24 June 2022: Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist 

Cycle C - Year II:  

Note:  "The Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist is usually celebrated on June 24, but this year (2022) has the rare coincidence of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist and the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart falling on the same day. The Holy See has determined the Sacred Heart should be celebrated on June 24, 2022, and the Nativity of St. John the Baptist celebrated on the 23rd, unless St. John the Baptist is the patron of the diocese, nation, city, or religious community, in which case it is the feast of the Sacred Heart that would be transferred to the 23rd."  Source: Catholic Culture

Readings:

First Reading:       Isaiah 49:1-6

Second Reading:  Acts 13:22-26

Gospel:  Please Read  John 20:19-23 

John the Baptist, The Precursor!

Friday, 24 June 2022 is the Solemnity of the Nativity of John the Baptist, the Precursor or Forerunner of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Church by tradition usually observes the death of a saint as feast day because it marks the saint's entrance into heaven. There are two exceptions to this tradition, one is the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the other is that of John the Baptist.

There is a dogmatic justification for this exception: these two religious persons are exempt from original sin from their birth, while all other saints, and the rest of us were stained with original sin at birth.  Let us explain this.

For the Blessed Mother, the Church teaches that she was free from original sin from the first moment of her existence. That is why even her very conception is commemorated by a special feast on December 8.

In the case of John the Baptist, he was cleansed from original sin while yet in the womb of his mother, Elizabeth, at the moment when the blessed Virgin Mary, pregnant at that time with our Lord Jesus Christ, visited John's mother Elizabeth.  Also, the birth of John the Baptist is important because he paves the way for the coming of the Savior to the world. So that today's feast is really an anticipation of the Feast of Christmas when our Lord was born.

What do we know of John the Baptist?

Historically, John was the son of Zechariah, a priest in the Temple of Jerusalem, and Elizabeth, a kinswoman of Mary, the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ. John was born of a sterile woman in her old age.

St. Luke tells us of the birth of John the Baptist in a town of Judea about six months before the birth of the Savior. Although the New Testament tells us nothing about John's early years, we are given the story of the ministry of John the Baptist in the three synoptic Gospels of Mathew, Mark, and Luke with some variations of details, as well as the Gospel of John the Evangelist.

Now, when John the Baptist was probably in his thirty-second year, he withdrew into the harsh, rocky desert beyond the Jordan to fast and pray, as was the custom of holy men at that time. We are told that John kept himself alive by eating locust, and wild honey and wore a rough garment made of camel's hair, tied with a leather girdle.

John the Baptist lived as a hermit in the desert of Judea until about 27 AD. When his time came, he began to preach on the banks of the Jordan against the evils of the times and called men to penance and baptism, proclaiming that "the Kingdom of Heaven is close at hand!"  He attracted large crowd, and when our Lord Jesus Christ came to him, John recognized Him as the Messiah and baptized Him as our Lord Jesus wishes, saying to our Lord Jesus "It is I who need baptism from You."    

So John began to announce the coming of the Kingdom, and to call everyone to a fundamental reformation of life.  His purpose was to prepare the way of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Our Lord Jesus called John the Baptist as the greatest of all those who has preceded him: "I tell you, among those born of a woman, no one is greater than John."   (Lk 7:28)  Yet John's attitude toward our Lord Jesus was: "He must increase; I must decrease." (Jn 3:30)

John's role in salvation history is relevant even in our time today. For we, too, are born to testify to the Light, and respond to the challenge to prepare a people fit for the Lord.  Because the vocation of each person of any age and at all time, is something like John's -- to announce the love of God in word and deed among all peoples!

Trivia: John the Baptist is the Patron of my birth place, Tabaco City in Albay Province.  Today is also their fiesta. Maogmang Kapistahan po sa indo gabos!         

Ad Jesum per Mariam!