A Special Kind Of Someone

June 24, 2018

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Nativity of John the Baptist. From the time he was conceived, John, was a special kind of someone. The Angel Gabriel appeared to his father, Zechariah, and told him that his prayers for a son had been answered and his name would be John. Zechariah’s response was filled with doubt and fear and so God silenced him until his faith was strengthened. Everyone in Zechariah and Elizabeth’s village were amazed at her pregnancy because she was well past childbearing years and they all rejoiced with them. When it was time to name the boy, everyone assumed he would be named after his dad, but Elizabeth chose the name given by Gabriel, John. They looked to Zechariah waiting for his understandable protest, but he concurred with Elizabeth, thus demonstrating his faith and obedience to God, and suddenly the silence was lifted. I know that in my own life, my times of disobedience to God’s will have left me silent and unable to speak for periods of time. I constantly need to work on my own trust in God’s plan.

Elizabeth and Zechariah consecrated John’s life in service to God and John essentially was the opening act for Jesus’ ministry. He basically got the crowd all riled up and ready to hear the good news and receive the Messiah. He was the very first to recognize Jesus (other than Mary and Joseph) as Messiah while still in the womb, and he was the very first to proclaim him as Lord to the masses. I’m not sure why he isn’t considered the first martyr as he was beheaded for the faith, but knowing John, he would not want to be put on that kind of pedestal. His motto was, “He must increase and I must decrease.” He was feisty and crude and bold and wild and passionate and determined and faithful and in my mind somewhat of a hot mess! He was on a mission, but he knew his time was limited, so he gave everything he had to that mission. John the Baptist was a special kind of someone from the time he was conceived.

Today I pray that we follow John’s lead and let Jesus increase as we decrease. More of Him and less of us will always lead us to freedom to be wild and determined like John the Baptist. Have a feisty, but faithful kind of day and it is well with my soul.

Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist - Mass during the Day
Lectionary: 587

Reading 1 IS 49:1-6

Hear me, O coastlands,
listen, O distant peoples.
The LORD called me from birth,
from my mother's womb he gave me my name.
He made of me a sharp-edged sword
and concealed me in the shadow of his arm.
He made me a polished arrow,
in his quiver he hid me.
You are my servant, he said to me,
Israel, through whom I show my glory.

Though I thought I had toiled in vain,
and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength,
yet my reward is with the LORD,
my recompense is with my God.
For now the LORD has spoken
who formed me as his servant from the womb,
that Jacob may be brought back to him
and Israel gathered to him;
and I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD,
and my God is now my strength!
It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant,
to raise up the tribes of Jacob,
and restore the survivors of Israel;
I will make you a light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

Responsorial Psalm PS 139:1B-3, 13-14AB, 14C-15

R. (14) I praise you, for I am wonderfully made.
O LORD, you have probed me, you know me:
you know when I sit and when I stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
My journeys and my rest you scrutinize,
with all my ways you are familiar.
R. I praise you for I am wonderfully made.
Truly you have formed my inmost being;
you knit me in my mother's womb.
I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made;
wonderful are your works.
R. I praise you, for I am wonderfully made.
My soul also you knew full well;
nor was my frame unknown to you
When I was made in secret,
when I was fashioned in the depths of the earth.
R. I praise you, for I am wonderfully made.

Reading 2 ACTS 13:22-26

In those days, Paul said:
"God raised up David as king;
of him God testified,
I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart;
he will carry out my every wish.
From this man's descendants God, according to his promise,
has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus.
John heralded his coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance
to all the people of Israel;
and as John was completing his course, he would say,
'What do you suppose that I am? I am not he.
Behold, one is coming after me;
I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet.'

"My brothers, sons of the family of Abraham,
and those others among you who are God-fearing,
to us this word of salvation has been sent."

Alleluia SEE LK 1:76

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
You, child, will be called prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GospelLK 1:57-66, 80

When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child
she gave birth to a son.
Her neighbors and relatives heard
that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her,
and they rejoiced with her.
When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child,
they were going to call him Zechariah after his father,
but his mother said in reply,
"No. He will be called John."
But they answered her,
"There is no one among your relatives who has this name."
So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called.
He asked for a tablet and wrote, "John is his name,"
and all were amazed.
Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed,
and he spoke blessing God.
Then fear came upon all their neighbors,
and all these matters were discussed
throughout the hill country of Judea.
All who heard these things took them to heart, saying,
"What, then, will this child be?"
For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.
The child grew and became strong in spirit,
and he was in the desert until the day
of his manifestation to Israel.