Nativity of John the Baptist

June 24, Thursday

 Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

As artists have pictured John the Baptist, there are two symbols that typify him very much. One is a mouth that shouts. It is the voice crying in the wilderness, calling people to conversion. It is a voice that could not be silenced, scolding the religious leaders, as well as the common folk, and urging people to change their ways. Without fear he even faces King Herod and tells him to stop his adultery. He paid dearly for it, for it will cost him his head. Then, he is the finger pointing to the coming Messiah, and here too he paid dearly, for his own disciples deserted him to follow Jesus. Still he went ahead: the one he announced must become greater, he John, only smaller. Yes, he was a great man. “The greatest prophet,” says Jesus.

 

First Reading: Isaiah 49:1-6

Listen, far-flung islands,
    pay attention, faraway people:
God put me to work from the day I was born.
    The moment I entered the world he named me.
He gave me speech that would cut and penetrate.
    He kept his hand on me to protect me.
He made me his straight arrow
    and hid me in his quiver.
He said to me, “You’re my dear servant,
    Israel, through whom I’ll shine.”

But I said, “I’ve worked for nothing.
    I’ve nothing to show for a life of hard work.
Nevertheless, I’ll let God have the last word.
    I’ll let him pronounce his verdict.”

 “And now,” God says,
    this God who took me in hand
    from the moment of birth to be his servant,
To bring Jacob back home to him,
    to set a reunion for Israel—
What an honor for me in God’s eyes!
    That God should be my strength!
He says, “But that’s not a big enough job for my servant—
    just to recover the tribes of Jacob,
    merely to round up the strays of Israel.
I’m setting you up as a light for the nations
    so that my salvation becomes global!”

 

Second Reading: Acts 13:22-26

“From out of David’s descendants God produced a Savior for Israel, Jesus, exactly as he promised—but only after John had thoroughly alerted the people to his arrival by preparing them for a total life-change. As John was finishing up his work, he said, ‘Did you think I was the One? No, I’m not the One. But the One you’ve been waiting for all these years is just around the corner, about to appear. And I’m about to disappear.’

 

Gospel: Luke 1:57-66,80

When Elizabeth was full-term in her pregnancy, she bore a son. Her neighbors and relatives, seeing that God had overwhelmed her with mercy, celebrated with her.

On the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child and were calling him Zachariah after his father. But his mother intervened: “No. He is to be called John.”

 “But,” they said, “no one in your family is named that.” They used sign language to ask Zachariah what he wanted him named.

Asking for a tablet, Zachariah wrote, “His name is to be John.” That took everyone by surprise. Surprise followed surprise—Zachariah’s mouth was now open, his tongue loose, and he was talking, praising God!

A deep, reverential fear settled over the neighborhood, and in all that Judean hill country people talked about nothing else. Everyone who heard about it took it to heart, wondering, “What will become of this child? Clearly, God has his hand in this.”

The child grew up, healthy and spirited. He lived out in the desert until the day he made his prophetic debut in Israel.

 

Prayer

Merciful God,
we celebrate today with joy
the birth of John the Baptist,
your prophet who announced a new era
and prepared the way for your Son.
Help us to proclaim the message of Jesus
in the new language our time demands.
Give us the courage to leave our old ways
and to open resolutely to today’s people
the new road to the future which you offer us
in Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord,
who lives with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

 

Reflection:
The Mouth and the Finger

In the 4th century, the veneration of John the Baptist became so widespread all over the world. An extraordinary veneration was developed in honour of him. In the artwork of all ages, the Baptist and his life was a favoured theme for renowned artists. He is portrayed with the characteristic camel’s skin clothing, the belt around his waist and holding a stick that ends in the shape of a cross.
He is the patron of countless dioceses; shrines and churches are dedicated to him, beginning with the “mother of all” churches, St. John Lateran, founded by Constantine. The name John is perhaps the most common name in the world. Many cities and countries were named after him.
But, St. John the Baptist is not a saint who is often approached for a miracle or for intercession. For a special grace, a blessing, a favour we seek the intercession of other saints but not the Baptist! Yet, he is so popular and how do we explain this?
Perhaps one of the reasons is certainly Jesus’ praise of the Baptist: “What did you go out to the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? Then what did you go out to see? Someone dressed in fine clothing? Those who wear fine clothing are in royal palaces. Then why did you go out? To see a prophet?* Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist (Mt 11:7-11).

Since the beginning of the fourth century, the monks of the early Church – the desert fathers populated the Judean desert where the Baptist had spent his life. They considered him one of them, a model of ascetic life and they spread the special devotion to the Baptist.
As artists have pictured John the Baptist, there are two symbols that typify him very much. One is a mouth that shouts. It is the voice crying in the wilderness, calling people to conversion. It is a voice that could not be silenced, scolding the religious leaders and those who have turned away from God, and urging people to change their ways. Without fear he challenged the King of his adulterous relationship. He paid for it dearly, and cost him his head. The second image is that, the Baptist is the finger pointing to the coming Messiah, and here too he paid dearly, for his own disciples deserted him to follow Jesus. Still he went ahead: the one whom he announced must become greater. The solemnity invites us to be courageous in proclaiming the Gospel and constantly pointing to Jesus. We are not the centre of the Mission, but it is Christ himself.

 

Video available on Youtube: The Mouth and the Finger