Today's Thoughts...

​Today’s Thoughts: The readings today are interesting on the one hand we have the famous story of Herod and John the Baptist. It is a rather gruesome story, it is hard sometimes to think of a young girl being presented with some one's head and then turning and giving it to her mother. Yet, I guess gruesome things happen in life every day, thankfully not in my life.
 
I am always struck in this story with the fact that Herod is moved by John, that he likes to listen to him, yet he gives in to the worldly pressure around him. I get the feeling Herod knows that John is right, but his power, his self-importance; his ego will not let him say yes. Herod has surrounded himself with people who push him in the wrong direction. We might say that he gives in to the peer pressure of his time!
 
In our first reading we recall the greatness of King David. We have just finished reading David’s story in the First and Second Books of Samuel and the First Book of Kings and now in the Book of Sirach the greatness of David is remembered. While at the end of today’s passage the writer says that God forgave David his sins the focus of the passage is David’s faithfulness. We might say that our passage today not only focusses on David’s faithfulness but also God’s mercy.
 
We need to be aware that God can come to us, be present to us in many ways. We need to trust that God is with us always. We need to remember that we are a community of faith not just individuals and we need to always be aware of the struggles and joys of others because they can often bring God into our midst. We also need to be aware that when we do fail and sins that God’s mercy is there for us.
 
Let us today live by the phrase – God is my light and my salvation, whom should we fear? Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever!
 
Have a great Friday everyone.