tiberiade was inaugurated when Jesus was only 20 years old. It was called that in order to please Tiberius, the emperor of Rome. It was inhabited by the lords of the earth, the soldiers, the policemen, the unscrupulous judges (Lk 18:1-4). The taxes and the products of the people were channeled into it. It was there that Herod made his orgy of death (Mk 6:21-29). Tiberiades was the city of the palaces of the King, where those who wore soft, delicate dresses lived (cf. Mt 11:8). The Gospels do not record that Jesus ever entered this city.
b) The large estates. Scholars say that during the long government of Herod, the large estates grew, causing harm to community property. The Book of Enoch denounces the lords of the land and expresses the hope of the little ones: “And then the powerful and the great will no longer be the lords of the land” (En 38:4). The ideal of ancient times was the following: “Each one will peacefully sit under his vine and nobody will frighten them” (1 Mac 14:12; Mic 4:4; Zech 3:10). But the politics of the government of Herod made this ideal impossible.
c) The class of functionaries. Herod created a whole class of functionaries faithful to the project of the King: the Scribes, the merchants, the lords of the land, the officers of the market, the tax collectors, the militia, the policemen, the judges, the local heads. In every village there was a group of people which supported the government. In the Gospels, some Pharisees appear together with the Herodians (Mk 3:6; 8:15; 12:13), and that shows the alliance between the religious power and the civil power. The life of the people in the villages was very controlled, both by the government and by the religion. Much courage was necessary to begin anything new as John and Jesus did! It was the same as attracting to yourself the anger of the privileged ones, both from the religious and the civil powers.
4) Personal questions
• Do you know any people who died victims of corruption and
domination of the powerful? And here among us, in our community and in the
Church, are there victims of authoritarianism and of the abuse of power?
• Herod, the powerful, who thought he was the lord of life and death of people, was a coward before the great and a corrupt flatterer before the girl who danced. Cowardice and corruption marked the exercise of Herod’s power. Compare all this with the exercise of religious power and civil corruption in the different levels of society.
• Herod, the powerful, who thought he was the lord of life and death of people, was a coward before the great and a corrupt flatterer before the girl who danced. Cowardice and corruption marked the exercise of Herod’s power. Compare all this with the exercise of religious power and civil corruption in the different levels of society.
5) Concluding Prayer
The humble have seen and are glad.
Let your courage revive, you who seek God.
For God listens to the poor;
He has never scorned His captive people. (Ps 69:32-33)
Let your courage revive, you who seek God.
For God listens to the poor;
He has never scorned His captive people. (Ps 69:32-33)
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