June 26, 2024

Wednesday Word:  John the Baptist

This past Monday, June 24, was the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist.  If you are paying attention, this is six months before Christmas Eve.  We don’t actually know when John or Jesus were born, as there are no specific dates mentioned in any of the gospels.  Based on Luke 1:26, however, we are told that the angel Gabriel visited Mary six months after John was conceived.

Unlike Christmas, June 24 often goes unnoticed by most people (except it’s my daughter’s birthday, but that’s a different story).  There are no “John the Baptist” Hallmark movies.  We don’t have “A Charlie Brown John the Baptist” tv special.  There are no greeting cards commemorating this holy day.  I suppose that’s appropriate.

John was the forerunner of Jesus.  He was the voice crying out in the wilderness preparing the way of the Lord and working to make his paths straight.  He was the one who proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  He was the one calling people to reform their lives.  And when some of his disciples complained to him that they were losing people to Jesus, he replied, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

In some sense this is our role as well.  We all have our particular parts to play in the life of the Church.  We must always remember, though, that we do not do any of this for our own glory, but we do it for the glory of God.  Our goal is to help make disciples.  Through that process – inviting, shepherding, growing – the Church will grow, it will increase.  If we follow John’s example and attitude, then “It must increase, but I must decrease.”

John was wholly devoted to the coming of the Messiah and the inbreaking of God’s kingdom into this world.  He also knew who was the more important of the two.  May we be as focused and devoted as John while also doing those things that help Christ and the Church increase.

Blessings,