Lectionary: Birth of St. John Baptist

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Lectionary:  Solemnity of Birth of John the Baptist. Scripture: Isaiah 49:1-6. Psalm 139:1-3,13-14,14-15.  Acts 13: 22-26.  Luke 1: 57-66,80:

John the Baptist’s birth is celebrated in today’s liturgy of the word as a solemnity.  The entire background for his birth is handed on to us through St. Luke in his Infancy Narrative which parallels in a diptych the birth of Jesus.  This happens also with the Annunciation to Mary about the birth of Jesus and an earlier Annunciation to Zechariah about the birth of a son, John the Baptist, of Elizabeth his barren wife.

Both the Vigil for this feast as well as the readings for the day supply us with a sketch of John the Baptist’s birth and point to his role in salvation history.  Luke helps us understand him by a very important statement he makes in Luke 16:16-17: “The law (Torah) and the prophets were in effect until John came; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is proclaimed, and everyone tries to enter it by force.  But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one stroke of a letter in the law (Torah) to be dropped.”

These readings from the Vigil and the Solemnity help us to celebrate with joy the birth of this great saint whom Jesus praises as the greatest born of a woman! I like to celebrate John as a prophet, a precursor for the coming of the Messiah, a herald, and a witness.  All four of these roles are present in the Gospels.  He is a prophet when he uses the prophetic formula, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ (John 1:29-30). John the Baptist is a herald who fulfills the prophet Elijah’s ushering in of the messianic age.  He is a witness in the giving up of his life for the sake of God’s kingdom. As such he sheds his blood in union with and for the one who takes away the sins of all, Jesus, the Messiah and Savior.  He is the precursor in that he already announced Jesus from his mother’s womb where he leapt for joy at the embrace of Mary and her cousin Elizabeth, John’s mother.

I realized that only John the Baptist, Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and Jesus himself have their birthdays celebrated in the liturgy.

The prophets Jeremiah and Isaiah are cited in the readings for the Vigil and the Solemnity of John the Baptist.  They speak of their birth and prophetic role to help us relate such graces and gifts to John the Baptist.  The two psalms used for the masses also speak of a child in its mother’s woman and the joy of the birth for her. Psalm 71 and 139 are perfect for our prayer today.  All of the texts, therefore, provide us with a wealth of material for meditating upon John the Baptist.

John the Baptist is the patron for Jordan, for the city of Florence, and for monks and highways!   Amen. Alleluia.