Homily for the Week of June 24, 2012

HOMILY FEAST OF JOHN THE BAPTIST 2012, B Is 49:1-6 • Acts 13:22-26 • Lk 1:57-66,80 Billy Graham tells of a time early in his career when he arrived in a small town to preach a sermon. He wanted to mail a letter so he asked a young boy where the post office was. The boy told him. Billy Graham thanked him and said: If you'll come to the Baptist church this evening, you can hear me telling everyone how to get to heaven. I don't think I'll be there, the boy said. You don't even know your way to the post office. While we may not always know how to get to heaven, most of us know the exact date of our birth. We don't for John the Baptist, but for centuries Catholics have celebrated it on June 24th. In countries where the Catholic Church is very much linked to the civic government like in Québec this is a paid holiday usually with lots of festivities. It was on June 24, 1615, that the first Mass was celebrated in New France or what is French Canada. The religious authorities of the time found it remarkable that the day coincided with the birth date of Jean Baptiste, thus symbolizing the baptism of New France. John's birthday falls on a weekend about once in every 7 years. Jesus states his cousin John's importance when he says: History has not known a man born of a woman greater than John the Baptizer. But John would have agreed completely with Jesus who added: Yet the least born into the kingdom of God is greater than he. John the Baptist is the child of Elizabeth and Zechariah, and the cousin of Jesus. He was conceived way beyond the time when a woman can conceive and give birth to a child. But Elizabeth and Zechariah had prayed for a child, and so the angel Gabriel announced to them that they would have a child. Zachariah did not believe the angel. When he expressed doubts the angel struck him speechless. After John was born Zachariah was still unable to speak for 8 days when he and his wife had an argument as to what they would name their son. Relatives wanted them to name the boy Zachariah after his father as the Jewish tradition of that time that the first son always had the same name as the father. But Elizabeth insisted that his name would be John. Since Zachariah could not talk, he asked for a table on which he wrote: His name shall be John. At that moment he recovered his speech. It appears that from his early childhood John impressed many because he was different. He said that his work was to prepare the way for Jesus his cousin. He got his nickname BAPTIST because he would bring people to the Jordan River, and poured water over those who said they wanted to be his follower. Jesus was so impressed that he asked John to baptize him which John reluctantly did after Jesus insisted. Like a lot of good people, John made enemies because he insisted on living the truth and telling the truth. One of these enemies was Herod, who was the ruler of that region. He was afraid of John's great power over the people. John had accused Herod of doing wrong when he unlawfully married Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. Herod and Herodias were annoyed at John. One day when he was drunk Herod asked his wife what was the one thing she most wanted. She persuaded her daughter Salome to ask that John be beheaded. And this Herod did. The importance of John is that he came to prepare the way for Jesus and to give hope to those who felt they were lost. Many of you, like John, daily work quietly for those who have lost the way, those who hunger for both food and spirituality. At times you may feel like Isaiah that you might be toiling in vain, and for nothing, uselessly. But then in prayer the Lord God speaks to you as he did to Isaiah: I am your strength. I am making you a light to shine in darkness that through you everyone will see that I love them. Yes, we have a lot to learn from this strange man. We realize that his role in God's plan is also our role. You and I, every Christian, every Catholic is called like John, to prepare the way for the coming of the Gospel of Jesus. All of us have been called by name from the day of our new birth through baptism. We were anointed to preach by the way we live. We were given a candle and told that we were to light the way for others to see Jesus, the light of the world. Many people today wear little bracelets of different colors around their wrist indicating that they are part of a group that promotes various social projects. One of these bracelets which has the letters WWJD - which stand for What Would Jesus Do? John the Baptist challenges us to lead the way for those who do not know what would Jesus do? Most of us may quickly pass off our role in God's plan of salvation. Many will point to the priest saying: It's their job to preach. But you are aware better than I am that I will not be at your work place on Monday morning, nor ami I in each of your homes. You and I, every Christian, every Catholic is invited to be like John the Baptise to prepare the way of the coming of Jesus in their life. All of us have been called by name from the day of our new birth through baptism. We were anointed to preach by the way we live. We were given a candle and told that we were to light the way for others to see Jesus, the light of the world If the world is to be converted to the truth of Jesus, it will happen because all of us practice our Catholic religion. The only people who can spread God's way in the world are you and me who take our religion seriously. Let us leave this church again today to know the truth, to follow the truth, and to lead others to the truth of Jesus. That is what was promised at our Baptism.