Friday in the Fourth Week of Ordinary Time, February 4, 2022

Mark 6:14-29

King Herod heard about Jesus, 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 harbored 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. Herodias 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. His 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?” Her mother 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.

The question of the Lord’s identity hangs over the Gospel of St. Mark until its end, when Jesus declares to the high priest that he was indeed the Christ, the Son of the Blessed God, and that he would “see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of the power of God and coming with the clouds of heaven” (Mark 14, 62).  Though the high priest rejects this, a Gentile centurion would later confirm it: “Indeed this man was the Son of God” (Mark 15, 29).  All through his ministry the Lord had made his identity known: at Nazareth, when he read the prophecy of Isaiah and claimed that this was fulfilled in him; when he declared to the Pharisees that he was the Lord of the Sabbath; when he displayed his power over the storm to the Apostles; and on many other occasions, such as when he referred to himself as “the son of man”.  Yet the people, the Jewish leadership, and even the Apostles were slow to understand, and to move from understanding to belief.  Here, we see Herod voicing the opinion that Jesus was John the Baptist, as though the spirit of John had settled on another man.  Others believed this as well.  And, as we see here, another opinion had him as Elijah, come back down from heaven, or that he was a new Prophet, centuries after the death of the last of the Prophets.  It is almost as though people went to great lengths to deny that Jesus was who he said he was while having to admit the evidence of his power in some way.  

The question of the Lord’s identity brings Mark to write about the end of John the Baptist’s life on earth.  That is, by describing it, Mark makes clear that Jesus is in no way John the Baptist.  That Matthew and Luke also tell this story indicates how widespread was the error that Jesus was in some way John the Baptist, so that it needed to be refuted.  All the Evangelists make it abundantly clear that the ministry of the Lord was underway before John died.  It is also pointed out through the lips of the people, “John indeed did no sign” (John 10, 41). 

At the same time, the story of John’s death can be compared to that of the Lord for our benefit.  For instance, both were hated by the Jewish authorities in Jerusalem, yet both were condemned by the civil authorities.  John was executed through the machinations of a fearful woman; Jesus was condemned through the efforts of the fearful Jewish high priests.  Herod showed no inclination to kill John after he imprisoned him; Pontus Pilate desired to set Jesus free, seeing no guilt in him.  Fear of losing face before his guests caused Herod to order John’s death; fear of a riot by the people caused Pilate to order the crucifixion of Jesus.  The disciples of John buried his body; disciples of Jesus buried his Body.

We believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and so we must believe all the promises he has made to us.  Particularly in the midst of confusion and scandal within the Church as well as persecution from unbelievers, it is tempting to give up living publicly as Christians who seek to spread the Faith and to just get along.  But Christ is indeed who he said he was and he will prevail and his Church will prevail, for the gates of hell will not stand against it.  Let us pray for the conversion of the world, and also for our continuing conversion so that we may grow in our belief that the Lord will carry out the promises he has made to us.