Nativity of the Honourable and Glorious Prophet John, Forerunner and Baptist of Christ
Apostles’ Fast. A day when the faithful are highly encouraged to participate in the Divine Liturgy.
Romans 13:11b-14:4; Luke 1:1-25, 57-68, 76, 80.
Read Luke 1:1-25, 57-68, 76, 80
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
The Book of Isaiah says: “The Lord called me before I was born, while I was in my mother’s womb he named me” (Is. 49, 1). Why is our name important? How does it influence our life?Right from the beginning of creation, naming was one of the greatest entitlements attributed to Adam in the Garden of Eden. It was the God-given authority to define all creatures in certain terms, to designate reality and determine our perception of it. To ask what my name is, literally means to ask ourselves: “Who am I?,” or indeed: “What am I called to accomplish in my life?”
Today, most of the Eastern Churches celebrate the birth of the greatest prophet and Forerunner of the Lord, John the Baptist. “His name will be John,” wrote on the tablet Zechariah breaking the general pattern of naming newborn boys after their fathers or grandfathers. The name John is a shortened form derived from Jehohanan, which means “Yahveh’s gift” or “God is gracious.” And he in fact was the greatest gift not only for his righteous parents Zechariah and Elizabeth, but for the entire Israel “making ready a people prepared for the Lord” and “going before Him with the spirit and power of Elijah” (Lk. 1, 17). The name of the prophet Elijah who converted the entire Israel from believing in Baal means “Yahweh is my God.” And John the Baptist “even before his birth” was meant to become the second Elijah.
People were wondering: “What then will this child become?” (Lk, 1, 66). This question was answered by Archangel Gabriel revealing to Zechariah that his son “will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God” by being “filled with the Holy Spirit” and by being “great in the sight of the Lord.” (Lk. 1, 15-16). In the contemporary world people first of all search for acknowledgement and admiration, dedicating much time to their external appearance and thinking about how they look in the eyes of others. Yet, the Scripture and the example of John the Forerunner encourages us to be filled with the Holy Spirit and to reflect on how we look in the eyes of God. Let us today reflect on the meaning of our own name and its importance for the mission we were called before being even born.