Solemnity of the Birth of St. John the Baptist (B)

(Edited) Reflections (from) Solemnity of the Birth of St. John the Baptist (B), June 24, 2012

Isaiah 49:1-6
Psalm 139
Acts 13:22-26
Luke 1:57-66, 80

"His name is John"

As with the events surrounding the birth and naming of Jesus, it was also the angel Gabriel who appeared to Zechariah to announce the birth and naming of John the Baptist. The Scriptures present the truth that, unlike some present-day trends, names are sacred; and not only names of persons but also of places - like where Moses encountered Yahweh, and where Jacob had a dream of angels ascending and descending from heaven. The name John given by the angel Gabriel denotes a special mission for the child to be born of Zechariah and Elizabeth (for no one in their family's tradition has that name).

As with the birth of Jesus, the birth of John the Baptist was also a miracle. Jesus was born of a virgin, while John was born from Elizabeth, who was already way advanced in years, and known by her community as barren. The parallelism of the birth narratives of Jesus and John makes all see the importance of their mission - that both would call the people back to God and His commands. In their mission, John would baptize by water, while Jesus will baptize in the Holy Spirit. And since John the Baptist's mission introduces the mission of Jesus, he is honored well in Catholic tradition: his name appears in the Litany of Saints right after the Holy Trinity, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the angels.

We can reflect on the events surrounding the birth of St. John the Baptist. What does it mean when God overrides a family tradition of naming? What was the reason for the Lord to strike Zechariah with speechlessness until his son was born? And how can a woman so advanced in years still find strength to bear a child? We can derive many truths from these questions for reflection. One truth that can be derived is the majesty and greatness of God. And since John's birth has a mission entrusted by God, his name is sacred (John means "graced by God"). It relates to the mystery of God as the Author of all life and all that is good.

Memorials of Saints: John the Baptist, Simplicius, Bartholomew (June 24)

The Birth of John the Baptist: This feast, dating from the 4th c. A.D. in both East and West, came to be celebrated, in accord with Lk 1:36, six months before the Lord’s birth; quoting Jn 3:30, Augustine found this date (near summer solstice) appropriate for the birth of John, when the daylight begins to grow shorter, whereas after Jesus’ birth, it begins to increase. (June 24)

also on June 24: The martyrs under Nero; Simplicius, bishop; Bartholomew of Farne

St. John the Baptist is one of the great saints honored by the Catholic Church. His preeminence is verified by the fact that in the Litany of the Saints, he ranks just below the Blessed Mother and the angels, and above all the other saints. He is the last of the Old Testament prophets, and heralds Christ as the Messiah.

Below are just some of the Scripture passages where he is mentioned:

• Luke 1:57-66, birth of John the Baptist
• Mark 1:1-6, Matthew 3:1-6, Luke 3:1-6, John the Baptist's proclamation
• Matthew 3:7-10, Luke 3:7-9, John's preaching on repentance
• Luke 3:10-14, John's preaching to special groups
• Matthew 3:11-12, Mark 1:7-8, Luke 3:15-18, John's Messianic preaching
• Luke 3:19-20, John's imprisonment
• Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11, Luke 3:21-22, Baptism of Jesus by John
• Matthew 9:14-17, Mark 2:18-22, Luke 5:33-39, mention of John in the question of fasting
• Luke 7:18-23, John's question to Jesus
• Matthew 11:7-19, Luke 7:24-35, Jesus' words about John
• Matthew 14:1-2, Mark 6:14-16, Luke 9:7-9, Herod thinks Jesus is John risen

Simplicius was elected bishop of Autun in 390 A.D. Details of his life are not certain but it is believed that he signed the decrees of the Council of Sardica in 347 A.D.

Bartholomew of Farne became a monk at Durham. He then became a solitary in the desolate island of Farne off the coast of Northumbria, where he spent the next forty-two years. Bartholomew was reputed to have performed miracles.

12th Sunday of the Year (B)

(Edited) Reflections for the 12th Sunday of the Year, Year B

"Why are you lacking in faith?"

In this Sunday's gospel, Jesus displayed His divine power over the storm, and commented on the lack of faith expressed by his apostles. His followers, as the gospel described, were quite alarmed and thought that all of them will drown due to the strong storm. This story of Jesus stilling the storm in the gospel of Mark is before that point in the gospel when the identity of Jesus was known through the confession of Peter ["You are the Christ"], which is in Chapter 8. So in the experience of the storm, the apostles only had a vague knowledge of who Jesus is. This vague knowledge was expressed in the comment: "Who can this be that the wind and the sea obey him?" Since they do not as yet know who Jesus was, they had no faith in Him in that storm incident.

Each one is journeying together with the Church further on into a deeper and greater knowledge of who Christ is. Most often, the "storms" experienced in life come when one does not yet have a deeper personal knowledge of Christ, or when one has forgotten Christ in his way of life and work. "Storms" come and arrive. They are part of the seasons of life in the world: economic storms, wars, stormy relationships, great losses in life [a loved one, a job, a relationship, divorce, bankruptcy in business], illness, etc. It often comes not only to test our faith in Jesus, but to deepen our knowledge and rootedness in His will. The best response to "storms" is to be proactive - spiritually. We are called always to be vigilant, to watch and pray, so that we do not get mired in fears, worries and anxieties. Anxieties can blind us like the apostles, who only then saw and realized that Jesus was with them, and when awakened, surprisingly stilled the storm.

In all the storms of life, there is a call to be "proactive" spiritually. To discipline ourselves spiritually and avoid that blindness that makes us forget that the Lord is with us. He is always present. Much of our time are often delegated to matters which does not integrate our life in the Spirit, or which distracts us to that interior life cultivated often in times of retreats and recollections. We are then called to live a more balanced life, spiritually and temporally, so that when stormy circumstances arrive, we act in faith and not paralyzed by fear. We are called to always water that mustard seed of faith in our soul, that it may grow to a great tree of faith, rooted deeply in Christ, His Word and Sacrament. And He is always there in every Blessed Sacrament of any parish. He is also within us in our baptismal consecration. Jesus is present to us through the members of the family, and through friends and loved ones. He can even be present through mere acquaintances, who, being moved by the Spirit at unexpected times, are there to be "God-is-with-us" for us.

And so at this time of our history, when we are faced with difficulties in the global scene, storms will be daily fare. St. John Paul II has a message that will get us through: "Be not afraid". His intercession will help humanity see that Christ is One who has power even over a "global storm" that may be impending: one that could disrupt even the peace of our world. Each one's respective Christian task is simple. Keep faith in Jesus. We take responsibility for nurturing our faith in Him. We make it strong by cultivating a personal relationship with Him that is rooted in strongly bonded relationships with family and with the institutions of our society, particularly, our parish, with our religious communities, and our local government, and the country's relationship with the rest of the world. The task and discipline is simple: humbly practice a "proactive" way of life, prayer, and work with Jesus and with others.