Prompted by her mother, she said,
matthew 14:8
“Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”
Reflection
Because of Jesus’ reputation, Herod believes that he is John the Baptist raised from the dead. The Gospel continues to explain how Herod has John executed because of his wife’s daughter who requested this of him.
In this well-known story, Herodias tells her daughter to ask for John the Baptist’s head on a platter. Herodias disliked John because she married her husband’s brother. The daughter was most likely simply obeying her mother’s instructions in this case. How can a loved one lead someone astray and make them become complicit in an evil act?
Sometimes we do things our loved ones tell us because they are close to us. Most times, what we are asked to do isn’t a moral question. But other times, it is. Alternatively, we are asked to accept their actions and support them even when the action is immoral or against Church teaching, such as IVF, cohabitation, sex before marriage, etc. We cannot blindly accept their actions simply because they are a close friend or relative. As Catholics, we are called to declare the truth and live according to Church teachings. How can you stand up for your faith today?
Saint of the Day
St. Peter Julian Eymard: 1811 – 1868
“The greatest grace of my life has been a lively faith in the Blessed Sacrament since my childhood. The Holy Eucharist is Jesus, past, present and future.”
St. Peter Julian Eymard
The Healing Word 