Dance With The Devil

Herod was the one who had John the Baptist arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married. John had said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." Herodias harbored a grudge against him and wanted to kill him but was unable to do so. Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and kept him in custody. 

When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him. She had an opportunity one day when Herod, on his birthday, gave a banquet for his courtiers, his military officers, and the leading men of Galilee. Herodias' own daughter came in and performed a dance that delighted Herod and his guests. 

The king said to the girl, "Ask of me whatever you wish and I will grant it to you." He even swore many things to her, "I will grant you whatever you ask of me, even to half of my kingdom." She went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask for?" She replied, "The head of John the Baptist." The girl hurried back to the king's presence and made her request, "I want you to give me at once on a platter the head of John the Baptist." The king was deeply distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests he did not wish to break his word to her. 

So, he promptly dispatched an executioner with orders to bring back his head. He went off and beheaded him in the prison. He brought in the head on a platter and gave it to the girl. The girl in turn gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb. (Mark 6:17-29)

We all know this story.  It is dramatic and very visual.   Did it really happen?  Was John’s head brought in on a platter?  Who really knows, although I suspect it is fanciful.  It is an intriguing tale.  For example, Herod is supposed to have said to his daughter: “I will grant you whatever you ask of me, even to half of my kingdom."  Really?  Perhaps.

I’m more intrigued by the dance that supposedly entranced Herod into making a foolish promise.  I’m reminded of the power of dance.  Here are some quotes:

“Dancing is like dreaming with your feet!” – Constanze Mozart. 

“Do it big; do it right; and do it with style.” – Fred Astaire. 

“Dance is the hidden language of the soul.” – Martha Graham. .

“Some people seem to think that good dancers are born, but all the good dancers I have known are taught or trained.” – Fred Astaire.

“My father made sure that I had lots of levels of education – from ballroom-dancing to painting, commando training, theatre, and magic.” – Baz Luhrmann.

“Ballroom is two people dancing together to music, touching in perfect harmony.” – Anton du Beke.

“When you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor, it’s to enjoy each step along the way” – Wayne Dyer.

Here’s my favorite: “So when the devil wants to dance with you, you better say never. Because the dance with the devil might last you forever.” – Unknown.

Too many of us dance with the devil.  We dance to the tune of evil, but we don’t hear the lyrics such as: “Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one – the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts…It does not matter how small the sins are provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light and out into the Nothing." 

The dance with the devil is a dirge. A dirge is a somber song or lament expressing mourning or grief.  Dirges are often slow and bear the character of funeral marches.  When we dance with the devil, we have choreographed our own funeral. Alarmingly, when we dance with fascists, it will be to our own swan song,

Deacon David Pierce