Thursday, September 26, 2002
25th Week in Ordinary Time
1st Reading: Ecl 1:2-11
Gospel: Lk 9:7-9
King Herod heard of all this and did not know what to think, for people
said, "This is John, raised from the dead." Others believed
that Elijah or one of the ancient prophets had come back to life. As for
Herod, he said, "I had John beheaded; who is this man about whom
I hear such wonders?" And he was anxious to see him.
Commentary
That word about Jesus reached the Tetrarch Herod meant that his proclamation of God's reign was making a dent on his contemporaries. It could not be confined anymore to the common masses of people. It reached even the ears of the superstitious ruler of Galilee. He thought that Jesus was the resurrected John the Baptist, whom he beheaded and who had proclaimed the same message of God's reign. He wanted to see him, not to hear his message but simply to satisfy his superstitious curiosity. Sometimes we must admit how superstitious we can be in our pious desires!