By Olivia Obijiaku
Reflecting on the Gospel text on the beheading of John the Baptist, the Chief Shepherd of the Catholic Diocese of Zaria, Most Rev. Dr. Habila Tyiakonaboi Daboh implored Catholic faithful to think and pray before uttering words. He interpreted that the Four Runner of Jesus was killed due to careless use of words, unwise demand and quest for revenge.
The local ordinary, who proffered filtering one’s actions with prayers, for the good of all, intimated that, most often than not, people kill others, without striking them with physical weapons, but by the wrong use of their tongues and words. He dissuaded them from praying merely based on feeling, but also thinking thoroughly of the consequences of their prayer petitions, if granted.
“Prayer should transform our decisions.” The bishop guided. “Instead of asking God to destroy our enemies, we should ask Him to make us a voice that overcomes hatred. Instead of praying for the fall of our enemies, we should ask God to let the truth prevail. Instead of praying for the power to dominate others, we should pray for the wisdom to serve humanity. Instead of asking God to give us anything we want, we should ask Him to give us whatever is good for us and for the good of other people.”
“Herod’s household was full of words of promises, requests, manipulations and revenge. There was little wisdom. If there was wisdom, Herod would have thought whether it was wise for him to surrender the head of John. He would have asked what Herodias’ daughter would do with it. He would have thought that it was not right to behead him. Also, Herodias and her daughter would have had a second thought. But their thoughts could not go deeper, because of the want of wordily things.”
“There are different ways of killing. We can kill someone’s reputation with our tongue. We can kill someone’s good name with gossip. We can destroy someone’s career through malicious writing. We can destroy a marriage by spreading rumours. We can divide a parish by whispering falsely against an innocent priest or another parishioner. We can destroy a person’s credibility by telling half-truth. We can backstab and backbite someone without even toughing a knife. This is a kind of warning on ourselves. What we say behind our closest friends and relations could be equal to killing.”
“There are different ways of killing. We can kill someone’s reputation with our tongue. We can kill someone’s good name with gossip. We can destroy someone’s career through malicious writing.
We can destroy a marriage by spreading rumours.
We can divide a parish by whispering falsely against an innocent priest or another parishioner.
We can destroy a person’s credibility by telling half-truth.
We can backstab and backbite someone without even toughing a knife. This is a kind of warning on ourselves.
What we say behind our closest friends and relations could be equal to killing.”
Bishop Daboh nudged them to learn from the weakness of Herod, Herodias and her daughter and act properly, as well as desist from approaching God merely to obtain what their emotions desire. “John the Baptist died because powerful people allowed pride, passion and revenge to silent the truth. My brothers and sisters, we must think and say a short prayer before we speak. This is perhaps the deepest lesson we should take from this Gospel.”
