Homily for Friday of the 4th Week in Ordinary Time Cycle II (2)

Homily for Friday of the 4th Week in Ordinary Time Cycle II

Theme: SPIRIT OF COURAGE

By: Fr Gerald M Musa

Homily for Friday February 4 2022

It is easier to flatter powerful people than to tell them some hard truths. Even when things are going the wrong direction in the society, we lack the courage to stand up and speak out. It is common to hear hard truths come out only from the lips of the mentally ill, drunkards or even comedians who cannot be held accountable for their speech. John the Baptist spoke the truth fearlessly to King Herod. He denounced the injustice of the king who seized and married his brother’s wife. John knew his role and mission as prophet was to challenge and afflict the powerful and comfortable who had lost their humanity, sensitivity, and ethical values. Herod loved to listen to John but his illegitimate wife Herodias hated John. She demanded for the head of John the Baptist through her daughter. Herod could not resist her wicked and vindictive demand. John was killed for speaking the truth bravely. An African proverb says, “A brave man dies once, a coward a thousand times.” Having killed John, Herod heard about Jesus and wondered if it was John the Baptist who came back to life. Evidently, he was haunted, tormented and afraid of his past. Guilty conscience overshadowed him. “The evil that men do lives after them” says Marc Anthony in Shakespeare’s book, Julius Caesar. Can we stand and speak out with the same courage and conviction of John the Baptist?

Mark 6:14-29 Friday, 4 th Week