There is no hope here

Marks telling of the beheading of John the Baptiser (Mark 6:14-29) is a bleak story. Read on its own, which we usually do, if offers no hope. It is a creepy and terrible story, not just for the gory ending, and the dodgy role Herod’s step daughter plays, but also for the machinations of power and the systems of injustice at play. It is a story of people driven by fear and greed who exploit women, citizens and slaves for their own gain. It is the story about the silencing of the cry for justice. There is no good news to be found here.

But this story is not on its own in Marks gospel. It is set within the mission of the 12 sent out by Jesus. It contrasts with the two meals that Jesus hosts – the feeding of the 5000+ Jews and 4000+ Gentiles. At Eucharist we are reminded of those later two meals. In doing so we are invited to allow the Spirit of the risen Jesus to work though us in offering hope to those still exploited by the machinations of power and the systems of injustice. We are to be God’s cry for justice today.