DGeMs- Daily Gospel eMessage
Dear Friend in the Lord,
“Paul’s Martyrdom” – Faith: In today’s Gospel episode the revengeful Herodias, demanded the beheading of John the Baptist, and rejected the wealth of “half the kingdom” of king Herod. Ponder on, “Do we have deep hurts that we still harbour and even desire to seek revenge? Pray for the gift of forgiveness for ourselves and others.”
Fr Philip Heng, S.J.
Mark 6:22-28
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 bodyguard 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.