Thoughts on...
July 12, 2009: 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Gospel Lesson: Mark 6:14-29

Choices...we all have to make them. Some are harder than others. Some lead to hardship and pain others to grace and acceptance. Herod had a choice to make. He had heard John preach and was perplexed, perhaps mildly interested in John's message of repentance but there was fear there as well. Herod was not living a picture perfect Godly life. His life was more of a soap opera in nature.

On that fateful day Herod was living it up, it was a party and the beautiful daughter of Herodias was dancing for Herod and his friends. With too much partying in his system, he offered her anything she wanted. The daughter of Herodias went to her mother, "What should I ask for?" The response, "John's head on a platter."

This is where Herod's big choice comes in, does he go back on his promise and save John from death or does he simply give Herodias and her daughter what they want?

Yes, it was a difficult decision, to save face or stand up for what was honorable. Herod chose to save face. It was a dark day. Grace did not abound and Herod had to live with the decision, and I'm certain it tormented him.

Life throws us curve balls, hard decisions must be made, and in the end we must live with the choices we make. Life is not easy and as it turns out easy choices aren't as easy as they seem for in the end they cost you more than you could ever imagine.