HOMILY FOR THURSDAY OF THE TWENTY-FIFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A.
HOMILY THEME : MESSAGE OF SALVATION
BY: Fr. Benny Tuazon
HOMILY:
(Lk. 9:7-9)
In the day’s Gospel Jesus’ presence bothers Herod the tetrarch. Because of His messages, they thought that John the Baptist, whom he beheaded had come back to life. We remember that he ordered John’s beheading upon the request of the daughter of Herodias, his brother’s wife, as a favor he promised because of a beautiful dance.
John admonished Herod for the immoral relationship which also angered Herodias and since then tried to find a way to kill John. But the death of John did not change, rather intensified the message of John. Jesus’ presence even intensified John’s call to repentance. Herod must have bern bothered. The Gospel writer even noted that Herod wanted to meet Him.
Herodias and partly Herod thought that killing John would free them to continue their scandalous relationship. They were wrong. The message of John persisted in Jesus. In the process, they felt more the admonition. Marcos or maybe his aides thought that by killing Ninoy, the opposition and expositions on his government would stop. We know the story. It snowballed and gathered unexpected support which led to his toppling.
Two thousand years ago and years after John’s death, Jesus was also put to death on the cross. Yet, Jesus’ message did not die with Him. It grew to be a very big institution and are composed of committed and dedicated people called Christians.
The truth lingers and does not die. Suppressing it even pushes its spread and effect. Let us welcome it instead. Let the truth ran its course and we will be good.
