THE NATIVITY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST - 2024

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

As for you, little child, you shall be called
a prophet of God, the Most High.
You shall go ahead of the Lord
to prepare his ways before him. LK 1:76

ISAIAH 49:1-6

My Soul's Beloved,

By virtue of our baptism, each one of us is called to be an Elijah and a John the Baptist. We are to be the heralds of the Good News that God has come to dwell among His people. We are the ones God has chosen just as He did John the Baptist to wake people up from their slumber. As cradle Catholics, we have been called before we were born. God has given us a special name. He has called us to speak the Word of Love, Life, and Truth through the power of the Spirit whose Breath animates our lives and who makes His home in us.

This first reading is a prophecy of John the Baptist, the herald of the Savior, but it is also a prophecy for every Catholic. It is not by chance that You chose us, Lord but You chose us for a purpose. The fact that many of us are not formed or are ill-formed in the faith that is bequeathed to us without any effort on our part, does not condone our ignorance. You do not excuse us from teaching ourselves, educating ourselves, studying the Scriptures, doctrines of the Church, the Catechism, and with the help of the Church and the Holy Spirit to educate ourselves in the Truth. Armed with the Truth alone we can combat the Enemy of Truth and become his formidable adversaries. 

Well grounded in our faith we will be like the pebbles in the sling of David and like sharpened arrows in the quiver of the Lord. We were created to prepare the Way in the hearts and minds of those we encounter every day to welcome You and in turn become heralds of the Truth so that the whole world may come to know You, love You, worship You, and hasten Your return again in glory and majesty.

 

You have made us the light of the world and we are to shine our light from the lampstand to dispel the darkness of evil with the Light of Truth. This is our mission O Lord, grant us the wonderful grace of being faithful to it until the end of our days on earth. Thank You, Lord. 

‘I will make you the light of the nations
so that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.’

PSALM 138(139):1-3,13-15

O Lord, you search me and you know me,
you know my resting and my rising,
you discern my purpose from afar.
You mark when I walk or lie down,
all my ways lie open to you.

For it was you who created my being,

knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I thank you for the wonder of my being,
for the wonders of all your creation.

Already you knew my soul,
my body held no secret from you
when I was being fashioned in secret
and moulded in the depths of the earth.

I thank you for the wonder of my being.

ACTS 13:22-26

My Soul's Beloved,

St. John the Baptist was the herald sent by God to the people of Israel. He was the precursor to You O Lord who was sent to make crooked paths smooth and to straighten the way so people would be ready to receive the Eternal Word of God. 

God's plan of salvation took careful preparation beginning from the call of Abraham and culminating in the birth of St. John the Baptist. He was privileged to be the last of the prophets before the One whom God had promised at the fall of Adam and Eve would come to undo their sin, the sin that the fathers of the early Church call, 'a happy fault that gave us so glorious a redeemer.'

Each of the baptized is invited by name to be a John the Baptist, in our own little way and the righteous Judge on the Day of Judgement will call us to testify whether or not we fulfilled this great mission given to us. Every child of Adam and Eve must hear the Good News from the children of the New Adam and the New Eve and it is given to us to ensure they do. 

We are to be humble as John recognizing that we are only servants to the Most High and we are to say with him, “I am not the one you imagine me to be; that one is coming after me and I am not fit to undo his sandal.”
‘My brothers, sons of Abraham’s race, and all you who fear God, this message of salvation is meant for you.’

LUKE 1:57-66,80

'His name is John'