Herodias harboured a grudge against him and wanted to kill him

FRIDAY 7 FEBRUARY (Mk 6,14-29)

It is a truth. A sin never remains alone. Is is often hidden with another sin. this is the case of David. First he committed the sin of adultery and then of murder in order to hide adultery: “The next morning David wrote a letter to Joab which he sent by Uriah. In it he directed: “Place Uriah up front, where the fighting is fierce. Then pull back and leave him to be struck down dead.” So while Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew the defenders were strong. When the men of the city made a sortie against Joab, some officers of David’s army fell, and among them Uriah the Hittite died” (2Sam 11,14-17). If whoever falls into sin remains in it, he becomes a great temptation for his brothers. In the garden of Eden the woman fell into disobedience, she was made temptation for the man: “The woman saw that the tree was good for food, pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves” (Gen 3,6-7). Finally, a third truth must be added: whoever does not take away his sin from his home, sooner or later will fall victim to it. Herod let himself be tempted by Herodias, his brother’s wife. He took her as his wife and brought her to his home. The woman’s hatred eventually led him, by his foolishness, to kill the prophet of the living God: John the Baptist. Sin rules in the world with strict rules. If these rules are not broken, sooner or later, it suffices knowing how to wait, you will be their victims. Herodias knows that sooner or later Herod will fall. It suffices to wait. She lives with this certainty. Today the king is afraid of killing John. Tomorrow there will be a greater fear that will lead him to kill.

King Herod heard about it, 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 harboured 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.

She 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. Herodias’s 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?” She 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.

A rule that must never be forgotten reveals to us that sinners always draw their strength from sinners. A sin is not a stimulus to the virtues, it is instead an incitement to sin. Salome, Herodias’ daughter, dances a lascivious and lustful dance. The king, who does not live by chastity, lets himself be carried away by that dance and promises with an oath that he would have given her whatever she had asked, even if it was half of his reign. She consults with her mother and asks for John’s head. Whoever does not want to fall into sin, for which he must repent for eternity, will have to pay close attention not only to cultivating the right friendships, but also to keeping away from bad company. In addition, he must make a strong commitment to acquiring every virtue. Vice devours. Sin kills. Transgression weakens and passion seduces. The chain of evil does not break.

Mother of God, Angels and Saints, give us the fortitude in the Holy Spirit to live by virtue.