The two readings for mass today are about celebrations and parties. God gave Moses instructions on how to celebrate a jubilee year in the old testament reading and in the gospel reading today, Herod threw a big feast too. What a contrast between the two leaders in the readings and the outcome of the celebrations they threw as well. Moses set a good example as the leader of his people, by consulting God at length before making any plans for his people. Not so with Herod. Herod made a hugely important decision that cost a man’s life, on the spur of the moment just because Herodias’ daughter danced so well. Perhaps he had a few too many glasses of wine at the dinner and his judgement was already clouded, or maybe he just got caught up in the moment, but whatever reason it was, Herod spoke too quickly. He didn’t take time to think about what he said and the gospel reading says that “The king was grieved”. He went ahead and had John the baptist beheaded though, rather than lose face in front of his guests. People today do things they later regret too, if they’ve had a little too much to drink at dinner or socially with friends, hopefully with less drastic consequences. Sometimes though, a thoughtless act like having an extra glass of wine at dinner could cause an accident that could take a person’s life too though. It is a decision that can never be undone, just like Herod’s decision wasn’t either. If someone had warned Herod ahead of time that Herodias was scheming to do this, maybe Herod would have made a different decision. People do not always listen, but we should all make an effort to talk our friends when we are young, and later talk to our children and family too about drinking and driving. It could save a person’s life.
Herodias was unabashedly living in an adulterous relationship with Herod’s brother and thought she would silence the one person who had the courage to speak up about it. King David did the same thing, but the difference is that he repented of his sin of adultery and murder and from what we know Herodias and her daughter did not. Sin has a way of piling up on itself and becoming a mountain instead of a mole hill. That is why the Catholic church strongly encourages us to go to confession and confess our venial sins because they lead us on into mortal sins if they are not nipped in the bud.
The thing we might could learn from the gospel today, is to address issues before they become major problems in our lives. The consequences can be devastating if we don’t.
But, the first reading today shows us that God wants us to be happy. He planned a jubilee year for His people. A year of favor. An entire year to be off work and to ensure everyone treats each other fairly. Can you imagine that? How lucky could they be? We had a Jubilee Year in the year 2,000 that was pretty awesome in the Catholic church, but we did not change our whole way of life during that year. The thing that is most striking about the first reading today is that God wanted his people to find joy, to experience a deep down sense of joy. When was the last time you felt joy? What is it that brings joy into your life? Today might be a good day to remember the last time you experienced joy. When were you the most happiest in your life and why? Is there anything you can do to recreate a bit of that joy in your life today? God does not want us to be unhappy. Unhappiness is the result of sin, either our own or other people’s sin, like the beheading of John the baptist and it’s effect on Jesus and his disciples. Peace, happiness and joy can only be found by listening to Jesus and living by God’s commandments.
