The Nativity of the Honourable and Glorious Prophet John, Forerunner and Baptist of Christ
All-Night Vigil Feast.
Romans 13:11b-14:4; Luke 1:1-25, 57-68, 76, 80.
Read Luke 1:1-25, 57-68, 76, 80
Today we celebrate the Nativity of John the Baptist. The angel told Zechariah that his son John “will be great before the Lord” (Lk. 1:15), and we know Jesus said, “among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he” (Mt. 11:11). This time of the year, I love reflecting on the fact that we have reached the summer solstice. In the northern hemisphere, our days are the longest and the nights are the shortest, our days gradually shortening until we reach the winter solstice near the Feast of the Nativity of Christ. At the time of the year when our days now begin to get shorter and shorter, we can reflect on the words that John the Baptist said in reference to Christ: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (Jn. 3:30).
John the Baptist has been set as an example for us. He lived a prayerful, ascetic life and was filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb (see Lk. 1:15). His birth brought joy to his righteous parents Zechariah and Elizabeth who were childless and elderly. Like John, we should seek to “decrease” so that Christ may “increase.” We must allow our ego to decrease that we may more fully love God and neighbor. Let us humbly aim to be the least in the kingdom of heaven.