Fourth Friday in Ordinary Time

Friday, February 7, 2025

Fourth Week of the Year

Mark 6:14-29. Year I: Hebrews 13:1-8; Psalm 27:1-9 (Lectionary 327) https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/010725.cfm

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Jesus’ reputation was becoming widespread —due in part, perhaps, to the mission of the Twelve. People were beginning to wonder who Jesus was.

Some said he was “Elijah,” because the Lord had said through the prophet Malachi (3:23): “I will send you the prophet Elijah before the great… day of the LORD.” Others said he was “a prophet.” By this time Herod had put John the Baptizer to death, and some were saying, “John has been raised from the dead; that is why such power is at work in him.” When Herod heard the rumors, he drew his own conclusion: “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.” No one was suggesting Jesus might be the Messiah.

He got the principle right: the only explanation for the divine work taking place in the Church in any day is that Jesus is alive and working in the members of his body. Herod was just wrong in his timing and in identifying Jesus with John the Baptizer.

The truth is, when members of the Church engage in ministry, it is the risen Jesus who is present and working in them. At Baptism we gave our bodies to Christ so that he might rise from the dead in us to continue his presence and mission on earth (see Romans 12:1-2; 1Corinthians 12:1-27). Mark may be alluding to this in a vague way when he records Herod’s “near miss” explanation.

Mark inserts here the story of John’s death. His reason probably is to prepare us for the death and apparent defeat of Jesus. People were shocked that God did not protect John, who was the chosen herald of the Messiah. John himself had a problem with it (see Matthew 11:2-3). The Messiah was supposed to be a winner, and all those connected to him should have been safe. The reason for Mark’s “messianic secret” was to keep Jesus’ identity quiet until he had risen from the dead, because until then his crucifixion could not have been understood as anything except total defeat at the hands of his enemies. Mark shows people projecting John’s resurrection as the logical answer to the problem of his apparent abandonment by God. Ultimately, they were right!

The good news here is that when Jesus rose, his victory was the victory of all who would die “in him” or for him. When he rose we rose. We live in him and he lives in us. The Christ of the “end time”— “the same yesterday, today and forever” —will be John and all the rest of us risen from the dead  (see Ephesians 1:10; Hebrews 13:8). 

Initiative: See the whole picture. When “the fat lady sings” it will be pure joy.