[Salvation]

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Isaiah 49:1-6

Subscriber? Login to view archives.

Article Tools

• Text Size
• Email this article

The Birth of St. John the Baptist

The Lord called me from birth. (Isaiah 49:1)

What do you think is the most amazing thing about John the Bap­tist? His zeal for the Lord? His pas­sionate preaching? Maybe his gift of self-denial or the humility he dis­played despite his fame?

How about this instead: Even as a fetus, John leapt for joy in the pres­ence of the Virgin Mary because she was carrying the Son of God. John was still an unborn baby, barely aware of life outside of the womb, and yet the muffled, quiet sound of Mary’s greeting filled him with joy.

John’s leap may remind us of Rebecca, who also felt an unusual amount of activity from the twins in her womb. She asked God why this was happening, and he told her that something spiritual and prophetic was going on inside of her (Genesis 25:20-23). King David also leapt before the Ark of the Covenant. He loved God so much he couldn’t con­tain himself (2 Samuel 6:14-15). The prophet Isaiah wrote that in the age to come, when the glory of the Lord is made manifest, the lame will leap for joy (Isaiah 35:4-6).

John’s joy shows us that there is a part of us that can recognize God, something encoded deep in the way he made us. It’s in all of us, not just the great saints and the unborn. It’s also something that the Holy Spirit wants to bring to life in each of us. He wants to fill us all with joy as we sense the presence of the Lord.

So let’s honor John the Baptist today. As a bridge between the Old and New Testaments, John truly is one of the greatest saints of the church. But let’s never forget that his relationship with Jesus—especially his ability to recognize the Lord and rejoice in him—is something we all can experience. Every one of us can leap for joy as we prepare this world for the coming of Christ the King!

“Lord, I want to see you. Come show yourself to me, and fill my heart with joy.”

---

Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion

(Isaiah 49:1-6; Psalm 139:1-3,13-15; Acts 13:22-26; Luke 1:57-66,80)

1. The first reading is the second of seven “Servant of the Lord” oracles in Isaiah, which speaks prophetically of the passion and glorification of Christ. In this oracle, we hear these powerful words: “The Lord called me from birth, from my mother’s womb he gave me my name,” “my reward is with the Lord., my recompense is with my God,” and “my God is now my strength.” In what ways do these words also apply to you?

2. In the responsorial psalm, the psalmist speaks of how the Lord “formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb.” He goes on to say that he has been “fearfully and wonderfully made.” Similar to the first reading and the responsorial psalm, there are many other Scriptures that speak of how God has formed and called each of us beginning with conception in our mother’s womb. For example, Jeremiah 1:5 says these words: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you.” How would you describe how these Scriptures are related to the strong pro-life teachings of the Church against abortion? How can you use these and other Scriptures in your own pro-life witness?

3. In the second reading, David is called “a man after God’s heart; he will carry out my every wish.” These words could also be easily applied to John the Baptist. What about you? What are the obstacles in your life that keep you from being the same kind of person? What steps can you take to overcome them?

4. In the Gospel reading, which describes the birth of John the Baptist, all the people who witnessed it “were amazed” and his birth “was discussed throughout the hill country of Judea.” Why do you think John’s birth caused such a stir among the people? Does it have the same affect on you? Why or why not?

5. The meditation reminds us that the joy that John the Baptist experienced in the womb of Elizabeth “shows us that there is a part of us that can recognize God, something encoded deep in the way he made us.” It goes on to say that John’s “relationship with Jesus—especially his ability to recognize the Lord and rejoice in him—is something we all can experience.” In what ways has this been true in your own life? Can you give specific examples? What steps can you take to open yourself to experience more deeply the “joy of the Lord”?

6. Take some time now to pray for a greater openness to the “joy of the Lord” in your life. Use the prayer at the end of the meditation as the starting point.

[Salvation]

A Christian Pilgrim

YOU ARE MY SERVANT, …… IN WHOM I WILL BE GLORIFIED

23 Jun

YOU ARE MY SERVANT, …… IN WHOM I WILL BE GLORIFIED

(A biblical reflection on the Solemnity of THE BIRTHDAY OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST – Sunday, 24 June 2012)

First Reading: Isaiah 49:1-6 

Psalms: Ps 139:-3,13-15, Second Reading: Acts 13:22-26;Gospel Reading: Lk 1:57-66,80

The Scripture Text

Listen to me. O coastlands, and hearken, you peoples from afar. The LORD called me from the womb, from the body of my mother He named my name. He made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of His hand He hid me; He made me a polished arrow, in His quiver He hid me away. And He said to me, “You are My servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.” But I said, “I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my right is with the LORD, and my recompense with my God.”

And now the LORD says, who formed me from the womb to be His servant, to bring Jacob back to Him, for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD, and my God has become my strength – He says: “It is too light a thing that you should be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations, that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” (Is 49:1-6 RSV)  

The God who made heaven and earth has a glorious plan that includes every person who will ever live. It is not hard to believe this about special individuals like John the Baptist. But the truth is that God has a specific plan for everyone. Each and every one of us has been called and given a part to play. To each an every one of us, God says the same words He said to John the Baptist, and to all the great saints: “You are My servant, …… in whom I will be glorified” (Is 49:3).

John the Baptist understood this truth. He came to it by spending much time in prayer, through which he began to take on the heart of God. As a result, when John the Baptist looked around at the crowds who were coming to hear him preach, he did not see them just as sinners who needed to be corrected, but as people who were called by God for a specific purpose.

John the Baptist spoke strong words of judgment, but they came out of his passion that no one missed out on the opportunity of a lifetime. He treated every person he saw as divinely created and therefore having great dignity, regardless of their social standing or natural gifts.

What about us, my dear Sisters and Brothers? Do we have something of John the Baptist’s passion to see everyone embrace God’s plan, or do we limit ourselves? How often do we reach beyond our comfort zones and circles of acquaintance?  Do we see some people as worth our time and others not? If we spend time with the Holy Spirit and allow Him to search our hearts, as John the Baptist did, we too will be filled with God’s vision for everyone we meet. Then we will be motivated to set aside our fears or judgments and cooperate with God in lifting up other people’s vision about who they are and what they can do in this world.

Short Prayer: Holy Spirit, God, You set John the Baptist’s heart on fire to bring all men and women to know the Father. I know You have a plain for my life, just as You did for John the Baptist. Come, Holy Spirit, reveal Your plan and empower me to fulfill it. Amen.