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Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist

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Due to how our calendar fluctuates during any given year, certain feast days falling on a Sunday will supersede other regular celebrations.  Such is the case this Sunday, where the Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, celebrated on June 24th, supersedes our normal celebration of the 12 Sunday of Ordinary Time.  In our Christian tradition John the Baptist most known for announcing  the coming of the Messiah, and recognizes him in Jesus, whom he later baptized in the Jordon River.  Today’s readings carry a sense of anticipation as we celebrate the nativity of John’s birth.

The Word for the Solemnity of the Nativity of St John the Baptist
Isaiah 49:1-6
Psalm 139:1b-3, 13-14ab, 14c-15
Acts 13:22-26
Luke 1:57-66, 80

Our first reading comes from “Deutero” or “Second” Isaiah.  During this time Israel is anticipating an end to their exile in Babylon.  Much as John the Baptist was called to announce the coming of Jesus, Isaiah makes it clear in this passage that he has been called by God to announce the end of their captivity in Babylon, and that with God, Israel will be restored.  How does God now they are ready to return?  This is found in our Psalm.  Here the author recognizes that God knows our own thoughts.  He is the Creator, the one who fashioned us in our mother’s womb, to which we sing, “I praise you, for I am wonderfully made.”

Our second reading is a passage from the Acts of the Apostles.  Here we step into the middle of an address that Paul is giving to the people in the Synagogue in Antioch.  In this address he lays out the story of our salvation, from Abraham, to Moses, to Samuel.  Our passage picks up with David being chosen by God to lead Israel, and from his descendants another will be called… heralded by John, who recognized Jesus as their savior.

Our Gospel from Luke then gives us the story of the birth of John.  After giving birth, it came time to give the child a name.  Elizabeth’s neighbors and relatives assumed he would be named Zechariah after his father, but she tells them instead that he will be named John.  During this time Zechariah has been struck mute because he didn’t believe the angel Gabriel when he was told Elizabeth was pregnant, but now as his family and friends were giving Mary a hard time about naming the child John (as Gabriel foretold), Zechariah wrote on a tablet that “John is his name,” at which point his voice was restored for having followed the will of God.

Final Thoughts:
One of the running themes in the Bible is the announcement of God’s intentions.  Whenever great things are about to happen, God sends his prophets out to announce to the world what is going to happen.  With something as important as the coming of the Messiah, God didn’t what there to be any doubt or confusion, so he choses John, from before his birth, for this task.  It is for this reason the early Church felt it necessary to set aside a special feast day to celebrate the birth of John the Baptist.  The importance of this celebration is also reflected in the date, June 24th:  3 months after the celebration of the Annunciation (when the angel Gabriel tell Mary she’s pregnant) and 6 months before Christmas and the birth of Jesus.  This feast is one of the oldest in the Church, being listed by the Council of Agde (a regional synod) in 506CE, and it’s placement on the calendar is meant to be an anticipation of Christmas.

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