Aneel Aranha's video: February 5 2021 - Haunted - A Reflection on Mark 6:14-29

Sin brings with it feelings that could haunt us forever — and burying them doesn’t solve the problem. https://youtu.be/sTnarIcXzLw Scripture Reading: Mark 6:14-29 King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’ name had become known. Some were saying, “John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him.” But others said, “It is Elijah.” And others said, “It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.”For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because Herod had married her. For John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him. But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it.” And he solemnly swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.” She went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” She replied, “The head of John the baptizer.”. Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb. Reflection If Herod were to rise from his grave today, he probably wouldn't be too happy. After all, the world remembers him pretty much only as the guy who ordered the death of John the Baptist. But, as today’s gospel passage tells us, there’s more to Herod than meets the eye. Take the complicated relationship between Herod and John, for instance. Scripture says King Herod feared John, but oddly, he also liked to listen to him. Why do you think that was? It was probably because John himself had no fear of Herod! John had been telling Herod that it was unlawful for him to be with Herodias, his brother’s wife. And it takes a fearless man to point out to a king that he’s making some poor life choices! So Herod probably admired John for this – he knew that the reason that John was able to so fearlessly call him out on his sin, was because John himself was a “righteous and holy man”. And so, hoping perhaps to become fearless like him, Herod had liked to listen to John the Baptist speak. But everything that John had said – his entire mission – had been to point to Jesus’s coming. So when Jesus did come, shouldn't those who had been listening to John (including Herod) have instantly recognised him? The crux of John’s message had been this – “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near”, but Herod seems to have heard only the first part – about repenting – and shut his ears. He didn’t want to repent – he wanted to keep his life with Herodias. And so, when Herod did hear about Jesus and all that he was doing, he was unable to recognise that Jesus was the second part of John’s message; Jesus was the kingdom of heaven, that had come near. But since he had shut his ears, and his heart, to John’s message of repentance, Herod’s response to Jesus was one of fear. “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.”, he said – seeing in Jesus, his sins coming back to haunt him! Sin will do that, won’t it – it brings with it fear, guilt and shame. Jesus came to take away precisely these things, bringing with him hope and salvation. As the gospel writer John tells us, “God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” But unless we accept John the Baptist’s message of repentance, and acknowledge our sins, like Herod, we will not be able to recognise Jesus and the salvation he brings. Think of it like this – Jesus’ sacrifice is like his having already paid the bill for us. But we need to put our sins on the tab for it to be cleared! King Herod saw in Jesus, his sins coming back to haunt him – let us not make that mistake. Let us understand that Jesus wants us to acknowledge our sin…not to haunt us, but to change us. God bless you.