We are all familiar with the expression "saving face." According to Google, the expression means acting to avoid humiliation or embarrassment or to maintain one's dignity or reputation. As a general proposition, the notion that one might act to "save face" isn't too surprising, or necessarily problematic. No one likes to be humiliated. But if we think about it, the need to save face, especially when coupled with the combination of a certain insecurity and a big ego, has been the root of some terrible problems-- in the world, and in one's personal life. If you study the origins of World War I, it becomes pretty clear that the need to save face on a national level, and the inability of the involved nations to figure out a way to do that, is what caused the war. No one wanted to back down and be perceived as weak, so, to save face, nation after nation moved forward, with the result that millions of people were killed. One can say the same thing about Vietnam, at least after it became clear that we couldn't "win" in the conventional sense. "Peace with Honor" became the operative objective, and honor was simply another way of saying that we needed to save face. The recently-ended government shutdown (which hopefully won't be resumed in a few days) was simply a battle over saving face, over whether one side or the other could credibly say that it had "won." The list goes on. We see the same thing playing out in today's reading from Mark's Gospel (Mk 6: 14-29). Mark tells us the story of Herod's ordering the execution of John the Baptist, which happens at a banquet Herod gives on his birthday for "his courtiers, his military officers and the leading men of Galilee." At the banquet Herod's daughter dances and Herod is so "delighted" that he makes all sorts of lavish promises to her, including giving her whatever she wants. The daughter consults with her mother, who hates John the Baptist, and comes back with the request, made in front of the whole crowd, for John's head on a platter. So the challenge is thrown down. Herod knows that killing John is wrong. He is, Mark tells us, "deeply distressed" at what he is asked to do. Afterwards it is his guilt that makes Herod think that Jesus is John the Baptist risen from the dead. But Herod is insecure. He is on the throne only because the Romans like him there, and he knows it. But he has an ego fit for a king, which is what he is. That combination of ego and insecurity makes it imperative that Herod save face, and so he grants his daughter her wish and has John's head cut off. A stronger man would have declined the request, knowing that doing the right thing was more important than appearing strong in the moment. I think it is also pretty clear that in the end Herod would have saved more "face" by being strong enough to say that there were limits on his offer, as opposed to being shown as someone who is caught in a trap by making imprudent boasts. But like most people who are worried about saving face, Herod isn't strong. A lot of us, particularly us men, worry too much about saving face. We go along with the crowd to say and do things we shouldn't because we think that if we don't, our reputation will suffer. We make boasts and then have to deliver on them, even though doing so is wrong. The next time we feel like we have to do something to save face, we might remember Herod's behavior. There are plenty of things worse than losing face and, as these things always seem to work, if we act morally (as opposed to just caving to the needs of the moment) we'll probably earn more "face" in the end anyway. The way we truly save face is by living with Christian dignity and honor. Or, as Jesus says, we save our life by losing it.