St. John the Baptist has always held a place of very high
esteem in the Church—this feast of his birth dates all the way back to the 4th
century. We praise John because the Lord himself praised John when he said, “I
tell you, among those born of women, no one is greater than John”.
John is rightly honored for the great role he played in
salvation history. In faithfulness to his calling by God, John took the role of
the precursor, the herald. His was the lone voice in the wilderness pointing
others to Christ at the Lord’s first coming.
John is also honored because of his personal holiness. In a
sense, he was a saint already in the womb of his mother. Still in the womb of
his mother Elizabeth, John was able to detect in some mysterious way the
presence of Jesus in the womb of the Blessed Mother. John leaped for joy in the
presence of God made flesh, dancing like David before the ark.
John’s holiness was evident in his wisdom. The Gospels
record an utterance of John giving us the very key to holiness itself: “I must
decrease so that Christ may increase”. To become holy is to decrease our egos,
our selfishness, and allow Christ to grow in us, in our choices, actions,
behaviors, attitudes, words and thoughts.
John’s holiness of course is also evident in his martyrdom,
in his willingness to die for the Truth when he spoke out about the adulterous
affair of King Herod and his brother’s wife. Blessed are those persecuted for
the sake of righteousness.
Today, as we celebrate John’s birth, we do well to recall
that as God chose and formed John to herald Christ and witness to Truth, he
calls and forms us for this purpose as well. The Collect prayer today said, God
raised up Saint John the Baptist to make ready a nation fit for Christ.” We,
too, are called to help souls become ready for Christ—through our words, our
example, our prayers.
If there is a soul of a family member or neighbor who seems
particularly resistant to Christ, we should certainly be praying and fasting
for them. But their resistance is also a reminder to us, that we must decrease,
so that Christ may increase, in the hope that they may meet Christ in us—in our
words, in our acts of charity, in our Christian disposition.
May our celebration of St. John’s birth help us to become
the heralds of Christ God made use to be, for the glory of God and the
salvation of souls.
That Pope Leo and all the clergy may witness to the truth of
the Gospel faithfully, courageously, and compassionately.
For the protection of the unborn, and that people of
goodwill will work together to enshrine the protection of the unborn in law and
in the hearts of all.
For the conversion of those who do not believe in God, for Catholics
who have left the Church, those guilty of heresy or schism, and for a return to
the sacraments of those who have fallen into serious sin.
For the sick and afflicted, the homebound, those in nursing
homes and hospitals, for victims of natural disaster, those who suffer from war, violence, and
terrorism, all victims of abuse, especially children, for the mentally ill,
those with addictions, and the imprisoned, for those who struggle to live the
call of Christian chastity, for the comfort of the dying and the consolation of
their families.
For the deceased members of our families, friends, and
parish and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased priests and religious,
and for those who have fought and died for our freedom, for the repose of the
soul of St. Joseph Father Larry Tosco, and for N. for whom this mass is
offered.
Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord,
and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through
Christ our Lord.
