July 31, 2021
Saturday for the Seventeenth Week for Ordinary Time
Readings for Today
Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Priest—Memorial
Listen for English
Herod wey be tetrarch hear about how Jesus name don spread, and e tell im servants, “This man na John the Baptist. E don rise from the dead; na why mighty powers dey work inside am.” Matthew 14:1–2
Herod wey be tetrarch dey among three brothers and one sister wey become rulers for the 1st century to take over from their papa, Herod the Great, when e die for 4 B.C. Herod rule plenty of the land for the west side of the Sea of Galilee. Na for that area Jesus spend most of Im time during Im public ministry. Herod still rule one area just for the east side of the Dead Sea, where e put John the Baptist for prison and later kill am. People know Herod as person wey dey do plenty building work, and dem especially know am because of the part wey e play for the deaths of Saint John the Baptist and Jesus.
Remember say Herod don take im brother wife, Herodias, as im own wife, and John the Baptist speak openly against this. Na because of this Herod order make dem arrest John, and later cut off im head as Herodias request, because she take wetin John the Baptist talk against her as personal attack. But Herod get one kind strange admiration for John the Baptist.
The Gospel passage wey we quote above show one kind unusual thing wey Herod talk. After e don kill Saint John the Baptist, e hear about how Jesus name don spread as Jesus dey travel all through the land wey Herod dey rule, dey preach and dey do plenty mighty works. News about Jesus spread fast and soon reach even Herod ear. So why Herod come think this strange thing, say Jesus must be John the Baptist wey don rise from the dead? Even though we no know for sure, we fit still consider wetin fit make am think so.
For the way the Gospel of Mark tell this story, we read say, “Herod fear John, because e know say John na righteous and holy man, and e keep am for prison. When e hear John speak, e dey very confused, but e still like to listen to am” (Mark 6:20). E fit be say Herod get small spark of faith, but na im strong desires and hunger for power dey control am in the end. Maybe na why e first keep John the Baptist alive for im prison. E still look like say Herod get some kind regret or fear because e cut off John head. And na most likely because of this Herod think of John straightaway when e first hear about Jesus and the “mighty powers” wey dey work inside Am.
Regret, fear and guilt na things wey conscience wey no get peace dey often cause. Herod wey be tetrarch na clear example of wetin dey happen when we no settle that struggle inside us. The only way to settle the confusion inside conscience wey dey struggle na to accept the truth with humble heart and follow am. Imagine say Herod don repent and turn back to God. Imagine say e don look for Jesus, confess im sins and beg for forgiveness. That story for glorious well-well. Instead, wetin we see na the example of one man wey don lose road and still stubbornly remain for im sin.
Today, reflect on this unholy example wey Herod show. God fit use everything for Im glory, and E fit even use Herod example to show us any similar tendency wey dey inside us. You dey struggle with regret, fear and guilt? This dey cause struggle inside you? The good news be say humble heart wey dey seek the truth fit easily settle this struggle. Seek the truth: admit any sin wey don stay for your life for long and wey you need to deal with, and allow God mercy enter so that e go set you free.
My merciful Jesus, You want make everybody experience freedom from the sins of the past. You want enter deep inside our hearts to settle the things wey dey trouble us and bring peace. Abeg, help me open my mind and heart to You for those areas wey still dey cause pain and regret, and help me make Your mercy wey no get end set me free. Jesus, na You I trust.
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Meditations on Scripture for Ordinary Time
Saint for Today – Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Priest
Main picture wey dey above: Herod the Great by James Tissot, through Wikimedia Commons
