Out, Damned Spot! - A Reflection on Luke 9:7-9


Now Herod the ruler heard about all that had taken place, and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead, by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the ancient prophets had arisen. Herod said, “John I beheaded; but who is this about whom I hear such things?” And he tried to see him.

 

One of Shakespeare’s most famous plays was Macbeth. To help him become king, his wife, Lady Macbeth, orchestrated the murder of the ruling King Duncan. On the night he is assassinated, her hands red with the king’s blood, she remarks casually, ‘A little water clears us of this deed.’ She didn’t know how wrong she was. Not too long after, she begins walking in her sleep, and washing her hands, crying, “Out, damned spot!” Oh, guilt can be such a terrible thing.

 

King Herod discovered the truth of this after he had John the Baptist put to death. If you recall, Herod was having an affair with his brother’s wife and John the Baptist rebuked him for it. In return, Herod chopped John’s head off. I can only imagine the nightmares the king had after this. He probably saw his head floating about his room like the Cheshire Cat’s! Anyway, Herod then hears about Jesus, and the amazing miracles Jesus was working. He also heard that people were saying he was John the Baptist raised from the dead!

 

Scripture says, “he was perplexed”. However, the gospel writers had a talent for understatement. What Herod actually felt was probably terrified! Wouldn’t you be if the guy you killed was walking around again, raising people from the dead and stuff? Scripture then says that Herod tried to see him! What does that mean? TRIED? Anybody could have seen Jesus if they wanted. He was preaching in the temples and walking in the countryside openly. So, why couldn’t Herod see him?

 

Well, remember that John the Baptist was calling people to repentance to prepare them for Christ. But Herod killed him. How do you find Christ if you kill the person who is preparing you for him? Know what I am saying? I hope you do, because we can be like Herod too. In my days as an atheist, like Herod I “killed” those who were trying to open my heart to Christ. Also, like Herod, I surrounded myself with people who fed me idiotic stories about Jesus. But, unlike Herod, I opened my heart to Jesus when I met him. And it changed me. If you haven’t, now is the time. I know what sin and guilt and shame are like.

 

Speaking for God, the prophet Isaiah said: “When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood!” But then, he reassures those who wash themselves and do what is right: “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool” (Isaiah 1:18). As people baptized in Christ, “if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin”.

 

Out, damned spot! And it’s gone! 

 

Watch a video of this reflection by Aneel Aranha here: https://youtu.be/nUIvJGwW9vg

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