During
Holy Week we hear the Passion of Our Lord. We read an account on Palm Sunday
and hear the Gospel writer John describe Jesus’ suffering on Good Friday.
During those moments the Church mercifully leaves out what comes before and
after the Gospel lesson. Today though, we did not have that luxury.
After hearing this brutal story of a corrupt, powerful, and witless figure I said, “The Gospel of the Lord.” And, you all responded—perhaps sheepishly—“Praise to you, Lord Christ.” How are we to offer our praise after hearing this? What about this is Gospel—meaning good news? Can we even describe this as positive? Is there any good news in this passage at all? Maybe. But, first we must hear the bad news.
This bit of Mark’s Gospel account opens so strangely. King Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee, a man who reported directly to the emperor, was worried. Herod’s anxiety arose because he began to hear of Jesus of Nazareth. This upstart rabbi reminded him of someone else—John the Baptizer. And, Herod had just beheaded John. But, this is where the story gets even stranger, for the next portion is a flashback. This recollection depicts how Herod’s family used his power against him to murder John the Baptizer. This is bad news indeed.
Now even though Herod answered directly to the emperor, most historians depict him as blundering and weak. A colleague described him as a “murderous, lecherous, gluttonous, incestuous enemy of God.” That about covers it. But, this long flashback sequence still deserves a little more scrutiny.
At the beginning of this remembrance the Baptizer had spoken an unwanted truth to the king. John said one is not to take his brother’s wife. Leviticus outlined this mandate for good communal living. Now, this ought not be confused with caring for a brother’s widow. No, what Herod did was steal his brother Philip’s wife. So, John the Baptist told Herod and Herodias that God did not approve.
Herod though made a weak compromise with Herodias. Herodias wanted John the Baptist killed. Herod, although he was perplexed by John, enjoyed hearing him speak. So, Herod decided to keep John alive, just under lock and key. But, then came Herod’s birthday party.
Mark tells us that an opportunity arose when Herod threw a birthday party for himself and invited a bunch of his powerful friends. The word opportunity stands out here for two reasons. First, opportunity means “happy day.” Herodias saw the day when she could get rid of John as a joyful occasion. Gross! Second, opportunity is the same word used later in Mark’s Gospel account when Judas betrayed Jesus turning him over to his death. And, this brings us to a larger parallel. This story of John’s betrayal and death at the hands of the systems of power prefigures Jesus’ own betrayal and death. It is sounding more and more like bad news, right? Back to today’s story and the opportunity.
Herodias in a ghastly move of desperation sent her daughter into the birthday party to please Herod and his guests. Herod was this young girl’s step-father and uncle making the entire encounter disturbing enough. However, the foolish king quickly gave the girl a chance to make this party even more sadistic. For Herod promised the younger Herodias she could have whatever she wanted, up to half of the kingdom. In the middle of this disgusting birthday party, mother and daughter Herodias had the king right where they wanted him.
This mother-daughter combination pounced on the opportunity, as they asked for John the Baptist’s head. The girl added the gory detail of “on a platter” to her request. Then, the deed was carried out by a hapless soldier. When the man of the guard returned with John’s head on a salver he did not take it to the powerless king, but straight to the girl who promptly and proudly displayed it to her mother. This cannot be good news, right?
This story has to fall under the category of bad news. Jesus is nowhere to be found. The terrible triumvirate of Herod, Herodias, and Herodias never reappear in Mark’s story. And, perhaps most horrifically this flashback to John’s death truly foreshadows what Jesus will face on Good Friday.
So, why are we forced to face Jesus’ death, our Faith’s darkest day, here in the middle of the summer? Why are we thrust into the despair of Holy Week during this long season after Pentecost? Why must we endure this bad news? Where is the Good News?
Everything in Mark’s story of Jesus Christ is connected. Right before this nightmarish flashback the twelve disciples were sent out to do the work of curing the sick and preaching repentance—and they did it well. Right after this story Jesus took the disciples away to rest, but ended up feeding the five thousand. This gross story we heard today then points simultaneously in multiple directions.
First, the power of Jesus’ name was spreading. As Jesus sent out his disciples there were consequences. The power of his name had not only reached those people who yearned for God’s Kingdom to come, but also to those who were threatened by this Good News. We are to share in Jesus’ Good News—that God’s Kingdom has come to all—even with those in power.
Second, when the disciples brought healing and word of God’s Kingdom coming to the towns where they visited, they were welcomed with hospitality—at least for a time. This was not the case with John. For the Baptizer also shared the Truth of God, but he was killed for it. Those in power could not handle what John had to say. We can—when we speak truth to power like John—undergo resistance, persecution, and even harm. God still calls us to preach this Good News even if it gets us into trouble.
Third, most of this ghastly flashback story took place at an exclusive banquet for the elite. As we look forward to the next week’s Gospel lesson we see another gathering—Jesus’ feeding of the Five Thousand. This dinner was a counter-banquet to the murderous, lecherous, gluttonous, and incestuous birthday bash for Herod. All were invited to take part in Jesus’ mass, outdoor, pop-up party.
In these three directions we experience our own opportunities, our own happy days in which God transforms even this gruesome story into something which builds up God’s reign of love on earth. God switches what we are sure is bad into what God knows is good. But, God yearns for us to be a part of this.
We are called to be like the disciples. Friends, we must share the good news of God’s love taking it out into the world with our words, our actions, and our behavior. For this world needs Christ’s message of healing and hope and love. And quite often it will be like the disciples in last week’s Gospel story. We will be met with peace and smiles and hospitality. Sometimes though it will be different.
We are called to share God’s Truth like John the Baptist too. God desires for us to share Good News, and not just with those whom we know will like it. There are countless examples of Christians like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Edith Stein, Óscar Romero, Jonathan Daniels, and Martin Luther King Jr. who in their day spoke truth to power, even though it led them to death. They were not people unlike us, they were folk just like you and me. They and John help us to know that we cannot sit on God’s truth—why would we keep Good News all to ourselves? We must share it—even if it gets us into trouble, good trouble!
And, we are called to make our gatherings ones that look like the feeding of the five thousand, not like Herod’s birthday party. God showed us through Christ Jesus that all are welcome to feed at God’s Table—and yes, that would even include elitists from Herod’s gathering. As we look toward a fuller return to church life this fall—how will we invite everyone to be part of God’s banquet where all are welcome?
Make Jesus’ Good News known in all the world. Share God’s Truth with all, especially those in power who may be threatened by it. Invite everyone to God’s Table where all feast together. Amen.
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