Cycle A - Year I:  

24 June 2023: Solemnity of the Nativity of John the Baptist 

(Liturgical Color: White)

Readings:

First Reading:        Isaiah 49:1-6

Second Reading:   Acts 13:22-26

Gospel:  Please Read  Luke 1:57-66, 80 

A man with a special mission!

The Church celebrates on Saturday, June 24, the Nativity of John the Baptist, a man with a special mission in our salvation history.

Celebrating the birth of John the Baptist is a rare distinction he shares with our Lord Jesus and the Blessed Mother. Because by tradition the Church usually observes the death of a saint as feast day because it marks the saint's entrance into heaven.

Today's Gospel proclamation narrates the birth of John the Baptist, the cousin of our Lord Jesus. He was born to Elizabeth who was past normal child bearing years and her husband Zachary was in disbelief about having a son of old age.

John was born under unique circumstances. His parents did not choose his name. It was given by an angel which is derived from the Hebrew Yohanan, which means "graced by God". For John's role in salvation history is to prepare the Way of the Lord. 

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 wishes, saying to our Lord Jesus "It is I who need baptism from You." 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.

Now like John the Baptist, we are also born with a purpose, our own special mission in life given to us from birth. Do you know your own mission? Generally, as believers we share in John's mission to prepare the way for others to find and receive our Lord Jesus Christ.

Because through our baptism, we are called to be precursors of the Lord. Out baptism imposes on us an obligation to share our faith and to give witness to the Way of Jesus, both in word and action. In that sense, we are also called to be "preachers" and proclaimers of God's kingdom here on earth.

John the Baptist is the Patron of my birth place, Tabaco City in Albay Province. And so today is also their town fiesta. Happy Fiesta sa gabos!

Ad Jesum per Mariam!