Readings of the day: Sirach 47:2-11; Psalm 18:31, 47, 50, 51; Mark 6:14-29
Have you ever admired a public leader, whether in civil society or in
the Church? What qualities did you most admire in this person?
Today our readings present us with two kings, David and Herod. For most
of our first reading, from Sirach, David’s qualities are glowingly praised. In
contrast, Mark’s Gospel says little to nothing good about Herod as he recounts
Herod’s beheading of John the Baptist. I have thought occasionally whether or
not David was as good a ruler as he is presented in some parts of the Bible,
and whether or not Herod was as evil as he is often depicted.
Amid Sirach’s generous praise for David, one verse especially stands out
for me. Sirach says of David: “The LORD forgave him his sins.”
Without this verse, the praise for David in the rest of our first
reading would seem excessive: David the conqueror of Goliath and all of
Israel’s enemies; David the king with “tens of thousands” of admirers; David
the nation’s leader in worship; David who could do no wrong.
We know, not least from our daily Mass readings of the last several
days, that David was not that good.
He sinned… and repented of his sin frequently. David is set apart because of
his willingness to recognize his own sometimes significant sins and to ask
forgiveness from God for what he has done wrong. In this way, David sets an
example for us of sincerity and trust in God’s forgiveness.
In this, David contrasts with Herod, who is too insecure to trust God to
uphold his leadership and to forgive him his sins. Herod is not totally evil,
since Mark’s Gospel says that he was, to a point, receptive to John the
Baptist’s message. But his insecurity gives way to fear of the repentance that
John asks of him; fear in place of trust in God. This fear drives Herod to kill
John, and even then he comes to fear that Jesus will challenge his kingship.
Our readings today invite us first to trust in God’s forgiveness for the
times in which we have sinned and second, to ask ourselves the question: Whom
we admire in a public leader and why?
No leader; none of us is perfect. But just as we are invited to trust in
God’s forgiveness, I ask: Are there any leaders you know in our households; our
families; our Church; our society who have perhaps done wrong, even
significantly, and yet been sincere, open to and trusting in God’s forgiveness
and strength to guide their leadership?
Perhaps we are or will be called one day to forgiveness of our leaders who ask
us for pardon with a sincere heart. Perhaps some of us are or will one day be called to be a
leader after David: repentant, sincere, trusting in God’s forgiveness and
strength to guide our leadership.
No comments:
Post a Comment