Vanidad & orgullo

Mc 6, 14-29

En aquel tiempo, como la fama de Jesús se había extendido tanto, llegó a oídos del rey Herodes el rumor de que Juan el Bautista había resucitado y sus poderes actuaban en Jesús. Otros decían que era Elías; y otros, que era un profeta, comparable a los antiguos. Pero Herodes insistía: “Es Juan, a quien yo le corté la cabeza, y que ha resucitado”.

Herodes había mandado apresar a Juan y lo había metido y encadenado en la cárcel. Herodes se había casado con Herodías, esposa de su hermano Filipo, y Juan le decía: “No te está permitido tener por mujer a la esposa de tu hermano”. Por eso Herodes lo mandó encarcelar.

Herodías sentía por ello gran rencor contra Juan y quería quitarle la vida; pero no sabía cómo, porque Herodes miraba con respeto a Juan, pues sabía que era un hombre recto y santo, y lo tenía custodiado. Cuando lo oía hablar, quedaba desconcertado, pero le gustaba escucharlo.

La ocasión llegó cuando Herodes dio un banquete a su corte, a sus oficiales y a la gente principal de Galilea, con motivo de su cumpleaños. La hija de Herodías bailó durante la fiesta y su baile les gustó mucho a Herodes y a sus invitados. El rey le dijo entonces a la joven: “Pídeme lo que quieras y yo te lo daré”. Y le juró varias veces: “Te daré lo que me pidas, aunque sea la mitad de mi reino”.

Ella fue a preguntarle a su madre: “¿Qué le pido?” Su madre le contestó: “La cabeza de Juan el Bautista”. Volvió ella inmediatamente junto al rey y le dijo: “Quiero que me des ahora mismo, en una charola, la cabeza de Juan el Bautista”.

El rey se puso muy triste, pero debido a su juramento y a los convidados, no quiso desairar a la joven, y enseguida mandó a un verdugo que trajera la cabeza de Juan. El verdugo fue, lo decapitó en la cárcel, trajo la cabeza en una charola, se la entregó a la joven y ella se la entregó a su madre.

Al enterarse de esto, los discípulos de Juan fueron a recoger el cadáver y lo sepultaron.

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GospelMK 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.

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Meditacion:

Vieron lo que sucede cuando nos dejamos llevar por la vanidad, la lujuria y el orgullo?

Herodes fue victima de si mismo. Primero, se caso con la esposa de su hermano; despues, porque Juan le remordia la conciencia, diciendole que no podia hacer eso, lo mando encarcelar. Cuantas veces cuando "metemos las patas" no queremos que nadie nos diga nada; sabemos que no hicimos bien pero preferimos que nadie nos lo recuerde. Pero la conciencia es tremenda, esta alli, siempre dentro nuestro, mostrandonos nuestro error.

Herodes acallo su conciencia encarcelando a Juan pero despues la lujuria y la vanidad lo perdieron cuando vio bailar a la hija de Herodias, Jezabel. 

Ser rico, poderoso y con un alma debil definitivamente es una mala combinacion; para gobernar, hay que ser alguien espiritualmente muy fuerte. Fijense en este punto. Cuando Israel se quedo sin Rey, Dios mando al profeta Samuel a la casa de Isai para elegir un nuevo Rey. Todos sus hijos pasaron ante el profeta pero el mas pequeño, David, el que estaba en el campo cuidando las ovejas era el elegido.

Aca Herodes no tenia el favor de Dios y era un regidor corrupto y vicioso pero respetaba a Juan; sabia que Juan era un hombre recto y justo, que en el lenguaje del antiguo testamento significaba que era santo.

Y aqui viene el centro del hueso como decia mi madre... Herodes no quiso quedar mal ante sus invitados, ya le habia ofrecido a la joven Jezabel varias veces que pidiera lo que quisiera y ella le pidio la cabeza de Juan.

Herodes estaba entre la espada y la pared; se entristecio pero cumplio. Cuantas veces la vida nos pone en este tipo de situaciones, donde sabemos que esta mal lo que hacemos pero lo mismo decidimos hacerlo.

Hermanos este evangelio es de los mas actuales que existen, esto nos pasa cada dia cuando hablamos sin prudencia, cuando nos volvemos vanidosos y orgullosos. "Mas rapido cae un mentiroso que un cojo" dicen en mi pueblo y tiene mucho de verdad, cuando vamos por la vida sin acordarnos de Dios y pensando que "tenemos todo controlado", Dios nos deja, nos abandona a nuestra suerte y rapidamente algo sucede que nos demuestra nuestra pobre humanidad.

Pero si vivimos a la sombra de su gracia, El nos guiara cada dia; no es que nunca tendremos un problema pero es diferente cuando a mi lado camina el Rey de Reyes, mi Padre del Cielo.

“Amado Jesús, concédeme permanecer fiel a ti y preferir siempre la vida que tú me ofreces, la vida de la fe, la esperanza y la caridad basada en la verdad y la misericordia.” Amen

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Did you see what happens when we get carried away by vanity, lust and pride?

Herod was a victim of himself. First, he married his brother's wife; later, because Juan reminded him of his conscience, telling him he couldn't do that, he ordered him to be jailed. How many times when we "screw up" we don't want anyone to tell us anything; We know we didn't do well but we prefer that nobody remind us. But consciousness is tremendous, it is there, always within us, showing us our error.

Herod silenced his conscience by imprisoning John but then lust and vanity lost him when he saw Herodias' daughter Jezebel dance.

Being rich, powerful and with a weak soul is definitely a bad combination; To rule, you have to be someone very strong spiritually. Look at this point. When Israel ran out of King, God sent the prophet Samuel to Isai's house to choose a new King. All his children passed before the prophet but the youngest, David, who was in the field taking care of the sheep was the chosen one.

Here Herod did not have the favor of God and was a corrupt and vicious ruler but respected John; I knew that John was a righteous and righteous man, which in the language of the Old Testament meant that he was holy.

And here comes the center of the bone as my mother used to say ... Herod did not want to look bad before his guests, he had already offered the young Jezebel several times to ask for what he wanted and she asked for Juan's head.

Herod was between a rock and a hard place; He was sad but fulfilled. How many times life puts us in this type of situation, where we know that what we do is wrong but we decided to do the same.

Brothers, this gospel is one of the most current that exists, this happens to us every day when we speak without prudence, when we become vain and proud. "A liar falls faster than a lame person" they say in my town and they have a lot of truth, when we go through life without remembering God and thinking that "we have everything under control", God leaves us, leaves us to our fate and quickly something It happens that shows us our poor humanity.

But if we live in the shadow of his grace, He will guide us every day; It is not that we will never have a problem but it is different when the King of Kings, my Father of Heaven, walks beside me.

“Beloved Jesus, grant me to remain faithful to you and always prefer the life you offer me, the life of faith, hope and charity based on truth and mercy.” Amen