DGeMs- Daily Gospel eMessage
Dear Friend in the Lord,
Evil of Revenge: In today’s Gospel, Herodias preferred to have John the Baptist beheaded for telling the truth about her adulteress living with king Herod than to have half the wealth of his kingdom. Revenge has no bounds and can destroy our lives. The beginning of wisdom is admitting that we are sinners.
Fr Philip Heng, S.J.
Mark 6:22-28a
When the daughter of 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.