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.
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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.