Matthew 14:1-12
Herod rashly gives his word, and so is compelled to kill Saint John the Baptist.
We should not treat our word lightly – in many ways it is the thing which reveals us to the world. Our words show who we are and what we think. In a way, it is right that Herod was bound by his word – society has a right to expect that people be true to their word. However, it is hypocritical to keep someone, obviously inexperienced, or carried away by some passion, to their word and force them to commit murder. In this situation the group around Herod insisted that he keep his “honour” by murdering a prophet of God!
The first reading from Leviticus (Lev 25:1, 8-17) shows another area where human bindings are unjust – those of economics. In our capitalist system it is possible for one generation to sign away all their property and so pauperise their descendants unto generations – how different is God’s law of restoration every fifty years! How revolutionary would such a system be – everyone secure in the knowledge of a fair redistribution of all the goods of the earth, with no-one being impoverished to the point of crushing debt and despair. Conversely, in our “civilisation”, the word that God would have as binding, the marriage vow, that protects children and ensures their protection, is taken as of no consequence. The priorities are clear: the word given to a rich man is binding for all time, from generation to generation, but the word given to provide for children has no force at all.
May God help us all.
ROSARY and LECTIO DIVINA, Michael127 