Wisdom

“When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.” (Mark 6: 29).

Beheading of Saint John the Baptist (Icon)

I have been thinking of the story of the beheading of Saint John the Baptist…  Saint John the Baptist spoke the truth.  And as a result of speaking the truth, he was killed by Herod.

But today the interesting part of this story for me is that Herod sort of got himself caught into doing something that he did not wish to do.  And he did it through his own vanity.  He wanted to show off.  He wanted to show his own value and his own worth.  And the result of that is that he ended up killing not only a man who was innocent, but one who terrified him because he knew that there was something holy there that he should not meddle with…

“King Herod heard of it, for Jesus' name had become known. Some were saying, ‘John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him.’ But others said, ‘It is Elijah.’ And others said, ‘It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.’ But when Herod heard of it, he said, ‘John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.’ For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because Herod had married her. For John had been telling Herod, ‘It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.’ And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him. But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, ‘Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it.’ And he solemnly swore to her, ‘Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.’ She went out and said to her mother, ‘What should I ask for?’ She replied, ‘The head of John the baptizer.’ Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, ‘I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.’ The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.” (Mark 6:14–29).

And I have been thinking about this today.  For it seems that many times in my life I make choices that are the wrong choices.  Many times I am confounded by the decisions in front of me and instead of making decisions that should be improving things, I am left making decisions that make things worse.  And this is especially the case when my pride and vanity are affected.

And today, I pray for the wisdom of Soloman, so that I will always know what decision I need to make…

For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.