[stephenkhoo]

Friday, 03 February, 2012, 4th Week, Ordinary Time
CONFUSION IN LOVE CAN ONLY BE ENLIGHTENED BY CHRIST
SCRIPTURE READINGS: SIR 47:2-11; MK 6:14-29

The human heart is so devious and complicated. This is because we are all fallen creatures. We have been wounded in our hearts and hence are not capable of steadfast and faithful love. As a result, even in our desire to love, we do not love as we ought. Quite often, our insecurity and lustful inclinations corrupt the purity of love we give to others.

As we read today’s gospel drama about the execution of John the Baptist, we cannot but sympathize not only with the hero of the story but also the protagonist in the person of King Herod. Of course he was very much influenced by Herodias, his brother’s wife whom he took for his own, and Herodias’ daughter. Our first reaction of course is to condemn Herod and those responsible for the killing of John the Baptist. Yet, if we are more compassionate, these so called villains in the story deserve sympathy and pity.

The truth is that quite often the head and the heart do not always collaborate well. I would like to believe that Herod was a sincere man but confused in love. Like all of us, I would think that he desperately wanted to be loved and to give love. Adultery is but a reflection of man’s instability in his heart. He knew that adultery is wrong, yet he could not overcome his desire to be loved by Herodias. Isn’t this the case for many who are caught in extra marital affairs?

I suggest that Herod was not a bad man all together, for he still had a conscience. Knowing that he had done his brother wrong, he was keen to hear the preaching of John the Baptist. Deep in his heart, he knew the prophet spoke the truth. But he was not able to align his wounded will to do the right thing. As a result he lived in guilt. We can be sure that even in his adulterous marriage, he never found peace and happiness in that relationship. Isn’t this also the case for many men and women who are in such a relationship? They know they should not be having mistresses or extra marital affairs, yet they are powerless in their attraction to love, especially when their own marriages are not empowering.

At the same time, many of these people are caught in the bind, like Herod. He must have felt responsible to Herodias who was vindictive because of the constant admonitions from John the Baptist. Even in our sinfulness, we have our pride. No one wants to admit that he or she is wrong. We would do everything to defend ourselves and cover up our sins. So, too, Herodias must have been so humiliated by John the Baptist that instead of repenting, she reacted with anger, leading to violence and murder. She wanted to get rid of John the Baptist so that she need not have to face the ugly truth about herself. Indeed, isn’t this also our experience when we are under threat because of the fear of being exposed in our misdeeds?

Herodias’ daughter was also as involved in this whole drama. Yes, in every broken marriage or irregular relationship, children are inevitably involved. The daughter surely loved the mother and either felt obliged to protect her dignity or was even emotionally coerced to side with her mother. She was the innocent party, but her conscience was too weak and uninformed to differentiate between what was right and what was wrong. So she blindly followed her mother’s grisly request.

In the final analysis, what we see is the failure of love in human relationships. Instead of love, we are controlled by lust, which is a manifestation of self-centered love. It is suggested that Herod could make such an incredible promise to Herodias’ daughter after her dance because she did a dance of seven veils where she stripped herself, one veil after another, so much so that Herod delighted in her dance and feasted on her body.

So, regardless whether it was Herod or the rest of the characters, all were caught in this cruel cycle of lust, hatred and revenge. Yet, if we look deep within these so called vicious hearts, there is the desire for love. We can be certain that Herod was so disgusted with himself and his actions that he could not bring himself to see the head of John the Baptist but had it passed over to the mother immediately by one of his bodyguards. The fact that he continued to have nightmares over John the Baptist’s death is indicative of a guilty conscience haunting him for the rest of his life.

In reality, his sin of adultery was no different from that committed by King David. But it is good to note that David’s sin was glossed over in the first reading. He was praised for all the good works he did, but as for the grave sin of adultery, it was not even mentioned specifically. How did history come to give King David such a glorious report in spite of his horrible and unpardonable sin of adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband?

The difference between King David and King Herod is that one repented upon the awakening of his conscience whilst the other did not. King Herod was too weak to repent. He allowed sin to overcome him. The point is not what sin we have committed, or that we are sinners, because we all are. What is poignant is that all of us, in different ways, have failed to love our loved ones and been unfaithful as well. But if we are ready to hear the Word of God through the prophets that come into our lives, be they priests, the Word of God, family members or friends, then salvation is just a step away. God desires to forgive us and set us free. We must be grateful to such prophets in our lives. It is not easy to be a prophet like John the Baptist. Who wants to be persecuted for doing good and for speaking the truth? In fact, most of us would prefer to keep silent than suffer for doing the right things. Hence, instead of persecuting the prophets of God, we must ask for humility to accept their reprimands and examine ourselves.

Having said this, we must also realize that whilst our sins are forgiven, the consequences of our sins cannot be forgiven as the effects will unfold themselves in time. Hence, we must be ready in humility to accept the pain and effects of sin as means for our purification in love and fidelity. Through the hearing of the Word of God, we get in touch with God and the deepest core of our hearts, our conscience. To listen to our conscience is to allow the reign of God to triumph in our lives. We have a choice either to rule our own will, like King Herod, or to allow God to rule our hearts, like King David. What is your choice today?