Two verses - much to ponder
Our Gospel for today is only a few verses - two verses to be exact. In these two verses we hear about King Herod trying to figure out the commotion taking place. He wants answers! Is there a prophet out there that is more powerful and popular than John the Baptist? At the end we read that he is trying to find this individual. We read he is trying to find Jesus, but he was not having much luck. How hard was he looking? He is a king, so shouldn’t he have the means to get to the bottom of this? For a powerful king, you would think he would have seen Jesus whenever he pleased. Maybe Jesus eluded Herod because he knew Herod’s intentions were selfish. This powerful monarch is having a hard time controlling this situation. Maybe as king he could control some stuff, but not this!
There is much we can reflect upon from these two verses. We can compare and contrast King Herod’s power and the power of God. We can think about what prompts us when we seek Jesus in prayer. Do we look for our Lord with hearts motivated by healthy, loving curiosity? Maybe today’s gospel is a sobering reminder that we cannot control everything. Or maybe today’s gospel is a reminder to us to always place our trust in God’s almighty power, and that the course of events are in God’s hands. Lastly, our Gospel can remind us to keep an eye out for our Lord and see Him working in our lives and in others. God bless and stay safe!
In Christ,
Fr. Steve Breck
Pastor, St. Mary Magdalene
