And she said, "The head of John the Baptist!"

And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.

Now King Herod heard of him, for his name had become well known. And he said, "John the Baptist is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him." Others said, "It is Elijah." And others said, "It is the Prophet, or like one of the prophets." But when Herod heard, he said, "This is John, whom I beheaded; he has been raised from the dead!"

For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; for he had married her. Because John had said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not; for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly. Then an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a feast for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. And when Herodias' daughter herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, "Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you." He also swore to her, "Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom." So she went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask?" And she said, "The head of John the Baptist!" Immediately she came in with haste to the king and asked, saying, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter." And the king was exceedingly sorry; yet, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to refuse her. Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him in prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard of it, they came and took away his corpse and laid it in a tomb.

- Mark 6:13-29

In today's reading, we are given a picture of a tragedy of great sadness, and at the same time, a picture of its effect on the one who's perpetrated it. The first sentence of our reading comes from the end of yesterday's reading. It is telling us about the success of the first mission of the apostles, in which they perform many healings and use Jesus' power as it has been invested in them and shared with them to do. And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.

Now King Herod heard of him, for his name had become well known. And he said, "John the Baptist is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him." Others said, "It is Elijah." And others said, "It is the Prophet, or like one of the prophets." But when Herod heard, he said, "This is John, whom I beheaded; he has been raised from the dead!" King Herod is Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great and governor of Galilee. He's called a king in the popular language. His father, Herod the Great, is the one who ordered the murder of the Holy Innocents, in search of the baby Jesus. Herod Antipas (King Herod in our reading for today) has heard all about Jesus. This happens, tellingly, after the first mission of the apostles, the "soldiers" of Christ as we referred to them in yesterday's commentary, and their success in it. Here we have the ruler of a powerful military, the local ally of Rome, in Herod Antipas. He trembles with fear from the guilt of his crime against John the Baptist.

For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; for he had married her. Because John had said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not; for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly. We are given a flashback here, of the events leading to John the Baptist's death. It's important to remember the great esteem in which all early Christians held John the Baptist. He was the witness to the kingdom, the Forerunner, who came preaching repentance for the One who was to come, the Christ. And he baptized Our Lord. Although Herod himself understood John to be a just and holy man, his position as king, and his marriage to Herodias - his brother's wife - has led him to come down on the side of his material might and power. He has John the Baptist put in prison for speaking against Herod's marriage, which was no doubt a scandal to the people. My study bible notes that Mark's gospel teaches us here about the fearlessness of the Baptist in telling the truth. It adds as well: "What a comment on the righteousness of John the Baptist: the king feared John! The royally clad Herod was frightened of a man clothed in camel's hair, a servant of God who lived out in the desert."

Then an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a feast for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. And when Herodias' daughter herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, "Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you." He also swore to her, "Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom." So she went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask?" And she said, "The head of John the Baptist!" Immediately she came in with haste to the king and asked, saying, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter." And the king was exceedingly sorry; yet, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to refuse her. This story of John's beheading is an important commentary on the "praise of men" which Jesus has told us to avoid, in preference for the "praise of God." We always make choices, we cannot serve two masters. Before all of his guests, Herod has sworn that he will give the girl whatever she wants. When she asks, as instructed by her mother, for the head of John the Baptist on a platter (a testament to the corruption of her mother, Herodias), Herod feels he cannot retreat from this grandiose promise made in front of his guests. Even though he knows that John is "a just and holy man" and he has protected John until now, he cannot bring himself to back down from his promise (a kind of a boast, after all) made in front of his guests in the palace at his birthday feast - his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. This is a spectacle, engineered for the grandest of impressions, the greatest appearance, and the "praise of men." This is the territory, not of the humble apostles who go out without a purse and without bread clad in sandals, but of the great powers of the world, a worldly sense of might and all that goes with it.

Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought. Without another thought, Herod immediately follows through with her hideous request. And he went and beheaded him in prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. A corrupt gift in a sea of corruption. John the Baptist's criticism of Herod's marriage to Herodias was just in its condemnation of the corrupt, whose actions belie the false glittering front of indignation, and reveal the depth of their horrific and bloodthirsty character. What a present for a mother from a devoted daughter; what a request from a "loving" mother.

When his disciples heard of it, they came and took away his corpse and laid it in a tomb. John is returned to his own. My study bible has a note on John's death: "The beheading of John the Baptist is permitted by God. In a world of shameful wickedness, the righteous are afflicted and suffer death, though they are great in the eyes of God." In the Eastern Orthodox tradition, through John's martyrdom the coming of the Savior is announced to souls in Hades, for John is considered to be a forerunner of Jesus there as well as on earth. What we understand here is the power of martyrdom, and the tremendous statement in the gospels by the juxtaposition of earthly power and spiritual righteousness. John's death is a fearless one, made because of his righteousness. In yesterday's commentary, we noted that the Christian spiritual life does not necessarily confer worldly success, the things of which the world brags and chases in its need for appearance and impression. And in today's reading, we could not get a greater contrast telling us about the difference between those who seek the "praise of men" and who seek the "praise of God." John the Baptist is a righteous figure, undoubtedly his contemporaries' idea of a spiritual hero, a great religious figure. We contrast this with the court of Herod Antipas, where all things serve material power, the "greatness" of Empire and all that goes with worldly power and fame and wealth. And in the story, that includes its bloodthirsty underside, an exposure of true character craving for power. Appearances are everything, impression and rank is everything. So how could we get a greater contrast than these two figures?

At this time in Mark's gospel, we read of Herod Antipas as a frightened, guilty man. For all his power and wealth, and his "success" in destroying and beheading his enemy in such bloodthirsty way designed for the greatest humiliation in death, he has nothing but fear. John was a righteous man, and regardless of the horrible way in which it took place, he died a righteous death as a martyr. These stark portrayals of the horrors of unchecked power, and the suffering of the righteous, give us a perhaps startling lesson for today's Lenten theme. But Lent is a time to ponder the realities of our world, that which leads to so much destruction, so many forms of suffering and injustice, the bloodthirstiness of those for whom power is everything. Where does it get them in the end? We are to think of things in a grander picture than our immediate gratification - a seeking of power, wealth, and what we are able to order and control in our world. We seek something else, to please Someone else. This is the message for Lent. How do you make this choice in your life? Remember John's fearlessness. In this spiritual battle, the weapon is righteousness; its accompaniment humility, patience - and sacrifice. We have the heroes of this book to read about. We are not all necessarily called upon to be such great spiritual heroes, but we all have choices to make. How do they affect the choices you make in your life today?