Saturday – 17th Week in Ordinary Time    (revisited)

Gospel – Matthew 14:1-12

Gotcha!

Old City of Jerusalem

Remember when you were little and you did something wrong?  Maybe you broke something and then tried to hide the evidence.  Maybe you stole something or played with matches.  Maybe you lied to your parents, maybe more than once!   And nothing happened!  You thought you got away with it and you breathed a sigh of relief.  And then later on, days even months, suddenly the truth comes out and bites you in the rear.  You thought all was well and then it all comes back to haunt you.

That’s what happens to Herod Antipas in today’s Gospel.  He hears about Jesus, the preacher, the miracle worker.  And his first thought is – oh no, John the Baptist is risen from the dead.  He has come back to torment me again, even though I had him beheaded.

Herod had let his insecurities, his fears and selfish desires, rule his life.  He allowed them to shape his decisions even though he knew what was truly right and what was wrong.  At times, we all fall into that trap.  We give in to our personal desires and weaknesses even though we know better.  And as time goes on, we tell ourselves that we are just fine, we got away with it!  And then it goes and hits us right in the face.

We all make bad choices; we all falter along the way.  But even when we do fall, God is there – not to say “Gotcha” but there to help us shake off the dust and get back on our feet, to offer a loving hand, to forgive!  Let’s never forget that!

Great Spirit, we are all trying to stay on the right path but we know we sometimes stumble and fall.  Be with us today.  Keep our eyes clear and steady, our heart pure and open to your counsel.  Give us the courage to stand and the wisdom to carry on.

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