The Book of Sirach (47:2-11) describes why David was so beloved by God: “With his every deed, he offered thanks to God Most High, in words of praise. With his whole being, he loved his Maker and daily had His praises sung… set singers before the altar… added beauty to the feasts and solemnized the seasons of each year.”
As a result of David’s faith, “The Lord forgave him his sins and exalted his strength forever… He conferred on him the rights of royalty and established his throne in Israel.”
The “praises he had sung” included Psalm 18:31, 47, 50, 51, which include “Blessed be God my salvation!”
That Prophecy of Jesus is reduced to one sentence in Luke 8:15: “Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart, and yield a harvest through perseverance.”
Catholics see another “Hidden Prophesy” in Today’s Gospel, Mark 6:14-29. People had been praising Jesus. “But when Herod learned of it, he said, ‘It is John whom I beheaded. He has been raised up.”
The Prophesy? Sinful people will hate those whose goodness reminds them of their sins. John had criticized Herod for the sin of marrying his brother’s wife. Herodias also “harbored a grudge against John the Baptist and wanted to kill him, but was unable to do so.”
David’s celebrations praised God. Not Herod’s! Herod was so entranced with “his own daughter’s dance that he said to her, ‘Ask of me whatever you wish and I will grant it to you.'”
His daughter asked her mother, Herodias, what to request. “Her mother replied, ‘the head of John the Baptist.'”
Herod “promptly dispatched an executioner with orders to bring back his head… He brought in the head on a platter and gave it to the girl, who in turn gave it to her mother.”
Catholics see the Hidden Prophesy: “If we identify the sins of leaders, that may be our fate.”
Many formerly Catholic nations have fallen so far from “Love God and love your neighbors as yourselves.” that modern Herods punish them for even silently reminding others of sins.
That “Hidden Prophesy” came true recently, a woman in England. A woman was arrested for standing within sight of an abortion clinic and silently praying.
May those involved in such arrests be blessed to realize how they may save their souls from the awful eternity of Herod and his wife and be as Catholic as they can.
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Today’s Simple Rhyme: “The farther we fall from God, / the farther we fall from God.”
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