Word to the Wise
Tuesday, June 24, 2025 - June 24: The Nativity of St. John the Baptist: Day
[Isa 49:1-6; Acts 13:22-26; Luke 1:57-66, 80]"God raised up David as king; of him God testified, I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will carry out my every wish. From this man's descendants God, according to his promise, has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus. John heralded his coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel; and as John was completing his course, he would say, 'What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. Behold, one is coming after me; I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet.' [Acts]
The liturgical calendar is careful to observe the usual nine month period of gestation. The angel Gabriel tells Mary that her cousin Elizabeth is in her sixth month of pregnancy, which would mean that John the Baptist would be six months older than Jesus. [Luke 1:36] So, the liturgical calendar makes sure the feast of the nativity of John the Baptist is celebrated on June 24th!
John the Baptist appears in all four of the gospels and in the Acts of the Apostles, but he gets detailed treatment in the Gospel According to Luke and the Acts of the Apostles, authored by Luke. This suggests that the preaching of John the Baptist was taken by his disciples to other regions. When Paul reached Ephesus in one of his journeys, he found people who had been baptized with "the baptism of John!" [Acts 19:3]. The infancy narrative in Luke's gospel presents parallel accounts of the nativities of John and of Jesus, and makes sure that John is shown as a "herald" and NOT the Messiah. The second scripture assigned for today's Eucharist presents a sample of Paul's catechesis to overcome any doubts about the difference between John and Jesus!
This "subordination" still leaves John the Baptist as a major figure in the story of Jesus' life. Christian tradition has guarded that status. We are all called to proclaim the same "good news" that John the Baptist proclaimed. So, we are in good company. Hopefully we will escape his ultimate fate at the hands of Herod. AMEN