JUNE 24, 2018
8:00 AM ORDINARY FORM (ENGLISH) MASS (SAINT HELENA)
12:00 PM EXTRAORDINARY FORM (LATIN) MASS (HOLY FAMILY)
5:30 PM ORDINARY FORM (ENGLISH) MASS (SAINT APOLLINARIS)
Today is the Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist.
The Church only celebrates three “Nativities” – or “Birthdays:” Jesus’ birthday on Christmas, December 25; Mary’s birthday on September 8; and today, the birthday of St John the Baptist, June 24.
We all have a pretty good idea who St. John the Baptist was. The parish 10 minutes south of us near downtown Napa is named for St. John the Baptist. As is the parish nearly 90 minutes northwest in Healdsburg.
John the Baptist is also called the Forerunner or the Precursor … referring to his role in preparing the way for Jesus.
In today’s Gospel, we hear the confusion when John’s father does not want his son to be named after himself – but rather fulfills the Archangel’s command that he be named “John;” a name which means “God is gracious.” And how fulfilling that command frees Zechariah from the 9 month God-imposed silence … because he doubted the message of Gabriel.
The reading from Isaiah speaks of a servant whom God calls from before he was born. This text can be applied to Jesus, John the Baptist, or to any one of us. God calls all of us, and today we can reflect on the last of the prophets – St. John the Baptist.
Finally, in the second reading from Acts, we hear the beginning of the first recorded sermon of St. Paul.
This sermon of St. Paul’s, can be broken into three parts: preparation, declaration, and application.
In the first part, “preparation,” Paul speaks about how God prepared the Jewish people for the coming of the Messiah. This part is easy. The Jewish people lived in a far away land, and were different than the Pagans. For his listeners, Paul was recounting history … about a people – a “they” – who lived in a distant land.
In the second part, “declaration,” Paul speaks about what God desires to do for anyone who will believe in Jesus and the Gospel. This would have gotten their attention – telling them what God is going to do for “you.” While the old adage says “it is better to give than to receive,” there is always excitement when someone gives “you” a gift.
And in the third part, Paul tells his listeners what it is that they need to do. Here is the hard part – what do “I” have to do … in order to receive the gift they must hear the Gospel, repent and believe, and be Baptized.
Here we see how Baptism was already an integral part of the early Church. Yet while John baptized to inspire his followers to repentance, the Baptism in the Church is in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit – and is a baptism of regeneration … washing away sins, especially the stain of original sin.
One is symbol – brought by the forerunner; the other is Sacrament – given by God’s graciousness.
And so, today we honor St. John the Baptist, and commend ourselves to his intercession.
May we, who receive today the Sacred Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ … in recalling our own Baptism, pray for true repentance. And may the graces we receive in this Eucharist today strengthen our resolve to persevere in following the call God has placed upon each and every one of us.
