Feast of the Birth of John the Baptist

Feast of the Birth of John the Baptist

St John the Baptist was the son of Zechariah and St Elizabeth, a cousin of Mary, Mother of God. St John was the last of the prophets and the precursor who heralded the “way of the Lord”. He spent his early life as an ascetic in preparation for the coming of Christ, the Messiah. He called everyone to a radical reformation of their life through Baptism by water only, in the River Jordan, but that the Christ would come and baptise with the Holy Spirit and fire. His life was marked by humility and obedience “He must increase, I must decrease.”

St John the Baptist attracted to himself many disciples, who believed that he was the Messiah. However, he never encouraged this and constantly deferred them to Jesus, even sending some to be Christ’s first Apostles. The austerity of St John the Baptist and his fierce courage in denouncing evil and King Herod all grew from his surrendering to God’s will and placing his life completely at God’s service. We like St John the Baptist are called to be a voice crying in the wilderness, preparing a way for the Lord.