St. John the Baptist knew the “One is coming after me” would be the Messiah
Reflections on the readings for the Solemnity of St. John the Baptist (June 24, 2019): IS 49:1-6; PS 139:1-3,13-14,14-15; ACTS 13:22-26; LK 1:57-66,80
MISSIO offers “Mission In Scripture” to nurture a missionary heart, providing reflections on the missionary themes in the readings of Sundays, Feast Days and Holy Days
As we celebrate the birth of St. John the Baptist, the reading from Acts recounts the first important sermon given by St. Paul.
In it, as he preaches the Good News, he connects Jewish history and Scripture with the ministry of Jesus. “God raised up David as king.… From this man’s descendants God, according to His promise, has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus. John heralded His coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance” (Acts 13:22-24). John always knew that he was not the long expected Messiah. He also declared how unworthy he was to even unfasten Christ’s sandals. But the singular role of John was a key part of the divine plan to redeem His people from sin and death.
When John was still in the womb of his mother, the presence of Jesus who was also in His mother’s womb obliterated the original sin with which he had been conceived – just like the rest of us. So, John, like Jesus and Mary, was actually born without the stain of sin. Each of these served God with unswerving dedication for the sake of all His people. In our own way, each of us is also called to do whatever the Almighty asks of us in order to love, honor, and serve Him as well as to help our brothers and sisters.
Suggested missionary action: We can honor St. John the Baptist’s birth in a special way by offering practical help to new mothers and their babies, especially those in greatest need of support.
