Post-feast of Pentecost; the Third Finding of the Precious Head of the Holy, Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John; Passing into Eternal Life (1951) of Blessed Mykola (Nicholas) Tsehelsky, Priest and Martyr
Fast-free day
Read
Romans 2:14-29; 2 Corinthians 4:6-15
Matthew 5:33-41; Matthew 11:2-15
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
“Truly, I say to you, among those born of women, there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist.” Our Lord in today’s Gospel proclaims the Holy Prophet and Forerunner as not only a prophet as great as Elijah but He presents him to us as the greatest human being ever born. This may seem a tremendous claim. What about the Mother of God? Is she not as great, if not greater than St. John the Baptist? Our Lord’s words do not diminish the Mother if God in any way. Here he is speaking of the role of prophecy and of St. John as the Forerunner and the one who was foretold by the prophets before him. St. John is the seal on prophecy, the last of the prophets, and the last figure of the Old Testament. With Our Lord’s coming in the flesh and the Forerunner’s pointing to Him Our Lord’s public mission commences. The Holy Prophet and Forerunner’s work is accomplished. He must decrease and Christ must increase (John 3:30).
Given St. John’s role and ministry how fitting it is that the relic of his Glorious Head should be accorded two feasts, including today’s. We might ask why it was lost on three occasions. Those stories are those of the hagiographies of the saint. The better question is why was it repeatedly found? The answer to that question is one that recalls Our Lord’s words today and the great dignity He accorded His cousin: the greatest one born of a woman. Glory to God for the gift of the Forerunner! May we as faithful followers of Our Lord Jesus Christ be fitting forerunners of His second coming, proclaiming His Gospel throughout the world.