Honor The Nativity of John the Baptist
Prepare the Way of the Lord in The Lives of OthersA great intercessor and forerunner of Christ. He is the transition between the two covenants – the Old Testament and the New Testament. St. John the Baptist!
We honor his birth as a Church – the Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist – on June 24. It is one of the oldest feasts in the Church, dating back to 506 AD.
In the spirit of the Great Baptizer, go to the lost sheep in your family, in your community, and wherever God puts you – and bring them into the love and light of Christ. We were all built for that mission. By sharing God – who He is, how He loves, and your love for him – will you’re your graces and strengthen your relationship with Christ.
In Luke’s Gospel, we learn about the birth of this great prophet, born to prepare the way for Jesus Christ. John was the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth, who although had prayed for children were childless and considered way too old for children. Despite the latter, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah, telling him Elizabeth would give birth to a son, who will be filled with the Holy Spirit even in her womb, and they were to name him John.
The Nativity of St John the Baptist comes three months after the celebration of the Annunciation, when the Archangel Gabriel told the Blessed Virgin Mary that her cousin Elizabeth was in her sixth month of pregnancy, and the child would be born six months before the Christmas celebration of the birth of Jesus. The exact dates are not what we celebrate, but a way to link our history.
Let the Nativity of St. John the Baptist renew in us the saving grace of the Lord, encouraging us to share his love to others not only by our words, but also through our actions.
May we follow the example of St John the Baptist and prepare the way of the Lord in the lives of others.
Editor’s note: the art with this post is titled “His Name is John” – the nativity scene of St. John the Baptist with Zechariah writing the blessed baby’s name. The painting (a desco da parto) is by Pontormo Carucci of Italy. Circa 1526.
