Thursday, 25th Week in Ordinary Time
Daily Readings: Haggai 1:1-8 & Luke 9: 7 – 9
Reflection Date: September 23, 2021
The gospels narrate to us the personality of John the Baptist with vivid images and words. Moreover, we could describe John the Baptist as a man of conviction, courage, and justice, who condemned the immoral lives of Herod and Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. We read in the Gospels, how when Herodias instigated Herod and so Herod put the prophet to death in a very dramatic manner by yielding to the demand of his daughter and to please his guests.
Nonetheless, the death of the Baptist, instead of liberating Herod, made him more tormented, tortured, and guilty, for it did not give him inner peace and tranquility.
We read in the Gospels especially the evangelist Luke describes the state of mind of Herod in these words: He was perplexed and confused. He was tormented by his own feelings and emotions, which took the upper hand in moments of crucial decision-making. The criminal behavior of Herod and the consequent situation of perplexity reminds us that our every thought of negativity, every word pronounced to spoil the good reputation of others, and every gesture of oppression will return to torment us sooner or later.
Thus, let us cultivate good habits, inculcate noble thoughts, speak edifying words, and treat everyone with respect and dignity. Though it may be difficult, with the grace of God, everything is possible.
Joseph Cardozo SJ | Contributor
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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