Before I hit up today's Gospel, I want to take a look back at the first reading. I am not gonna lie, I always avoided reading Ecclesiastes and it was because I couldn't stand that darn Byrd's song, Turn, Turn, Turn. For whatever reason it drove me nuts and at the same time kept me out of this incredible book of the bible....my BAD! This is not an uplifting optimistic view of the world, but we can learn a lot from this book!
Today's reading makes this life sound so hopeless! It starts us off talking about vanity and that all things are in vain! We work, but it doesn't matter because we are just going to eventually be replaced. The sun will come up and go down, but nothing changes. There is no such thing as something new, everything has happened and will just happen again. We are also being told we won't be satisfied with anything we hear or see.
Then, we turn to our Gospel and in it we learn of Herod the tetrarch's obsession with trying to find and see Jesus.
Why would these readings be put together? I think it is because Herod seems to be searching for something but he doesn't want to see and hear the truth. He is not satisfied because he is not truly seeking God, but is looking to please the people around him. He isn't searching for Jesus for the right reasons, he is almost start struck by the idea of finding and meeting him.
Herod liked John the Baptist, he respected John the Baptist even though John spoke against Herod and his relationship with his brother's wife. John didn't pull punches, he told Herod he was wrong and living in sin. This really made the wife mad but Herod was fearful of John because he knew he was righteous. He was perplexed by John because he was condemning Herod's behavior, yet Herod enjoyed listening to him speak, so Herod kept John in custody.
Ultimately Herod had John beheaded, but not because it is what he wished, but because of an oath he made in front of other's. Rather than looking bad or going back on his oath, he had John killed. He was much more concerned with pleasing the people around him than doing what was right or what he wanted to do.
Are you someone who seems to be searching for meaning in life and looking for something more in this world? If you are, take a good hard look at yourself and who it is you are truly trying to please. Are you living for this world and looking to please the people in it, or are you seeking God, His will and honoring him in everything you do?
When you start to focus on God, His will and pleasing Him, only then will you find meaning in this life! Only when you do these things will you find fulfillment and purpose and truly be living!
No comments:
Post a Comment