Birth of St John the Baptist 24.6.18
The Church regards John the Baptist as important enough for
two feast days, and for taking precedence over the normal Sunday.
This is because of his closeness to Our Lord. He came to
announce the coming of Our Lord as the Messiah. He brings the first stirrings
of Our Lord’s presence. If Christ is the midday sun, then John is the first
light of the dawn.
John’s birth gives us certainty. He does not save us
himself, but he assures us salvation is coming, and soon.
God likes to stretch our faith out further than we might
regard as comfortable.
Imagine if you were looking at the newborn baby John: Could
you believe all that would follow? That, from this baby a sequence of events would
come which would change the world. The people around were amazed at some of the
circumstances; but they would have had no idea of just how far-reaching this
birth would be.
In stretching our faith God likes to act under cover of
normality, generally not displaying His full glorious power. He wants us to be
able to detect His actions even if not trumpeted forth.
If we love Him enough we will be able to do this. cf Simeon
and Anna recognized the Messiah even though to normal appearances He was just
another baby (Lk2,21-38).
In the same vein, God likes to work with humble and lowly
people, and in little-known surroundings – this, to highlight how different His
ways are to worldly ways.
There was no media frenzy to cover the birth of John; yet it
was so important.
So we allow our faith to be stretched. For us, the story of
John is easier to absorb because we know what happened later.
But we also face in our own time the same God working in
hidden and indirect ways, probing us, leading us on, if only we will answer His
promptings.
God has brought us this far – can we still doubt Him? A lot
of people do doubt Him, for the same reason as every previous age – that they
cannot see with their bodily eyes, and therefore will not believe.
John, by his birth, challenged the faith of the people. Then
by his life. He was sent to awaken the faith of the people, to rekindle in them
the desire and the belief that would make them thirst for God.
People can be so easily discouraged (as we know from our own
time). John’s task was to put courage back in them, and call them all onto the
right track.
His life was different from other men’s. In this he was
signalling that the normal way the world does things is not right.
Men live as though there is no God above. They turn away
from Him at every opportunity.
John demonstrated by contrast the absolute fidelity to God’s
will that is required.
John was building up the expectation of the people by being such
a striking figure himself; so much so that people thought he might himself be
the messiah.
He was only the mirror reflecting the light, the
bridegroom’s companion making way for the real bridegroom (Jn 3,29). If you
think I am good, wait till you see who is coming!
Out of that expectancy faith is nurtured. John was teaching
the people how to hope, after centuries of turmoil and disappointment.
Our generation also needs to learn how to hope. We too await
the Messiah – to return in glory.
John the Baptist inspires us to look forward as he was able
to do. He had faith that all would be fulfilled as it needed to be. May his
faith strengthen ours.
If we read the signs and are sensitive to God’s way of
operating we will have the necessary degree of faith, and hope.
We can see the dawn, if not yet the full light of day. Come,
Lord Jesus!
No comments:
Post a Comment