The Birth of John the Baptist

Rosemary Bogdan reflects on the greatness of John the Baptist and how parents might be encouraged by his life. 

The remembrance of the birth of John the Baptist, which we celebrate today, is a Solemnity, the highest of feasts!! His birthday! I pondered that reality for a minute and then thought of Jesus’ words:

“Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” (Matthew 11:11-12)

He is a great saint! He did not write a Gospel or any part of the New Testament. But the role he played in salvation history was essential and pivotal.   

John the Baptist’s message 

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” (Matthew 3:2)

How familiar is this message. These are John’s words, directly quoted by Matthew. All of us must repent — the people who heard these words from John’s lips, as well as all of us today. We must repent! But John had another message and another role. Jesus Himself identified it:

“Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, he will prepare your way before you.” (Matthew 11:10)

Jesus was referencing Malachi 3:1, one of the many Old Testament messages referring to Jesus. John would prepare the way. 

John the Baptist’s own words confirm his role:

“Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’ I did not know him, but the reason I was baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.” (John 1:30-32)  

Here John has identified Jesus as the sacrificial lamb, the one who would redeem all of mankind. He is the reason John was baptizing, and John knows this! What a prophet! 

Filled with the Spirit before birth 

John’s ability to identify Jesus as the Messiah is noted in Scripture even before his birth. He leaped in Elizabeth’s womb as soon as Mary greeted her cousin (Luke 1:39-42). He knew! What further evidence does a Christian need to acknowledge the personhood of the unborn? John responded to the Presence of God even as an unborn child. Clearly God had destined this Child for greatness. He was filled with the Holy Spirit even before had seen the world with his own eyes (Gospel of Luke Prologue). 

Encouragement for parents 

Parents might take encouragement from the example of John the Baptist. While it does not say so in Scripture, I think what we do know of this great saint tells us that he had a strong will. Would that Zechariah and Elizabeth had written a parent guide. The temperament God gives us is there at birth. 

John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt. He fed on locusts and honey. (John 1:6-7)

John went out into the desert to live. Do you think Elizabeth might have thought What on earth is he doing? I know I would have wondered. Yet, holy saint that she was, perhaps she then remembered that the angel Gabriel had announced his conception. There would be much that they would not understand about his life decisions. 

What must Zechariah have thought? This is God’s plan for the child’s life? Both Elizabeth and Zechariah may have had these thoughts initially. But then I imagine they listened to the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit reminding them that God had a plan for this child. Surely, with humility, Zachariah remembered his muteness and then chose to trust in the great God whose ways are always good. 

God has a plan for the life of every child. Sometimes the temperament feature that results in a child’s strength of will is the very feature that will make him solid in the faith. As he pushes limits as a toddler or a young child, we might remember that strength of will can be applied to the spiritual life. He may be strong too in resisting temptation and in the confidence that his faith represents the truth. The strong-willed child might become the strong-willed saint. 

May God guide us as parents and show us that His ways are not ours and that we can trust that He always has a plan for each of us and for every child. 

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Copyright 2024 Rosemary Bogdan
Images: Canva