for June 24
Wednesday of the Twelfth Week of Ordinary Time

Today the Church celebrates the birth of John the Baptist. Although we most often associate him with the season of Advent, St. Augustine begins a homily on this day by calling the birth a “hallowed event,” and after reminding us that in the New Testament only Jesus and John have such detailed births, invites us to “meditate on the dignity of the feast with great depth and profit.” And so we will.

The servant mentioned in the reading from the prophet Isaiah is traditionally and correctly interpreted by Christians as applying to Jesus. But we could say that John too was called by the Lord from birth as a way of emphasizing his ultimate role in the divine plan of salvation. The sharp-edged sword referred to reminds me of the strong language John sometimes indicted his listeners with. Humanly speaking, one indeed might say his life was in vain, ending as it did with his arrest and execution by Herod. Yet his faith in the one to come after him renders him glorious in the sight of the Lord.

The second reading finds Paul at a synagogue service at Antioch in Pisidia recalling the usual role of the Baptist, preaching repentance to all the people yet deferring to the one coming after him, whose sandals he is not worthy to unfasten. Note that the word of salvation Paul is offering begins with John the Baptist as the precursor of the Christ-event, rather than with the birth of Jesus.

The gospel takes us to the heart of today’s feast, what St. Augustine calls a “profound mystery.” Elizabeth has just given birth to John and her neighbors and relatives rejoice at the Lord’s mercy toward this woman already beyond the normal child-bearing age. When she objects to naming him after his father Zechariah, they turn to the father. Remember that Zechariah had been rendered mute when he refused to believe the angel Gabriel that he and his wife at their age would finally have a child. Once he writes the name John, he recovers his speech and his first words bless God.

Those gathered there were amazed when he wrote John as the name and then fear came upon them when he spoke. As often in the Old Testament, fear is more like awe which one author defines as a “humble, reverent recognition of the limits of human understanding and power before God.” Not surprisingly they also wonder what this child will be as they are sure the Lord is with him. The passage concludes with John growing up strong in spirit and going off into the desert until the day he manifests himself, just as each year we await the season of Advent when he manifests himself to us.

Let me conclude with the paradox St. Augustine mentions in his homily: John was born of a woman too old for childbirth; Christ was born of a youthful virgin. The news of John’s birth was met with incredulity, and his father was struck dumb. Christ’s birth was believed, and he was conceived through faith.
—Edward O’Donnell SJ

Today’s readings can be found at the US Conference of Catholic Bishops website.