SOLEMNITY OF THE NATIVITY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST

Isa 49:1-6;

Acts 13;22-26

Luke 1:57-66,80

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Birth of John the Baptist, the last but not the least of the prophets in the OT. As a rule, the church celebrates the feast of a saint once a year, on the anniversary of the saint’s death. In the case of John the Baptist, we celebrate his death as well as his birth. John is therefore, the only saint after Christ and the Virgin Mother  whose birth we celebrate with a solemn feast. The feast is celebrated on a Sunday only once every seven years. This is no doubt a special celebration and that is why the Church could still celebrate it on a Sunday and why today’s readings replace the regular Sunday readings- the Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time. John the Baptist occupies a very expedient position in the history of salvation being the forerunner of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord himself made it clear that John the Baptist occupies a very important position in the entire framework of his salvific mission. A solemnity is therefore, the Church’s way of saying with Jesus that "among those born of women no one is greater than John." 

The gospel story focuses and shows interest in the naming of the child and should help us meditate on the function of names. It is quite in order here to recall that in biblical times, and still today in many African cultures, personal names function the way business names do, that is, they aim to convey what the bearer of the names stand for. When Simon showed that he could be relied on as a leader of the apostles, he got the name "Rock." When the sons of Zebedee, James and John, petitioned Jesus to call down lightning from heaven to burn up the inhabitants of a Samarian village who did not welcome Jesus, they get a new name "Sons of Thunder." Names therefore, reveal an essential character or destiny of the bearer.

“The name, “John,” in Hebrew is “Yehohanan.” It means “The Lord is gracious,” or maybe better, “The Lord shows favor.” His birth signals the beginning of a new era in God-human relationship, an era to be characterized by grace and not by law. God himself gave John that name and it was revealed to his father Zachary in a vision (Luke 1:13). That this name was given the child already before his birth shows that God had a purpose and plan for the child. The words of Isaiah in the first reading apply equally to John: "The Lord called me before I was born, while I was in my mother’s womb he named me...he formed me in the womb to be his servant" (Isaiah 49: 1, 5). In the birth of John we see that the philosophy that holds that people come into the world without a purpose, and that it is by exercising their freedom that they create a purpose for their lives is wrong. In John we see that God already has a purpose for His children before they come into this world, and so the challenge of life is for them to discover this purpose and to be faithful to its demands.

The purpose for which God created you and me may require that we walk to a different drumbeat than other people. For John it required that he lived in the desert far from normal human contact and civilization. God’s purpose for his life dictated even the minutest details of how he would dress and eat, since he had to dress in rough animal skin and eat the vegetarian food of locusts and wild honey. He adopted a lifestyle that would enhance his calling in life.

To discern what God is calling us to be we need to cultivate some sort of desert in our lives where we can listen to God. We need to make Samuel’s words to the Lord, "Speak, your servant is listening" (1 Samuel 3:10) part of our daily prayer. And, to be faithful to the call of God, we need the courage and discipline to keep away from any choice of association or lifestyle that does not help us along the path to which God has called us. John is great today not just because God called him to a special vocation but because he walked faithfully in the path that leads to the goal that God had set for him.

The neighborhood in which John was born did not help him to realize his divine calling. In fact they wanted to prevent John from receiving his God-given name and identity. They wanted to give him his father’s name "Zachary." They objected to his being named John because "None of your relatives has this name" (Luke 1:61). For them what a child can be is determined by what his family and lineage has been. Their dream of a wonderful future for the child is limited by his family background. But God’s dream for us far exceeds anything that has been in our family background.

We are also part of God's plan. We have a function, a responsibility to the Kingdom. What exactly is your role? What is my role? We know in general, but the specifics become more evident as life progresses. In general, I am a priest, and therefore I have a role as an intermediary for God's people. You may be married. Therefore, in general, your role is to find God in your spouse and allow him or her to find God in you. You may be a parent. Therefore, in general, your role is to lead your children to God. You may be single. Therefore, in general, your role is to give witness to the world as a dedicated Christian and moral single. You may be a Teen. Therefore you have a role to prepare for your future so you can assume your responsibilities as a leader in the faith. These are our general roles in God's plan, but how about our specific roles?

As we celebrate the birth of John the Baptist and read the marvelous story of how he got his God-given name, let us ask ourselves: If I am now to receive a new name, a name that represents my God-given identity and calling in life, what would that name be? If you do not know your God-given name, the name which represents all that God sent you into the world to be and to accomplish, then it is time to find out by listening in prayer. This is because our greatness as children of God, like the greatness of John the Baptist, consists in discovering what God had created us to be and living out the demands of that call without compromise.

We have a lot to learn today from the birth John the Baptist.  In the first place his life and ministry was totally under divine will and direction. He cued into this divine plan and direction till he died in active service. We have been called individually for specific missions. God has a plan for each and every one of us (Jer. 29:11). We are blessed and greatly too if we discover and work in accordance with God’s plan. Do not work in another person’s plan. Work with the plan God has set for you. Most people have abandoned the life they should live and are living the lives of others. You are special the way you are and God loves you that way.

We see in the life of John the Baptist humility at its best. He never arrogated to himself anything that did not pertain to him. For those who were confusing him with the messiah he said: “I am not the messiah!” (John 1:20). He went further to state that the messiah is greater than him. On the day of Christ’s baptism he also displayed a heart touching humility by asking Christ to rather baptize him. (Matt. 3:14). We are called upon to reflect humility always in our lives. One of the best ways to achieve this is to know our positions and maintain them.

Truth was the hallmark of John’s ministry. We all know that he came to bear witness to the truth. Of course our Lord is the Truth itself (Jn. 14:6). His martyrdom was entirely on account of the truth (Matt. 14:1-12). Our advertence to the truth must be in season and out of season. Truth must always be told because it exalts God.

We can with confidence say that John the Baptist was the last of the Old Testament Prophets. In his manner and speech he clearly has something of Jeremiah or Elijah about him. But you could certainly also say that John the Baptist was the first of the New Testament Prophets, the very first of the witnesses to Christ. There is always a need for prophets in the Church and God has not been neglectful in providing them. There are people in our own day who speak up for Christ. In recent times we can think of Mother Teresa, Pope John Paul, Oscar Romero, Josephine Bakhita and so on. We may not consider ourselves saints but each of us can make a spiritual impression on the world in our own way.

Mother Teresa relates this incident from her life. Once a man came to the home for the dying in Kalighat, and just walked straight into the ward. Mother Teresa was sitting there. A while later the man came to Mother and said to her, “I came here with so much hate in my heart; hate for God and hate for man. I came here empty and embittered, and I saw a Sister giving her wholehearted attention to that patient there and realized that God still lives. Now I go out a different man. I believe there is a God and he loves us still.” That sister paved the way for God in that embittered man’s life. John the Baptist, as foretold by the prophet Isaiah was the voice that was making the way straight for the Lord. He facilitated the coming of Jesus. He paved the way for Christ’s coming by his austere life, preaching and death.

Each of us is capable of being a Prophet of the New Testament. Each of us can make an impact for Christ on our neighbours. As we have seen the name John means God will show him favour. But as we recognise this favour is shown not only to John, it is shown to all of us. Paul was invited to say a few words in the synagogue of Antioch he stood up and gave the beautiful account of the history of salvation that we heard in the second reading today. And he concluded it by saying to his Jewish brothers: this message of salvation is meant for you. He speaks to the Jews of Antioch but he also speaks to us. This message of salvation is meant for us too. We receive the salvation Christ won for us but we are also, like John, its heralds. We too proclaim a Baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. We too reject sin and proclaim our belief in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.