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Nativity of St. John the Baptist (Jun 24)

June 24, 2024

Fr. John Colacino C.PP.S.

Introit

Collect

Grant, we pray, almighty God,
that your family may walk in the way of salvation
and, attentive to what Saint John the Precursor urged,
may come safely to the One he foretold,
our Lord Jesus Christ.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. Amen.

First Reading Is 49:1-6

Listen to me, O coastlands, pay attention, you peoples from far away! The Lord called me before I was born, while I was in my mother’s womb he named me. 2 He made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me away. 3 And the Lord said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.” 4 But I said, “I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my cause is with the Lord, and my reward with my God.” 5 And now the Lord says, who formed me in the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him, and that Israel might be gathered to him, for I am honoured in the sight of the Lord, and my God has become my strength. 6 The Lord says, “It is too small a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

Responsorial Psalm Ps 139:1b-3,13-14ab,14c-15

Second Reading Acts 13:22-26

On the sabbath, Paul and his companion went to the synagogue, and the officials of the synagogue invited them to address the people. So Paul stood up and began to speak. “You Israelites, and all who fear God, listen. 22 God made David king of our ancestors. In his testimony about him God said, ‘I have found David, son of Jesse, to be a man after my heart, who will carry out all my wishes.’ 23 “Of this man’s posterity God has brought to Israel a Saviour, Jesus, as he promised; 24 before the coming of Jesus John had already proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25 And as John was finishing his work, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but one is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of the sandals on his feet.’ “You descendants of Abraham’s family, and others who fear God, to us the message of this salvation has been sent.”

Gospel Acclamation

Gospel Lk 1:57-66, 80

The time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58 Her neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. 60 But his mother said, “No; he is to be called John.” 61 They said to her, “None of your relatives has this name.” 62 Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. 63 He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And all of them were amazed. 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God. 65 Fear came over all their neighbours, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard them pondered them and said, “What then will this child become?” For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him. 80 The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day he appeared publicly to Israel.

Catena Nova

The church observes the day of John the Baptist’s birth as a special holy day. No one else but Christ is commemorated in this way. Why is this? This answer lies in the need to celebrate the hope we have from God and our confidence that it will be fulfilled. Just as did the Jewish people before Christ’s birth we who follow Christ live in hope. Just as they believed that God would fulfill their hope so we believe that God will fulfill ours. John’s mother was old and barren; she was beyond all ordinary hope for having the child, especially the son, his parents had hoped for. When an angel proclaimed to Zachary, and in the Holy Place of the Temple, that his wife would have a son he doubted. As a result he fell silent and lost the power of speech until John was born. He regained speech in prophesying that his son would point Israel toward Christ as its Messiah and Savior—the fulfillment of all its hopes. The restoration of Zachary’s power of speech is like the rending of the veil of the temple at Christ’s death. John was to be a voice crying out in the wilderness so as to make Israel ready for its Lord and for the fulfillment of its hope. It proved to be the forgiveness of sin, and not the recovery of political freedom and any of the other hoped for good things.(St. Augustine of Hippo)

O what a novel and wonderful mystery! John has not yet been born but already he gives voice with his bounds; he has not yet appeared but already he manifests signs of his presence; he cannot yet cry and already he is heard through what he does; as yet he has not begun his life and already he is preaching about God; he does not yet see the light and is already pointing to the sun; he has not yet been brought forth and already he hastens to act as forerunner. The Lord is there! John cannot restrain himself; he is not going to be restricted by the limitations set by nature but strives to break out of the prison of his mother’s womb and make known beforehand the Savior’s coming. “He who breaks our bonds has come,” he says. “and am I to remain shackled? Am I still bound to remain here? The Word comes to re-establish all things and am I still to remain captive? I will come out and run ahead of him and announce to all: Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn 1,29). But tell us, John, held fast as you are in the darkness of your mother’s womb, how is it that you see and hear? How can you behold divine things? How can you be leaping and rejoicing? “The mystery that is taking place is great indeed,” he says. “It is something beyond human understanding. It is with good reason that I am doing something new in the natural order on behalf of him who is to do something new in the supernatural order. I see even before my birth because I see the Sun of Justice gestating (Mal 3,20). (St. John Chrysostom)

Such a great herald was John that by anticipating the grace of his future ministry, he gave his mother the spirit of prophecy, and by the power of the name assigned to him by the angel, he opened the mouth of his father Zechariah, which had been sealed by doubt. Of him whose birth his father doubted, incurring the punishment of being unable to speak, the Evangelist says: “He himself was not the light, but came to give testimony to the light so that everyone might believe through him.“ Indeed he was not the light, but because he was worthy to give testimony to the true light, he was wholly in the light. Therefore let us all give honor to the most blessed John by celebrating this day of his birth with great joy, for before anyone else he recognized the everlasting light of heaven which was going to dispel the darkness of the world, and he was the first to point it out. (St. Maximus of Turin)

Today we are celebrating the Nativity of St. John, dearest brethren, something which we read has never been granted to any of the other saints. Only the Nativity of our Lord and that of Blessed John [the Baptist] are celebrated and honored throughout the world. A sterile woman bore the latter, a virgin conceived the former; in Elizabeth sterility was overcome, in blessed Mary the method of conception was changed. Elizabeth bore her son by knowing a husband; Mary believed the angel and conceived hers. Elizabeth conceived a man, and so did Mary; but Elizabeth conceived only a man, while Mary conceived both God and man. What did John want for himself? Why was he interposed? Concerning Whom was he sent ahead? For this reason John was great, and to his greatness even the Savior bears testimony when He says, There has not appeared on earth a man born of woman greater than John the Baptist (Mt 11:11). He surpassed and excelled everyone; he excelled the prophets, he surpassed the patriarchs. Anyone who is born of a woman is inferior to John. (St. Caesarius of Arles)

I cannot be a burning lamp unless I love the Lord my God with all my heart and all my mind and all my strength. Charity is kindled for our salvation. Why don’t you approach the Throne of Mercy with total confidence? Give thanks to John and journey toward Christ. As John had to decrease, so must we. It is so that Christ may always and everywhere increase. By God’s grace, may we always have the strength to burn and let Christ shine though us. The more intensely you burn the brighter the light of Christ will shine from you. You will be God’s lamp. (St. Bernard of Clairvaux)

To be holy is to be close to God. This is not something we can do of ourselves. We can only respond to the call of divine grace. John was called to witness to holiness in all he was and did. He was called to consecrate his entire life and self in response to God’s grace, calling him even while still in his mother’s womb. This is a most marvelous grace and calling. A most marvelous saint John was. From childhood a hermit dedicated to living only for God and the coming of God’s kingdom. Yes, he was also a preacher to those who were fallen and perhaps living in sin. He called them to God not only by word but by example. As God had called him through Mary’s word to Elizabeth, so he called others through his words, until the time came for him to point to the lamb of God and then retire from the scene until the Lord indicated to him the further grace he should live. All these were graces of witnessing to God’s grace and love. We can do no better, even want no better, than that. (St. John Henry Newman)

“His name is John” (Lk 1:63) …which in Hebrew means “God is benevolent”. God is benevolent to human beings, He wants them to live; He wants them to be saved. God is benevolent to His people, He wants to make of them a blessing, for all the nations of the earth. God is benevolent to humanity, He guides its pilgrim way, towards the land,where peace and justice reign. All this is contained in that name: John!” (Pope St. John Paul II)

Homily

It was almost a joke. That day nine months ago, when Zechariah the priest went to the temple. And the angel Gabriel appeared to him, saying, Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard). Can’t you imagine him saying to himself, “You mean the prayer for a child my wife and I have offered these many years, to no avail? And now that I’m a man well on in age, with a wife long past her prime, our prayer will be answered? All because some angel says, Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son?”

No wonder he found the whole thing a bit much to believe. Besides, even if it were possible, who wants to raise a child when you’re just getting ready to retire? So can you blame Zechariah for asking an obvious question: How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years? Well, apparently Gabriel could. For the angel said, You will be speechless and unable to talk until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words (G – Vigil) . Poor Zechariah.

Yet, how often do the ways of God, leave us speechless? Unable to mutter a word of relief, or protest. Life throws us a curve ball, some unexpected development, whether for good or ill, and suddenly it’s God who gets the credit, or the blame, along with a shortage of words. For such events leave us tongue-tied, able to manage just a few syllables, like: “Thank God!” or “Why me?” And sometimes the ways of providence leave us exactly like Zechariah: dumb, incapable of uttering a sound.

What we often fail to notice, however, is how these muted moments are often pregnant, meant to give birth to something marvelous. Like the womb of Elizabeth, where God was forming John the Baptist, a light to the nations (I-Day), a light to signal the presence of Christ among us. For both fortune and misfortune, can bring new life into being. Making what’s barren fruitful and, at times - depending on our disposition - what’s fruitful, barren.

I remember a parishioner who won the lottery when I was stationed in Toronto. $750,000! Can’t you just hear the “Thank Gods”? He called the parish office one day, saying he’d like to make a donation. We were in the midst of a renovation program and money was tight. When he came to see me, he handed me a blank check. I could feel my tongue tying. He went on to explain he forgot his glasses, so I had to write out the check. As he told me the amount to put down, he began: $1…. I was about to become speechless. He continued: $1 ... hundred dollars! I didn’t know what to say. But I thought to myself what an opportunity for good God had given him. Yet, little was born from his good fortune. Fruitfulness turned barren.

But then there’s the story in Carol Ritter’s column I read about Melissa Sengbusch, a local college student who died last year of leukemia. Can’t you just hear the “Why me?” But one day she told her mother, “If you have learned anything from me though all of this, promise me you will do something with it to make a difference – to make things better.” What amazing speech! As a result, Melissa’s parents established a Living Legacy Foundation in her name which aims to help other teens with cancer. Barrenness become fruitful.

Now we too can be open or closed to the events of our lives, which may at the time leave us at a loss for words. Old Zechariah’s mouth was closed for nine months. Until the words of the angel were fulfilled at their proper time. Then, he came to terms with God’s intervention in his life. He obeyed the angel’s command to name his son John. And immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God (G - Day). He spoke a canticle of praise, telling the good things God would accomplish through his son. And John’s voice would one day join his father’s, when he cried out in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord! (Lk. 3:4) Prepare the way for God’s new intervention in human history.

All the doubts, anxieties, and inconveniences, which John’s birth occasioned for his parents, were swept away in Zechariah’s great hymn of praise. He and Elizabeth opened themselves to unheard of possibilities, and thus brought forth the prophet who showed us the Lamb of God: Christ Jesus, who takes away the sins of the world. To whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Intercessions (Church of England)

Lord God, who promised Zechariah a son filled with the spirit and power of Elijah, to prepare a people fit for the Lord: we pray for reconciliation between all people. Lord, hear us. Lord, graciously hear us.

Lord God, when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting the baby leapt in her womb: may she who believed your promise be blessed among women, and may we proclaim with joy the good news of your Christ. Lord, hear us. Lord, graciously hear us.

Lord God, at John’s birth Zechariah proclaimed he would be the prophet of the Most High: we pray for all who preach the Good News, [especially …]. Lord, hear us. Lord, graciously hear us.

Lord God, when your Son came to the Jordan and was baptized by John he saw the heavens open and the Spirit descending as a dove: may we who are baptized into your Church faithfully proclaim in the world the words of your beloved Son. Lord, hear us. Lord, graciously hear us.

Lord God, John proclaimed your Son as the Lamb of God and John’s disciples followed Jesus: help us to follow him also, and by our words and deeds to bring our families and friends closer to you. Lord, hear us. Lord, graciously hear us.

Lord God, who sent John to witness to the light, to be the voice of one crying in the wilderness and to prepare the way of the Lord: comfort your people and bring your healing to the sick and needy, to the broken-hearted and the oppressed, to prisoners and captives. [Especially we pray for …] Lord, hear us. Lord, graciously hear us.

Lord God, John preached the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins and suffered imprisonment and death for proclaiming your Law: we remember all who have died in your service,

joining our prayers with John the Baptist and all the saints; grant us with them a share in your eternal kingdom. Lord, hear us. Lord, graciously hear us.

God our Father, in your tender compassion the dawn from on high has broken upon us. Shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death and guide our feet into the way of peace; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.

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