A Very Short Homily on Today's Readings

The Scripture Speaks to Today, Once Again

Note: Every day I make a discipline of reading the lectionary texts scheduled for each day. These are the readings for today, as presented by the US Catholic Bishops.

Reading 1 Hebrews 13:1-8

Let brotherly love continue.
Do not neglect hospitality,
for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels.
Be mindful of prisoners as if sharing their imprisonment,
and of the ill-treated as of yourselves,
for you also are in the body.
Let marriage be honored among all
and the marriage bed be kept undefiled,
for God will judge the immoral and adulterers.
Let your life be free from love of money
but be content with what you have,
for he has said, I will never forsake you or abandon you.
Thus we may say with confidence:

The Lord is my helper,
and I will not be afraid.
What can anyone do to me?

Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you.
Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 27:1, 3, 5, 8b-9abc

R. (1a) The Lord is my light and my salvation.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life's refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Though an army encamp against me,
my heart will not fear;
Though war be waged upon me,
even then will I trust.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
For he will hide me in his abode
in the day of trouble;
He will conceal me in the shelter of his tent,
he will set me high upon a rock.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Your presence, O LORD, I seek.
Hide not your face from me;
do not in anger repel your servant.
You are my helper: cast me not off.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

Gospel 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.

If I were preaching a service today, this would be my homily:

Today we read of arbitrary and tyrannical government power run amok. King Herod is free to arrest and then to behead John the Baptist at his whim. There is no check on his power. The only thing he fears is looking weak. And so John is murdered.

Psalm 27 is a word of encouragement to frightened people. The psalmist is fearful, in trouble, looking for refuge. His life is threatened and he needs to be concealed, hidden, protected. He reassures himself as he says, “The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom should I fear?” Well, there’s much to fear, including perhaps armed men coming after him, but God is his refuge and helper, and to God he turns.

Hebrews 13 offers moral exhortations to an embattled minority church. It’s “Just Us,” set apart from the world, being reminded to show love, offer hospitality, being mindful of and showing solidarity with prisoners and ill-treated people, exercise bodily self-control and covenant fidelity, stay free of greed, and respect and imitate worthy leaders. The author paraphrases Psalm 27 to reinforce his point.

State power out of control. Frightened people, looking for refuge. A community set apart from the world, living the way of Jesus, trusting in the God who is greater than all earthly powers. This is the picture these three texts present us today.