Readings: I – Is. 49: 1-6
II – Acts. 13: 22-26
III – Lk. 1: 57-66; 80
NATIVITY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST (Solemnity)
The Church solemnises only three birthday viz. Blessed Virgin Mary, St. John the Baptist and that of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is because the three had a significant and specific role in the history of Salvation. Blessed Virgin Mary, to be the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, St. John the Baptist to be the forerunner of Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ the redeemer of the world. Today we celebrate the feast of the solemnity of the nativity of St. John the Baptist.
God calls us by name even before we were formed in the mother’s womb and sets us apart for a particular purpose with the promise of this assured assistance and predominant protection is the main stream of all three readings today. Zachariah’s son is named as ‘John’, a name given by God Himself. He comes to the world with the mission of preparing the way of the Lord, the Messiah and the promised one. His life will be tough but as in the first reading, he would reap his reward from the God who sent him with a purpose.
God has a master and mighty plan for every child right from its knitting in the mother’s womb (Ps. 139:13). He calls and choses us even before we were formed in the mother’s womb (Jer. 1:5) for a specific purpose. And this purpose is very, unique, different and original for every person. The purpose might be challenging, for to live for God is to live in the hatred of the people of the world. If we analyse in the light of the lives of the legends in the Bible, the saints and the people of our time who had opted to live as per the teachings of the Lord, have left us with one common message: to serve the Lord is to suffer for the Lord. Take Courage. Dare to live and suffer for the Lord because, “this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come” (Heb. 13:14) and we have the assurance of the Lord with us, “Behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Mt. 28:20). The reward is great in Heaven (Mt.: 5:12) for all those who strive to opt and live by the teachings of the Lord.
As we celebrate the solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, let us interrogate ourselves, “Have I discovered my purpose here on earth?”
