THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2007 - TWENTY-FIFTH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME 

HAGGAI 1:1-8

   On the first day of the sixth month in the second year of King Darius, The word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai to the governor of Judah, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, and to the high priest Joshua, son of Jehozadak:
   Thus says the LORD of hosts:  This people says: "The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD." (Then this word of the LORD came through Haggai, the prophet:) Is it time for you to dwell in your own paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?
   Now thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways! You have sown much, but have brought in little; you have eaten, but have not been satisfied; You have drunk, but have not been exhilarated; have clothed yourselves, but not been warmed; And whoever earned wages earned them for a bag with holes in it.
   Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways! Go up into the hill country; bring timber, and build the house That I may take pleasure in it and receive my glory, says the LORD.

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LUKE 9:7-9

   Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying, "John has been raised from the dead"; others were saying, "Elijah has appeared"; still others, "One of the ancient prophets has arisen." But Herod said, "John I beheaded. Who then is this about whom I hear such things?" And he kept trying to see him.

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Herod is an interesting person in the Gospels of Luke and Matthew.  He is enchanted with the preaching of John the Baptist, even though John called Herod an adulterer, perhaps even because John called him an adulterer.   Matthew fleshes out the character of Herod more so than Luke.  It is Matthew who tells the whole story of the beheading of John the Baptist.  Herod, in Luke's Gospel has just three cameo appearances; the arrest of John, today's passage, and when Jesus is sent to Herod by Pilate after his arrest.  Yet they are interesting moments, given what we know from the more detailed appearances in Matthew.  Herod has an interest in the religious teachings of John and Jesus.  He eagerly listened to John and regretted being trapped into executing him.  Now we see in today's passage that Herod is intrigued by the teachings of Jesus and the speculations about who Jesus is by the crowds.  When he finally meets Jesus after his arrest, however, he is disappointed because Jesus remains silent and doesn't perform any miracles.

The problem with Herod, of course, is that his heart, his treasure, was in earthly power and possessions.  He may have been fascinated by John and Jesus but he was not strong enough to change anything about himself to open himself up to the graces of Kingdom of God.  In the end, disappointed that Jesus is not as exciting as he had hoped, he rejected everything about God and became good friends with Pilate, another powerful man with a weak character.

It's not enough to be fascinated with Jesus or Christianity.  It's not enough to want to learn more about Jesus or Christianity.  These are the lures God uses to call us to discipleship.  To enjoy the graces of the Kingdom, however, we have to be willing to change everything about ourselves if necessary.  We have to be willing to lose our lives to save them.  We have to be willing to surrender all that we are to the will of God.  By giving our lives over to God we begin to live more fully.  By becoming detached from all earthly possessions we inherit treasures that last.  By abandoning ourselves to Christ we experience the peace that only he can give.

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Lord Jesus, I give my very being over to you.  Fill me with your graces that I may strip myself of all that keeps from giving myself totally to you.

Deacon Ed
canadced.com