GOSPEL
:
Mark 6:14-29
New International Version
(NIV)
John the Baptist Beheaded
14 King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying,[a] “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”
15 Others said, “He is Elijah.”
And still others claimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.”
16 But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!”
17 For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, 20 because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled[b]; yet he liked to listen to him.
21 Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.22 When the daughter of[c] Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests.
The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” 23 And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”
24 She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?”
“The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.
25 At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”
26 The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27 So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, 28 and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. 29 On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
***
Attended the Sunday evening service at St. Bartholomew Episcopal Church. For some reason, thinking it started at 6:30 pm instead of 6:00 pm, I arrived just in time for the Communion part; which I never participate.
After service over, I asked the lady next to me, what the sermon was about. She pointed me to the part within the bulletin titled Gospel: Mark 6:14-29, then added that the sermon was about there being some uncertainty as to the meaning behind this "gospel" reading..?
But it was something else I read later within this same bulletin coming with that evening's Communion service catching my attention...
***
SECOND READING
:
Ephesians 1:3-14
BLESSED BE THE GOD and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed
us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he
chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless
before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus
Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious
grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption
through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches
of his grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight he has made
known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he
set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in
him, things in heaven and things on earth. In Christ we have also obtained
an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who
accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were
the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. In him
you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation,
and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy
Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own
people, to the praise of his glory.
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