The Birth of John the Baptist

On June 24th, we celebrate the only solemnity for a birth in the Church's calendar, other than Jesus'. This is the birth of John the Baptist, the Precursor of the Lord, who would prepare the way for Him when His time came. John's birth was miraculous; like many other leaders throughout Scripture, John was born to a woman who was barren and past child-bearing years. Although this trend produced Old Testament heroes such as Isaac, Jacob, and Samuel, John the Baptist surpassed them all. In fact, Jesus declared, “Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist,” (Matthew 11:11).

John the Baptist was just slightly older than Jesus, and the announcement of his conception to Mary by the Angel Gabriel shows that his mission would be intimately connected to Jesus. This is once again confirmed during the Visitation, when John "leaped for joy" (Luke 1:44) in Elizabeth's womb, becoming the first human to acknowledge the greatness of Jesus.

Much like Jesus, we don't see John as an adolescent, and we meet him again when he is living the desert before the beginning of Jesus' ministry. There is a chance that he was part of a group called the Essenes, a Jewish sect made up of men who lived radically ascetic lives apart from society. However, there is no textual evidence confirming this, and there are some differences between John's ministry and the Essenes. Regardless, John was living a radical life around 30 AD, preaching against the Pharisees and Sadducees, calling people to repentance, and baptizing them. Baptism was actually not an official Jewish practice, but began to become more popular in the century leading up to Jesus' ministry. While not having the same sacramental gravity that Christian baptism would assume, these baptisms with water did symbolize repentance and purification. 

John's stature grew in the area, so much so that people began to wonder if he was the coming Messiah. He quickly put an end to that rumor, proclaiming of "the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie,” (John 1:27). Instead, he clarified, “I am ‘the voice of one crying out in the desert, make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said,” (John 1:23). Jesus uses John, who has been preparing His way, to more fully enter into His public role when He decides to be baptized by John. Though Jesus did not need to be baptized, as He is God, He did so an example, so that all of John's followers and soon all of His followers would understand the importance of the sacrament. It was also at this moment that His divinity was shared with the public, when the Holy Spirit descended upon Him and God spoke, saying “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased," (Matthew 3:17). 

John was eventually imprisoned by the Jewish king Herod Antipas for criticizing Herod's marriage to his brother's wife. After being imprisoned for some time, John was executed in a most dramatic fashion. According to Scripture, Herod's stepdaughter, Salome, gave such an entrancing dance one night that Herod promised her anything she wished for. At the behest of her mother, who was still offended over John's criticism of her marriage, Salome requested "on a platter the head of John the Baptist,” (Matthew 14:8). The request was granted, and John the Baptist was beheaded. 

One of the most enduring prayers connected to John the Baptist is the Canticle of Zechariah, which is said during the morning Liturgy of the Hours. This prayer flowed from Zechariah's mouth upon the circumcision of his son, John the Baptist; he previously had been made mute by God for his lack of faith in the miraculous conception of his son. This prayer, also called the Benedictus, is below.

Blessed be the Lord,
The God of Israel;
He has come to His people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty Saviour,
Born of the house of His servant David.

Through His holy prophets He promised of old
That He would save us from our enemies,
From the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers
And to remember His holy Covenant.

This was the oath He swore to our father Abraham:
To set us free from the hands of our enemies,
Free to worship Him without fear,
Holy and righteous in His sight
All the days of our life.

You, My child shall be called
The prophet of the Most High,
For you will go before the Lord to prepare His way,
To give his people knowledge of salvation
By the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our Lord
The dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness
And the shadow of death,
And to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning.
is now, and will be forever.

Amen.

By Anna Neal