Reflection for Saturday 17th Week of Ordinary Time 

By

 

Fr. Aloysius Santiago sdb
Rector and Parish Priest, Bidar

Today's WORD of GOD 

Matthew 14: 1 - 12 

At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, and he said to his attendants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” 

Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.” Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet. 

On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked.  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 his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted and had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother.  John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus. 

Today's Reflection 

Today We See that Herod certainly had a Guilty Conscience because He’d Murdered John at the Request of Herodias’ Daughter (Mt. 14: 8). 

When He Heard of JESUS' Ministry & Some People Erroneously Told Him It was John who Rose from the Dead (Lk. 9: 7). 

Later on, Herod Wanted to Kill JESUS too (Lk. 13: 31) & when He Saw CHRIST during HIS Passion, He (Herod) could only Mock CHRIST & Treat HIM with Contempt (Lk. 23: 11). 

Indeed, Herod was a Bad Leader, a Bad Example, an Unrepentant Fellow; One who Did Nothing to Correct His Conscience but rather Allowed It to be Hardened All the More.

 The Princes & All the People of Judah in Our 1st Reading Today were Attentive to GOD'S WORD through Jeremiah. 

They Neither Followed Popular Opinion Nor Succumbed to the Pressure Mounted by the Evil Minded Priests & Prophets who Wanted Jeremiah Dead. 

Their Conscience were Alive & Active. Indeed They Saved Jeremiah’s Life. 

Herod Couldn’t as much as Save John’s Life even when His Conscience Called Him to Do so. 

We are Told He was Greatly Distressed at heart, but He Couldn’t Rescind His Erroneous, Passion Driven & Unnecessary Promise to Salome. 

The Consequence was the Death of John & of Course, This Lived with Him Always.

 Today is an Invitation to Pay Attention to GOD'S WORD in Us, Our Consciences & Act on Them. 

Today is a Call for Us Not to Harden Not Our Hearts when We Hear GOD'S Voice (Psalm 95: 7- 8). Conscience is GOD'S Voice in Us & the 💓 is where that Voice Lies.

We may Not Want to be Like the Priests & Prophets of Jeremiah’s Day who Closed Their Hearts & Were Bent on Killing the Innocent. 

We may Do Well Never to be Like Herod who Let His Conscience Harden, He Grew Worse by the Day & was Never Repentant of His Past Misdeeds. 

We may Want rather, to be Like the Princes of Judah & Of Course Ahikam, Son of Shaphan who Shielded Jeremiah from Evil Hands. 

We May Awaken Our Consciences by Listening to GOD'S WORD & by Constantly Praying to HIM.

May I Charge Us in the Words of Revelation 3: 20 “Listen, I am Standing at the Door & Knocking” to See & Hear CHRIST Knocking on the Doors of Our Hearts & Our Consciences. 

GOD Wants Us to Build for HIM Suitable & Comfortable Homes of Rest in Our Hearts.

Good Morning

Have a pleasant day and a fantastic weekend