Doubling Down Generously

Greetings on this the Saturday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Readings: Lv 25:1, 8-17; Ps 67:2-3, 5, 7-8; Mt 14:1-12
Notes: Doubling down for humans is often a disaster but with G-d it is Jubilee!

You have an idea. You do the idea but it turns out unexpectedly poorly. You double down, doing it again, even knowing the outcome will be as bad or worse than the first time.

Ever have that happen?

• Know what you are promising and why you are promising it.
• Know who you are promising to and what their intention is.
• If it turns out poorly, don’t repeat it.
• Adjust properly.

The basis can become so easily skewed from a basic virtue to a disastrous evil! By the way, I am no fan of Herod and he certainly had many poor intentions but I am not willing to say he has no concept or possibility of virtue. This, to me – for us, would be the beginning of the same disaster as Herod’s.

Extravagant or excessive promises – The daughter of Herodias performed a dance before the guests and delighted Herod so much that he swore to give her whatever she might ask for. What is the reason for such exaggerated gift? Lots of people try to answer the question and say: He was drunk. He was sexually aroused. He wanted to perform an expression of generosity before his guests who are celebrating his birthday. Of all of these guesses the last one is most likely: exaggerated generosity.

Poor outcome: Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” No doubt he was shocked and dismayed (The king was distressed)! He wanted to perform an expression of returning generosity before his guests and now is asked to an expression of raw and brutal power.

Double down – But because of his oaths and the guests who were present, he ordered that it be given, and he had John beheaded in the prison. He could have said ‘No’. He could have said ‘that is not an appropriate ask, ask for something else.’ But he doubled down. But why? Lots of people have tried to answer the question and say: He was embarrassed. He was caught in a poorly framed promise (an uninformed offer, so to speak). He wanted John dead anyway so why not. He was being challenged to be decisive in his power. Of all of these guesses the last one is most likely: decisive in power. Herod’s legitimacy and competency was challenged from the get-go. He really was nothing more than an unimportant, ineffective, Roman puppet and he knew it. He was a poor decision maker and he knew it. But he understood challenges to use power. That he knew.

If You Go After Me, I’m Coming After You (Herod on Truth Social).

His head [John, the Baptist] was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who took it to her mother. One may assume this was done in private or in front of the guests. Nasty stuff!

Thankfully the readings today contrast this event with the generosity of the Lord.
A proper generosity that when doubled is even more wonderful! A Jubilee!

The Day of Atonement in Jubilee includes settling of debt and settling accounts fairly and generously so that peace may prevail. You shall treat this fiftieth year as sacred. You shall proclaim liberty in the land for all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, when each of you shall return to your own property, each of you to your own family.

Divine Doubling Down – the Ultimate Generosity

The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; He has sent me to bring good news to the afflicted, to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, release to the prisoners, To announce a year of favor from the LORD and a day of vindication by our God; to comfort all who mourn; to place on those who mourn in Zion a diadem instead of ashes, To give them oil of gladness instead of mourning, a glorious mantle instead of a faint spirit (Isa 61:1-3).

Tomorrow is the Feast of the Transfiguration of the LORD.

First Reading
Let the trumpet resound; on this, the Day of Atonement, the trumpet blast shall re-echo throughout your land. This fiftieth year you shall make sacred by proclaiming liberty in the land for all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, when every one of you shall return to his own property, every one to his own family estate.

In this year of jubilee, then, every one of you shall return to his own property. Therefore, when you sell any land to your neighbor or buy any from him, do not deal unfairly.

Do not deal unfairly, then; but stand in fear of your God. I, the LORD, am your God.”

Responsorial
O God, let all the nations praise you!

Gospel Acclamation
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.

Gospel
The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests who were present, he ordered that it be given, and he had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who took it to her mother.

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry