Alisaca, Ryan Vincent F.

July 30, 2016

Public Speaking with Argumentation and Debate

Reflection No. 1

Gospel Reflection Matthew. 14:1-12

One of the proximate reasons for Johns death was because the daughter of Herodias
asked her mothers advice as to what to ask from Herod because Herod had promised that he
would give the daughter anything she wanted. Herodias had so long wanted to put John to
death so that when Herod promised to give anything to her daughter, she immediately saw
this as an opportunity and asked for Johns head hence the prophets death. We see then that
one of the proximate reasons for Johns death was Herodias daughter. Her name is Salome.
But if we really think about it, wasnt Salome right in obeying her mother? In the
other account of the gospel, Herod even offered her half his kingdom. She could have just
asked Herod what she wanted without listening to her mother. In fact, she could have just
asked Herod his whole kingdom. But no. She obeyed her mother. But why would she obey
her mother? She must have been a good and obedient daughter. She must have loved her
mother very much so much so that she would rather be obedient to her mother than gain an
entire kingdom. This is in fact, an example of love worth following, a love which does not
seek anything for itself but does the will of the beloved. Saint Paul explicates this in his letter
to the Corinthians by saying, Love does not seek its own but that of the beloved. Indeed,
Herodias daughter, Salome, is a good example to follow.
Or is she? No. No matter how much she must have loved her mother, it cannot be
denied that it was because of that love that John was killed, which of course is a bad thing.
Her love may have been noble, but the death of John cancels that nobility so that Salomes
love is not entirely a love worth imitating.
So what was wrong with Salomes love? What made her love unworthy of imitation?
Salomes love was wrong because it was not discerned. She must have known about her
mothers hatred and desire to kill John. Yet, she chose to follow what was obviously and
painfully wrong. Love is kind. But a love that kills is not kind. And what is that love which
kills? The undiscerned love. And it was this undiscerned love which killed John.
The undiscerned love is not really love in its fullest sense. Such love is like a blind
passion, the instincts of brutes. Such love becomes selfish and greedy. It becomes prideful
and supercilious. It becomes possessive and spiteful. Indeed, the undiscerned love is not love
at all but the passion of brutes. Thus, love must always be guided by reason. Love, therefore,
does not only seek the good of the beloved, but seeks also what that good really is. We see,
then, that reason does not contradict love but instead compliments it.
I believe this is what seminary formation is all about. In the seminary, we learn to love
not only our brothers, but also many other things like music and prayer. But we are also
taught here to use reason so that we make strike a balance in everything and everyone we
love. And our darling Therese would say, I will spend my heaven by doing good on earth.
Spending heaven on earth requires great love and sacrifice. But doing good implies being
able to discern what is right from wrong, what is good and what is evil, so that a love which

discerns is not only a love which balances, but also a love which knows what is worth loving,
and what is better off let go.
If love is blind, it is because we do not give it the eyes of reason. But love moves in
mysterious ways, and Blaise Pascal would say, The heart has reasons which reason cannot
understand. Must reason, then, always accompany love? Yes, and reason should accompany
love precisely because love does not understand itself so that reason must take on the role of
understanding love. But in the end love will never be understood. This is why reason should
not just be the companion of love, but love should also be a companion of reason so that it
may seek to understand despite being unable to understand. Thus, love and reason always go
hand in hand. This synthesis of love and reason is the discerned love. Ultimately, this
synthesis of love and reason should show us the real good: that which is of Gods.
Salomes love was the undiscerned love. It was not able to tell what was right from
wrong. It was not capable of seeking what is truly the good of the beloved. Thus, her love is
not real love.
But let us consider John. Johns love was clearly that of a discerned love. So
discerned, in fact, that he was able to tell Herod that adultery is a sin. And so discerned, in
fact, that he was able to choose death rather than tolerate evil (and this is precisely for the
good of the beloved). No, Johns discerned love did not bring him death. It brought him
eternal life. The discerned love, therefore, is the love that will bring us to God. And this is
indeed the love that is worth imitating.