Memory of the Saints and the Prophets

The Eastern and Western Churches remember the birth of John the Baptist, the "greatest of those born of women," who prepared the way for the Lord.

Reading of the Word of God

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

You are a chosen race,
a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
a people acquired by God
to proclaim his marvellous works.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Luke 1,57-66.80

The time came for Elizabeth to have her child, and she gave birth to a son; and when her neighbours and relations heard that the Lord had lavished on her his faithful love, they shared her joy. Now it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother spoke up. 'No,' she said, 'he is to be called John.' They said to her, 'But no one in your family has that name,' and made signs to his father to find out what he wanted him called. The father asked for a writing-tablet and wrote, 'His name is John.' And they were all astonished. At that instant his power of speech returned and he spoke and praised God. All their neighbours were filled with awe and the whole affair was talked about throughout the hill country of Judaea. All those who heard of it treasured it in their hearts. 'What will this child turn out to be?' they wondered. And indeed the hand of the Lord was with him. Meanwhile the child grew up and his spirit grew strong. And he lived in the desert until the day he appeared openly to Israel.

 

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

You will be holy,
because I am holy, thus says the Lord.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Today the Church celebrates a very ancient feast: the birth of John the Baptist. Together with Mary, John is the only saint whose birthday the Church remembers. And this is because their lives - since the very beginning - are connected directly with Jesus: Mary and John were born for Jesus; Mary in order to be his Mother, John in order to prepare his way. The evangelist Luke narrates his birth in a way parallel to that of Jesus. The Lord had gazed upon him too. The birth of this child changes the lives of the two old parents at a time when all hopes seemed to be vanished because of Elizabeth's sterility. The son is certainly a gift from God for the two old parent that thus see their live fulfilled in their generation. Through their children both become part of God's great vision on the world. John - the fruit of the angel's word even in his name - is the prophet God sent to prepare the way to the Saviour and point to him to the people of his time. The Baptist's example helps Christians to turn their eyes towards Jesus, the Messiah sent by God to save us from the slavery of sin. What happened to the Baptist is true for each of us: we are all the fruit of God's love; not one of us was born by chance. We are all gift from God to be disciples of Jesus and to prepare the hearts of human beings to receive him as the Saviour of the world.