All saints, except John, are honored on the day of their death. John is one of three church personalities who were honored by the church on their birthdays. John on June 24, the Blessed Mother on September 8 and Christ on December 25.
They were born without sin. The Blessed Virgin Mary and Jesus were without sin from the moment of conception. Although John was conceived with sin, a great miracle happened while he was in the womb of his mother Elizabeth, a cousin of Mary.
When Mary went to visit Elizabeth, at the sound of Mary’s voice, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and John, in her mother’s womb, quickened joyfully. Jesus’ proximity changed John. This was announced by an angel to his father that John would be “filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb” (Luke 1:15).
John is his name
Zechariah, son of Berekiah, a Pharises, is a holy priest in the temple of Jerusalem. He is married to Elizabeth. Both were born in Hebron in the first century to priestly families. The holy couple were sad for they were childless, which was considered as a punishment from God.
One day, while Zechariah was ministering incense at the altar, the angel Gabriel appeared to him, saying: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John…. He will be great in the sight of the Lord. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb” (Luke 1:13,15).
Overjoyed was Zechariah, for God has removed his disgrace. Since he and Elizabeth were advanced in age, doubt gripped him, thus, he asked, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years” (Luke 1:18).
Because he doubted the angel’s message, he became speechless. When he emerged from the sanctuary, he made gestures, and the crowd knew he had a vision. As soon as he reached home, Elizabeth conceived.
Eight days after Elizabeth gave birth, his son has to be circumcised according to Jewish tradition, and has to be named Zechariah according to the custom. Elizabeth insisted, he has to be named John. So Zechariah was asked, and he wrote John (meaning “Yahweh is gracious”), and he immediately regained his speech. Overwhelmed, he praised God.
Death for outspoken courage
When John was baptised, many people asked, “What then, will this child be? For surely the hand of the Lord was with him” (Luke 1:66).
John grew up in the dessert. As a forerunner of Jesus, his mission was to prepare and announce the coming of the Messiah to people, which he started when Jesus was 30 years old.
Six months older then Jesus, John looked eccentric with his wild hair and leather belt. He ate grasshoppers and wild honey, and wandered in the wilderness.
He preached the need for repentance and commitment to a righteous way of living. His odd looks and unusual manners were overshadowed by his eloquence, forceful voice and messages. The people from Jerusalem, Jordan and Judea flocked to listen to him, even the proud Pharisees and Sadducess.
Penitents lined to be baptized in the Jordan River. Even Jesus came from Galilee to be baptized, and John was hesitant and said, “I need to be baptized by you and yet you are coming to me” (Matthew 3:14).
In reply, Jesus said it should be, in fulfilment of a prophecy, submit to God’s plan for the salvation of the human race: “Allow it now for it is fitting for us to fulfil it” (Matthew 3:15).
A fearless man, he rebuked Herod Antipas for adultery and his incestuous affair with Herodias, his brother’s wife. For this denouncement, John was imprisoned in the palace of Machaerus.
Biblical passages narrated how Herodias advised her daughter, Salome, for the head of John the Baptist as a prize for her seductive dance during Herod’s birthday.
Saint John the Baptist was the last of the Old Covenant prophets. His feast day is June 24.
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Damo-Santiago is a former regional director of the Department of Education National Capital Region. She is currently a faculty member of Mater Redemptoris Collegium in Calauan, Laguna, and of Mater Redemptoris College in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija.
Image credits: Wikimedia Commons