That's Some Kind of Dance

The further we get along in this Lenten journey, the more I feel that my devotion is beginning  to wane.  How miserably predictable.  Must it always be so?  By now, I can almost hear Jesus crying out from the garden, "can't you at least hold on long enough to pray with me?"  Or in my case, can't you at least keep up with your own devotional reflection?  Really?

Sorry for Wednesday's absence.  I ask your forgiveness.

For today, I am intrigued by Mark's depiction of the death of John the Baptist.  Most of all, I love the nature of Herod's admiration of this pivotal figure within the larger gospel story: When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him (6:20).  Under the circumstances, this sounds like good preaching!

Despite John's approval rating with Herod, however, he is nevertheless beheaded at the request of Herodias...and all because of a really good dance!  Isn't it amazing to consider the promises we choose to keep, and the ones we let slide?  In this case, its okay for Herod's people to murder John the Baptist, as long as the king gets to keep his oath to his most seductive lobbyist, Herodias.

Amazingly, no one bothers to stop and ask whether this is really a good idea.  Sure, the king is "deeply grieved, " but not enough to reconsider.  Can't disappoint his guests, now can he?  Of course not...they're backing his campaign (6:26).

The reading from Exodus 20:13, however, would beg to differ.  You shall not murder.


Of course, the death of John, "a righteous and holy man" (6:20), foreshadows the death of Jesus. Soon, our Lord will be the one who is sold out, strung out, and hung out to die as a result of another sort of political dance.  Like Herod and Pilate before us, some will grieve and some will look to wash their hands of it, but no one will be willing to stop it; not even God.

Naturally, this has serious implications for those who choose to follow the way of Christ.  Without question, doing the will of God in Mark's gospel is both difficult and dangerous.

John Wesley called it a "vain hope" that "a child of Adam should ever expect to see the kingdom of Christ and of God without striving, without agonizing first 'to enter in at the strait gate'" (Sermon 17:  The Circumcision of the Heart).


Cleanse our hearts, Lord, by your Spirit: that we might praise your holy name.






Darren