Birth of Saint John the Baptist

This weekend the Church celebrates the birth of Saint John the Baptist! It is a great joy to be able to celebrate this solemnity on the weekend! The Church does not celebrate too many birthdays. Obviously, we celebrate Our Lord's birthday on December 25. We also celebrate the birthday of Our Blessed Mother on September 8. You might ask yourself, "I can see why we celebrate the births of Jesus and Mary, but why John the Baptist?". The Magnificat devotional answers this question very beautifully and it uses quotes from the Catechism of the Catholic Church. We celebrate this birth because "John surpasses all the prophets, of whom he is the last" (CCC 523). He "goes 'before [the Lord] in the spirit and power of Elijah" (CCC 696). John the Baptist "is the Lord's immediate precursor or forerunner, sent to prepare his way," who "inaugurates the Gospel... from his mother's womb" (CCC 523). John the Baptist "proclaims the imminence of the consolation of Israel; he is the 'voice' of the Consoler who is coming" (CCC 719). "With John the Baptist, the Holy Spirit begins the restoration to man of 'the divine likeness'" (CCC 720). (Magnificat, 341-342). We celebrate the birth of John the Baptist because of who he is and his role in salvation history! He was not afraid to proclaim the Good News and he did so by sacrificing his very life! We ask Saint John the Baptist to intercede for us as we celebrate this beautiful feast!!! Have a blessed weekend!!!