Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection February 07, 2025
4th Week in Ordinary Time
07th February 2025 (Friday)
Psalter: Week 4
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Hebrews 13:1-8
Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels. Be mindful of prisoners as if sharing their imprisonment, and of the ill-treated as of yourselves, for you also are in the body. Let marriage be honored among all and the marriage bed be kept undefiled, for God will judge the immoral and adulterers. Let your life be free from love of money but be content with what you have, for he has said, I will never forsake you or abandon you. Thus we may say with confidence: The Lord is my helper, and I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me? Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Psalm 27:1, 3, 5, 8b-9abc (R. 1a)
R/. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Gospel Acclamation
V/. Alleluia
R/. Alleluia
V/. Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart, and yield a harvest through perseverance.
R/. Alleluia.
Gospel: Mark 6:14-29
King Herod heard about Jesus, for his fame had become widespread, and people were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead; That is why mighty powers are at work in him.” Others were saying, “He is Elijah”; still others, “He is a prophet like any of the prophets.” But when Herod learned of it, he said, “It is John whom I beheaded. He has been raised up.” Herod was the one who had John arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married. John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” Herodias harbored a grudge against him and wanted to kill him but was unable to do so. Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and kept him in custody. When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him. Herodias had an opportunity one day when Herod, on his birthday, gave a banquet for his courtiers, his military officers, and the leading men of Galilee. His own daughter came in and performed a dance that delighted Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask of me whatever you wish and I will grant it to you.” He even swore many things to her, “I will grant you whatever you ask of me, even to half of my kingdom.” She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” Her mother replied, “The head of John the Baptist.” The girl hurried back to the king’s presence and made her request, “I want you to give me at once on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” The king was deeply distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests he did not wish to break his word to her. So he promptly dispatched an executioner with orders to bring back his head. He went off and beheaded him in the prison. He brought in the head on a platter and gave it to the girl. The girl in turn gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
Daily Gospel Reflection
Friday – 4th Week in Ordinary Time
Main Point: True greatness does not come from one’s own capacities or world’s resources but from God and His mercy and power
In the gospel, we have contrasting figures: on one hand, on the side of the right, there is John the Baptist, and on the other side of the wrong, we have Herod, Herodias and her daughter. John the Baptist was a righteous and holy man; he stands as a tower of truth, justice and courage. But the others crumble as broken pieces, as persons of deviated passions, unholy and ungodly, self- interested and self-seeking, justifying and supporting the wrong, and harming and destroying others.
In the light of the first reading from the letter to Hebrews, John the Baptist was the one, who could confidently acclaim, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid; what man can do to me?” On the other hand, Herod, Herodias and her daughter were shallow, evil-minded, and harmful. Truly, Herod and Herodias breached the admonition of the letter to the Hebrews, which insists: “Let marriage be held in honour, and let the marriage bed be undefiled”. Each of these has their own defective orientation.
Herod stands for the man, immoral, money-bound and discontented. He shows such a weak character that he easily succumbs to the destructive request of Herodias to kill John the Baptist. That is why he does not contest or revoke the evil plan of Herodias. He is a man who carries a false status and dignity. He makes a false promise to Herodias’ daughter to give away even half of his kingdom. In his false fidelity and remaining true to his promise, he commits a grievous sin. Herodias stands for a woman off the track, a woman of immorality, grudge and cruelty. Herodias’ daughter stands for a weakling who has no backbone to judge, discern and decide and do – all by herself. She blindly obeys her mother, and gets John the Baptist beheaded at her mother’s instruction. She is so gullible that she is simply misguided by her evil mother. Certainly, all these negative qualities are present in all of us.
My Practice: Doing the wrong is certainly deplorable, but trying to cover it up, defending it and destroying all those who are right and opposed to the wrong is more heinous.
