Friday of 4th Week in Ordinary Time
Feast of St. Blase
Sir 47: 2-11; Mark 6: 14-29
Deacon Larry Brockman
A tale of two kings. One Godly and the other ungodly. That’s what we hear in today’s scripture. In their day, both of these kings were role models. We can learn much from the stories about these two kings. We will learn about good versus evil; and virtue versus vice.
King David’s story is of the virtuous man. We hear that David offers thanks to God the most high in his every deed and loves his maker with his whole being. David’s focus was on the Lord and praising the Lord. And he defended his people against the Philistines. David was truly working for the benefit of all in his Kingdom, and in this sense, he was selfless. And for this the Lord rewarded David with prosperity. He was indeed a role model, and his praises were sung by the women at the time, as we just heard.
Contrast David with Herod. Herod was notorious for stifling taxation and extravagance. In this short selection we find that Herod has stolen his brother’s wife; envied John the Baptist but feared him; imprisoned John out of that fear and in order to control him; and in an apparent drunken stupor on his birthday, made reckless promises to his stepdaughter in a flurry of swearing and carrying on. And so, he had John the Baptist beheaded. Basically, Herod is a Godless sinner who seems to exhibit wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy, and gluttony all together at once- all seven of the deadly sins. Herod’s focus is on himself- and self-gratification. What a role model he is. But, for the secular society of the day, that is what Herod was- a role model. After all, everyone uses success for a role model. Indeed, the contrast between David and Herod is significant.
That brings us to this question: Who are our role models today? Well, they always seem to be people in power, people in the spotlight. Today, our society focuses on TV and movies for role models- actors, actresses, football and basketball players, pop music artists, top models, billionaires, and reality show personalities. Haven’t these have become our society’s role models? It would certainly seem so. And, as we follow these folks through the stream of life, it is a trail of heartbreak and disaster- divorces, affairs, drug problems, domestic violence, and selfish extravagance, all of which is glorified in the press. Just a single copy of People magazine shows it all. But these are the people our media pushes on us as role models. The problem with this is that our youth- your children and grandchildren, and mine by the way. They are being inundated by worship of the Herods of today. And they soak all of it up like a sponge.
So, we have to find an effective counter to the garbage. And the most effective counter that we have is our own example, the example of believing Christians who live the call- loving, patient, kind, giving, yet zealous Christians in our own families. Because our children and Grandchildren are watching.
And so I would like to pose this simple Question to you: What kind of King or Queen of your household are you? A Herod or a David?
