SOLEMNITY OF THE BIRTHDAY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. By Tobe Eze

SOLEMNITY OF THE BIRTHDAY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST.

FIRST READING.

ISAIAH 49:1-6

SECOND READING.

ACTS 13:22-26

GOSPEL.

LUKE 1:57-66.80

THEME: THE MAN JOHN THE BAPTIST.

Many prophets came to prepare the way of the son of God. They were preparing and clearing ways for him to come. John the Baptist was one of them. There is a clear difference between the prophets of old and John the Baptist. John is the bridge that connects the old and new testaments. He was the old prophet that made preparations for the coming of the Messiah and saw him when he come. Others longed to see the Messiah but could not, it was only John that saw him and showed him when he came. All the prophets called were called after their birth, it was only John who was called from the womb. Even in the womb he made signs to show whom he is when Jesus in the womb with his mother visited him also in the womb and his mother Elisabeth.

John had three roles to play which he carried all of them out in a perfect way. (1). He was to prepare the way for the Lord. (2). He was to clear the way for the Lord and. (3). He was to move away for the Lord.

He was to prepare the way for the Lord: He performed this function by preaching from the wilderness and Baptizing people. Turning their hearts back to God their father (Matthew 3:1-17).

He was to clear the way for the Lord and: He performed this when he showed his own disciples the Lamb of God and left them to follow him for he knew that he is the long awaited Messiah (John 1:29).

He was to move away for the Lord: When he finished the first two functions, he used his blood to make way for the Lord. He decreased so that the Lord will increase. He died for the sake of truth which Jesus is (John 3:30).

John had some good qualities that we have to imitate, emulate and form. He was called from the womb and when he was born, he followed the calling. He was such a humble, obedient and prayerful child and that made him to notice his vocation on time and followed it. He was courageous. He did not fear death, he stood on the path of truth even to the detriment of his own life. When no one could tell Herod and Herodias the truth, he stood out to tell them when he knew that it may cost him his life. He did not fear animal or other wild things that would have attacked him in the wilderness, he went there lived, ate locusts and honey, used skins of animals for his cloths and shouted out from that wilderness without fear. Above all, his humility made him not to claim any position that was not made for him. He confessed that he was not worthy of untiring the sandals of Jesus and that brought out his humility.

Courageous: Sometimes in life, we are faced with many threatening situations that may make us deny the truth. St. John today is now a yardstick for us to follow that no matter what, we should stand on the part of life. His is being celebrated as a great man and Herod and Herodias are now celebrated as evils. It demands courage to always stand on the path of justice and truth but it is the best virtue we can get. (Matthew 14)

Discover your calling and follow it: We all are not called to be prophets, each is called differently and so, we shall discharge our duties differently. Some are now forcing God to give them different gift from the one he endowed them on their creation. John discovered his own and followed it even till death. You cannot be another person and that person cannot be you. We have different gifts and different graces are attached to our different gifts. When we leave that our gifts to look for the one we do not have, we may end up to doom for the grace given to us for a particular work and position will not follow us to the other one. We must discover and follow our callings so that we may be happy in our works as St. John was. It was because he was contented with the gift and function assigned to him by the one who called him that he allowed his own disciple to leave him and followed Jesus when he showed him to them. It was just because of the same reason that he accepted to decrease in order that Jesus will increase. It is very necessary it we discover our callings and work towards and with it.

Lastly, St. John did all that the Lord directed him to do and this is one of the qualities of a good prophet. We have to obey God and do his will and we shall be lifted up like St. John the Baptist we celebrate today. Let us as him to intercede for us to get those his good qualities and to make heaven at last.