Today's gospel: beheading of John the Baptist. This grotesque story reveals much about the psychology of a tyrant. While holding the lives of others in his hands, he is constantly attuned to any threat to his power--wary of displaying weakness that could encourage enemies.
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Here, a "strong man," Herod, who is more worried about the consequences of violating a besotted oath than he is about the sin of murder. No wonder he is troubled by reports of Jesus, wondering whether his victim has returned to haunt him.
This story may seem to apply to warlords and gangsters. But there is a more common type of corruption--even in the church--whenever we are more concerned with appearances and reputation or fear of exposing "scandal" than about the truth or protecting the weak and vulnerable.
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