The Gospel for Friday of the fourth week in Ordinary Time is taken from Mark 6:14, 29th verse. 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 deeds 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 officials 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 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 oath and the guess, 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 prison. He brought him the head on a platter and gave it to the girl. The girl, in turn, gave it to her mother, and when his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb. John the Baptist was considered to be the greatest of the Old Testament prophets. He was the cousin of Jesus, and they spent many hours together. But there was something fundamentally different about them.

John the Baptist was very much part of what the Old Testament stood for, and that was obedience to rules and laws. Jesus, concerned about those things, was different. He was a man who was always speaking about grace, forgiveness, understanding. It’s clear that the voice of John the Baptist was silenced when Jesus voice spoke on this planet. It’s a beautiful image of a transition of one voice ceasing to be the voice of God and God incarnate becoming the new voice. The closing prayer Father, it’s not difficult for a situation to come up where we are always obligated simply to whatever the law requires.

But we know along with that kind of justice, there is also this mysterious thing called mercy. Fill us with the capacity to know how to deal with these situations. Yes, the law is important, but a spirit of love and understanding and compassion is also equally important. And we need to do both. And we ask this in Jesus name, Amen.