Daily Mass Gospel Reflection - The Solemnity of the Nativity of John The Baptist

Word on Fire Ministry ^ | 6.23. 22 | Bishop Robert Barron

[MurphsLaw]

Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist

Luke 1:57-66, 80

Friends, today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist.
From time immemorial, God has sent messengers, prophets, and spokespersons.
Think of that whole line of prophets and the patriarchs of Israel.

John the Baptist sums up all of these figures.
In the Gospel of John, the Baptist identifies himself as “the voice of one crying out in the desert,
‘Make straight the way of the Lord.’”
The point John makes is that Jesus is not just one more biblical figure.
He’s something altogether different—
not just a speaker of the Word but the Word himself.

We are destined for union with the Word of God, but we don’t get it.
Why do we run after everything but Christ?
Because there’s something seriously off-kilter in us.
But here’s the good news from John’s Gospel:
“To those who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God.”

We can’t grasp this on our own.
God must lift us up. The Word of God, with God from the beginning,
does not remain in splendid isolation.
It comes down, joins us, and lifts us up.
That is the essence of the Christian message.

[MurphsLaw]

+++In the days of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah of the priestly division of Abijah; his wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. Both were righteous in the eyes of God, observing all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren
and both were advanced in years.
Once when he was serving
as priest in his division’s turn
before God,
according to the practice of the
priestly service,
he was chosen by lot
to enter the sanctuary of
the Lord to burn incense.
Then, when the whole assembly of the
people was praying outside
at the hour of the incense offering, the angel of the Lord appeared to him,
standing at the right of the altar
of incense.
Zechariah was troubled by what he
saw, and fear came upon him.
But the angel said to him, “Do not
be afraid, Zechariah,
because your prayer has been heard.
Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,
and you shall name him John.
And you will have joy and gladness,
and many will rejoice at his birth,
for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.
John will drink neither wine nor
strong drink.
He will be filled with the Holy
Spirit even from his mother’s womb,
and he will turn many of the
children of Israel
to the Lord their God.
He will go before him in the spirit
and power of Elijah
to turn their hearts toward their
children
and the disobedient to the
understanding of the righteous,
to prepare a people fit for the
Lord.”+++