{"id":2569,"date":"2018-06-24T12:14:58","date_gmt":"2018-06-24T16:14:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/?p=2569"},"modified":"2018-06-24T12:14:58","modified_gmt":"2018-06-24T16:14:58","slug":"solemnity-of-the-nativity-of-st-john-the-baptist-homily","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/solemnity-of-the-nativity-of-st-john-the-baptist-homily\/","title":{"rendered":"Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist &#8211; Homily"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.usccb.org\/bible\/readings\/062418-vigil.cfm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Vigil\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.usccb.org\/bible\/readings\/062418-day-mass.cfm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Day<\/a><br \/>\nJeremiah 1:4-10\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Isaiah 49:1-6<br \/>\nPsalm 71:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 15, 17 (6b) \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Psalm 139:1-3, 13-14, 14-15 (14a)<br \/>\n1 Peter 1:8-12\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Acts 13:22-26<br \/>\nLuke 1:5-17\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Luke 1:57-66, 80<br \/>\nJune 24, 2018<\/p>\n<p>Today would normally be the 12<sup>th<\/sup> Sunday of Ordinary Time in Year B of our liturgical calendar.\u00a0 Ordinary Time would be signified by green as the color of the vestments but you will note that I am wearing white vestments.<\/p>\n<p>This is because June 24<sup>th<\/sup> is the Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist.\u00a0 When a solemnity falls on a Sunday in Ordinary Time, it takes precedence over the Sunday.\u00a0 So, white is the color for this solemnity and our readings are those of this solemnity.<\/p>\n<p>It is the <strong><em>Nativity<\/em><\/strong> of the John the Baptist.\u00a0 When you heard the word \u201cnativity\u201d, I suspect most of you immediately thought of Christmas.\u00a0 When we use the word \u201cnativity\u201d, it is generally to refer to the birth of Jesus but \u201cnativity\u201d simply means \u201cbirth.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Today\u2019s solemnity commemorates the birth of John the Baptist.\u00a0 We celebrate this recognizing John as a precursor to Jesus.<\/p>\n<p>Generally, we hear most about John the Baptist in the readings of Advent as we prepare ourselves for the coming of Jesus.\u00a0 John came to \u201c<em>prepare the way of the Lord.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n<p>So, why celebrate this solemnity on June 24<sup>th<\/sup>?\u00a0 The answer is simple.\u00a0 If you remember the story of the Annunciation when the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to tell her she had been chosen to be the mother of Jesus, Gabriel also told her that her relative Elizabeth had also conceived \u201c<em>and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0 That would mean that John the Baptist was born sixth months before Jesus.\u00a0 That brings us to June 24<sup>th<\/sup>.<\/p>\n<p>We like to celebrate birthdays.\u00a0 It is a way of recognizing the gift that the person is to us.\u00a0 Births mark a beginning.<\/p>\n<p>You may have noted that in our hymnal books that there are two sets of readings for this solemnity.\u00a0 The first is a set for the vigil Mass to be used if this solemnity is celebrated on the evening on June 23<sup>rd<\/sup>.\u00a0 The second set are the readings to be used on June 24<sup>th<\/sup>.<\/p>\n<p>There are some commonalities between the two sets of readings.\u00a0 In both sets, the first reading speaks of those called by God.\u00a0 The first reading for the vigil tells the story of the calling of the prophet Jeremiah.\u00a0 The first reading of the day speaks of the suffering servant.\u00a0 In both cases, we hear of the mother\u2019s womb, being called from birth, or in Jeremiah\u2019s case, how the Lord knew him even before He formed him in the womb.<\/p>\n<p>Both responsorial psalms continue with this theme of the time in the \u201c<strong><em>mother\u2019s womb<\/em><\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Looking at the two gospels we can see that the gospel of the day continues the story begun in the gospel reading for the vigil.\u00a0 The vigil reading tells of the time when John the Baptist was conceived in the womb of his mother Elizabeth\u2019s womb.\u00a0 The gospel for the day tells of the time when John the Baptist was born.<\/p>\n<p>Generally, when we think about the beginning of a person\u2019s life, we think of it in terms of the day they were born, meaning the day they emerged from their mother\u2019s womb.<\/p>\n<p>I think this is because this is when we can first see them with our physical eyes as a unique individual apart from their mother\u2019s womb.\u00a0 We can put an exact date to it.\u00a0 It is the date that is put on their birth certificate.<\/p>\n<p>But is it really the beginning of their life?\u00a0 In terms of their life separate from their mother\u2019s womb, yes, it is.<\/p>\n<p>However, all those references I mentioned in the readings to the time spent in our mother\u2019s womb should tell us something.\u00a0 The readings do not refer to the \u201cthing\u201d in the <strong><em>woman\u2019s<\/em><\/strong> womb.\u00a0 Please note that this time, I said \u201cwoman\u2019s womb.\u201d\u00a0 Note the readings say, \u201cmother\u2019s womb.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMother\u201d signifies that there is a child, a child \u201c<em>formed in the womb<\/em>\u201d by God.\u00a0 A child \u201c<em>wonderfully made<\/em>\u201d by the Lord.\u00a0 It is the Lord who forms our \u201c<em>inmost being<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Yes, we celebrate birth dates as the day we know we came forth from our mother\u2019s womb.\u00a0 It is a good day to celebrate but to think back to life in the womb.<\/p>\n<p>Think of the story of Mary\u2019s visitation to Elizabeth.\u00a0 After the Annunciation, Mary goes to celebrate with Elizabeth the news that they both conceived.\u00a0 When Mary arrived at Elizabeth\u2019s house, John the Baptist leapt for joy in his own mother\u2019s womb at the presence of Jesus in Mary\u2019s womb.\u00a0 One child in the womb reacting, filled with the Holy Spirit, to life of the other in the womb.<\/p>\n<p>One last thought \u2013 when did the angel Gabriel appear in the stories of John and Jesus?\u00a0 Was it at their births?\u00a0 No, in both cases it was at their conceptions.\u00a0 We do well to celebrate birthdays as a way of celebrating the gift that the person is to us, the gift of their life that begins in the womb.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist Vigil\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Day Jeremiah 1:4-10\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Isaiah 49:1-6 Psalm 71:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 15, 17 (6b) \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Psalm 139:1-3, 13-14, 14-15 (14a) 1 Peter 1:8-12\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Acts 13:22-26 Luke 1:5-17\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Luke 1:57-66, 80 June 24, 2018 Today would normally be the 12th Sunday of Ordinary Time in Year B of &#8230;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/solemnity-of-the-nativity-of-st-john-the-baptist-homily\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading &lsquo;Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist &#8211; Homily&rsquo; &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[82,55,7],"tags":[465,466,241],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pMTPk-Fr","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2569"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2569"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2569\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2572,"href":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2569\/revisions\/2572"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2569"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2569"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2569"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}