His Name is John

Hear me, O coastlands, listen, O distant peoples.

The LORD called me from birth, from my mother's womb, he gave me my name. He made of me a sharp-edged sword and concealed me in the shadow of his arm.

He made me a polished arrow, in his quiver, he hid me.

You are my servant, he said to me, Israel, through whom I show my glory. Though I thought I had toiled in vain,

and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength, yet my reward is with the LORD, my recompense is with my God. For now, the LORD has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, that Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; and I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my strength! It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant,

to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations,  that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

Then came John the Baptist, cousin to our Lord, a man who wore camelshair and ate locusts and wild honey and preached about the coming of the Messiah and who would baptize his cousin. Why would John need to baptize Jesus? Afterall, Jesus was the Son of God and He did not need the product that John was selling.  But,  John was to play a big part in getting Jesus' ministry starting.  By submitting meekly to this request of the Father, Jesus showed what our relationship with the Father should be like., one of obedience. When Jesus came out of the waters of baptism, the Father let His pleasure be shown when He said. "This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."  

This incident announced the beginning of the end of the ministry of John but he did not slow down, he did not temper his words.  He was arrested, thrown into prison and was eventually beheaded because he would not stop proclaiming the guilt of Herod in divorcing his wife and taking the wife of his brother.

But today, we remember the birth of John, the cousin of Jesus and a key player in the story of our redemption, a man who walked away from the world and all of its pomps and circumstance and followed the narrow road, the road that we as Catholic Christians are to trod upon. 

So today, think of the example that John gives you and how you can incorporate the stubborn acquiescence to the will of God that he had to preach and teach no matter the cost into our lives.   Hmm, my other hairshirt is at the cleaners.  Anyone care for another locust? 

Pray for the Poor Souls Today.