Nativity of Saint John the Baptist June 24, 2018

First Reading
Isaiah 49:1-6
You are my servant, through whom I show my glory.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 139:1-3,13-15
I praise you for I am wonderfully made.

Second Reading
Acts of the Apostles 13:22-26
John announced the coming of Jesus.

Gospel Reading
Luke 1:57-66,80
John the Baptist is born and all wonder what the child will be.


When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child
she gave birth to a son.
Her neighbors and relatives heard
that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her,
and they rejoiced with her.
When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child,
they were going to call him Zechariah after his father,
but his mother said in reply,
"No. He will be called John."
But they answered her,
"There is no one among your relatives who has this name."
So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called.
He asked for a tablet and wrote, "John is his name,"
and all were amazed.
Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed,
and he spoke blessing God.
Then fear came upon all their neighbors,
and all these matters were discussed
throughout the hill country of Judea.
All who heard these things took them to heart, saying,
"What, then, will this child be?"
For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.
The child grew and became strong in spirit,
and he was in the desert until the day
of his manifestation to Israel.


Background on the Gospel Reading

The first two chapters of Luke's Gospel alternate between stories of two
births. One is the annunciation and birth of John the Baptist, who was,
for Luke, the last great prophet of the Old Testament and who prepared the
way for someone greater than any prophet—Jesus the Messiah. The
annunciation and birth of Jesus is the other story. The story of John sets
the very Jewish environment into which Jesus and John were born. Jesus'
annunciation and birth begins to move the Gospel into the environment of
the Roman empire.

In the verses before those read today, the birth of John the Baptist has
been announced by the angel Gabriel to Zechariah, who was performing his
duties as a priest in the Jerusalem Temple. Gabriel then announced the
birth of Jesus to Mary in her home in Nazareth. Zechariah and his wife,
Elizabeth, are an old couple who have never had children. Mary is engaged
to Joseph, but they have not yet come to live together.

We read today that Elizabeth's neighbors and relatives rejoice with her
because God has shown her mercy in the birth of a son. But they are
confused when she tells them that his name is to be John, which means "God
has been gracious." Zechariah has been unable to speak since Gabriel
appeared, because, unlike Mary, he doubted the angel's word. But when he
writes on a tablet "John is his name" all are amazed, and a great fear
comes upon everyone. Fear, along with joy and praise, is for Luke the
appropriate response to God's mercy. People ask, "What, then, will this
child be?" But this question has already been answered by the angel. "He
will be great in the sight of the Lord. He will turn many of the children
of Israel to the Lord their God."

Zechariah responds with praise in his famous canticle, the Benedictus. But
that is not read today. Instead we jump to the last verses of the chapter,
which explain that John will become strong in spirit living in the desert
until it is time to show himself to the people of Israel. When John
appears again at the beginning of Chapter 3, after the stories of the
birth and childhood of Jesus, he will prepare those people for the
ministry of Jesus by preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness
of sins.


Family Connection

Names have special meanings. In our families, some people are named after
parents or other relatives and ancestors. Sometimes peoples' names are
symbolic, suggesting something unique about the person or recalling an
event or experience related to that person's birth.

In this Sunday's Gospel, we learn that Elizabeth gives her son the name
John, which means "God has been gracious." This name sets John apart in a
special way: it was normally the father's responsibility to name a child,
and the name was usually a family name. The unusual nature of John's
naming suggests to everyone that this is a special child.

Spend some time as a family focusing on one another's names as well as on
the names of other relatives. Point out the significance of each name and
how the naming took place.

Read aloud Luke 1:57-66,80. Review the parts of the story that describe
how John received his name. Talk about how important names are and how we
are all called to honor the name of God. Pray together the Sign of the
Cross, emphasizing how we honor God's name and promise to live our lives
in God's name.



Sources: Loyola Press; Sunday Readings