Social Injustice

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. When the daughter of 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." And he promised her with an oath, "Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom." She went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask for?"
"The head of John the Baptist," she answered. 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." (Mark 6:21-25 NIV)

Yesterday's Gospel lectionary was certainly an interesting one. It was the one where Herodias' daughter danced for Herod and he was so pleased he granted her anything she wished. With her mother's encouragement, she asked for the head of John the Baptist. It is a promise Herod wished he could have backed out on, but he went ahead with it basically to avoid embarrassment.

I have to wonder what his guests were thinking. Did even one of them think, "Well, this game has gone a little too far!" ... or... "I hope he doesn't think I would hold him to a promise like that!" Perhaps if someone would have spoken up, John would not have died in such a terrible way. But I suppose the guests did not feel it was their place to speak up. It may have offended their host, or their host's wife or their host's daughter... and of course offending any of them could have held the same consequences that John faced.

How many injustices do we allow to happen simply because we are too uncomfortable to speak up? We act like we didn't hear the racial slur and befor we know it the Klan is holding a march in our neighborhood. We giggle at gay jokes, because everyone else does and before we know it a local preacher is advocating they all be locked up behind fences. We don't feel it's our place to ask a young woman about her frequent bruises and before we know it, we are attending her funeral after her husband hit her one too many times.

If we don't speak up, the perpetrators of injustice will continue to think that what they are doing is perfectly acceptable. And if we don't feel it's our place to speak up, others will think it is not their place either... and then nobody will be pointing out injustice. How many heads will roll before we are willing to risk a little discomfort?

Father,
Help us to be lovers of social justice. Let us shout from the rooftops whenever we know of another being treated unjustly.

Joys: Prayer circles; Day Camp week; bridal showers

*Please pray for Adam Dancoff, a young man who suffered a spinal injury after diving into shallow water.