“He must increase, and I must decrease.” Then: “I am the voice crying out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way for the Lord.’” Again: “I am not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Great Prophet.” Finally: “I am not even worthy to unfasten his sandal-straps.” All of these expressions resound from the voice and heart of the same person: SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST! Speaking of this person, Jesus exalts him to a sublime degree: “Of all men born of women, none is greater than John the Baptist.”
The lessons that the great Saint John the Baptist can teach us are many. These lessons in virtue can easily motivate all of us, in this precise moment, to abandon a life of sin or mediocrity and pursue a life of heroic virtue, to pursue a life of great holiness. Chapter V of the Dogmatic Constitution of Vatican II Lumen Gentium commands us to holiness of life. This chapter is the Universal Call to Holiness. Jesus stated it very succinctly and unequivocally: “Be holy as your heavenly Father is holy.” (Mt. 5: 48)
Therefore, let us learn from the person of the great Saint John the Baptist to abandon a life of tepidity, lukewarmness and apathy and allow the fire of the Holy Spirit, and the example and prayers of Saint John the Baptist, to ignite an ardent flame within us.
1. MARY AND SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST. There is an intimate connection and bond of holiness between Mary and Saint John the Baptist. While he was still in the womb of his mother, Saint Elizabeth, Mary visited John. Her word, and the silent presence of Jesus in her womb, caused John the Baptist to leap in the womb of his mother and be filled with the Holy Spirit, resulting in his sanctification. Our Lady’s presence and word can also sanctify each and every one of us.
2. THE PRO-LIFE SAINT. In a world characterized by a loss of respect for life from the moment of conception until natural death, the parents of John welcomed him even in their old age. Beyond the normal age of child-bearing, Elizabeth said YES to life and brought forth Saint John the Baptist. Every child in the womb is precious and a true gift from God, endowed with a special mission.
3. DESERT-EXPERIENCE. Saint John the Baptist did not launch himself into a flurry of activity right away, nor did Jesus! Rather, like Jesus, John spent long years in preparation. Jesus spent His formative years in the family of Nazareth. According to tradition, Saint John the Baptist spent long years in the desert preparing himself for his great mission. He was called to prepare the way of the Lord, but he first had to prepare himself. How important the lesson of the Baptist for us? To be successful Apostles, we must prepare ourselves by means of prayer, penance, and self-discipline. The more exact and demanding the preparation, the more abundant the apostolic fruits!
4. SILENCE. In the desert, far distant from the noise, clatter and cacophony of strident protests, the Baptist settled in silence which is propitious for listening attentively to the Word of God. What a powerful lesson! Pope Benedict XVI commented to seminarians in New York how difficult it is today to hear the voice of the Lord because of the reality of being bombarded by so many alien noises. May Saint John the Baptist help us to cherish silence. “Speak, O Lord, for your servant is listening.” (1 Sam 3:10)
5. PENANCE. To soar to the heights in the spiritual life, like an eagle, we need two wings: the wings of prayer and penance. In a world imbued with hedonism, sensuality, gluttony, drinking bouts, and the philosophy of pleasure, the lifestyle of the Baptist is a countersign and very counter-cultural! No elegant, gourmet dining for the Baptist! Quite the contrary, his nourishment was locusts and wild honey, being nourished from God’s gratuitous gifts of nature.
6. A SIMPLE, FRUGAL LIFE-STYLE. How much time, energy, and money are wasted on luxurious buying and having related to wardrobes. Saint John the Baptist challenges us to look deeply into our own buying and having with respect to our wardrobe and dress! How did the Baptist dress? Quite simply: he donned a camel hair garment and wore a leather belt around his waist. He had no closet to store extra clothing! Let’s examine our buying sprees and wardrobe from the perspective of the Baptist.
7. HIS PREACHING STYLE AND METHOD. The preaching style of the Baptist and his message were simple, direct, and to the point. He did not mince words, nor waste words. The very essence of his preaching could be summarized in one simple word: CONVERSION!!! Very similar to the first preaching of Jesus: “Be converted; the Kingdom of God is at hand.” (Mk. 1:15)
8. HIS DISCIPLES. A very interesting note would be that of his close disciples; who were they? Actually, some of the Apostles that Jesus chose were already being formed and taught by Saint John the Baptist. Among these were Saint John the Evangelist, as well as Saint Andrew. John the Baptist pointed to Jesus, “The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” Then Saint Andrew and Saint John the Evangelist left the Baptist to follow Jesus. (Jn. 1:36-38 ) What profound humility in the Baptist, allowing his disciples and friends to leave him so that they could follow in the company of Jesus! The Baptist was a mere sign—always paving the way and pointing to Jesus! What an example for us!
9. HIS MISSION. Saint John the Baptist had no identity-crisis. He knew with utmost clarity who he was, where he was called to be, and exactly what his mission entailed. Baptisms! The latter part of his life, he was called to the Jordan River where he would summon the people to a life of conversion and then he would baptize them. A culminating moment in his life is when Jesus enters the scene at the Jordan River and asks to be baptized by John the Baptist. Despite the feeling of his unworthiness, the Baptist humbly submits to the request of Jesus and baptizes the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. In this moment the profound mystery of the Blessed Trinity becomes manifest. The voice of God the Father is heard, Jesus enters into the waters thereby sanctifying all future waters that would be used to baptize, and the Holy Spirit becomes manifest in the presence of the Dove.
10. HIS GLORIOUS GRAND FINALE! The Glorious Grand Finale of the life of SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST was his glorious death. He was martyred. The primary reason for the glorious death of Saint John the Baptist was his courage in denouncing publicly the adulterous, incestuous, and scandalous relations of King Herod. The cowardly and wicked king had actually taken the wife of his brother, Philip, and made her his own. The Kingdom was muted, but not John the Baptist. He raised a clarion voice of denunciation: “It is not right for you to live with her!” (Mt. 14:4) John was incarcerated. Then on the occasion of the birthday of the wicked King and a lascivious dance, the King sent executioners to the prison and decapitated Saint John the Baptist. This great saint died to defend the indissoluble character of Holy Matrimony and the evil of divorce and adultery. He lost his physical life but gained Heaven for all eternity!
The conception, the upbringing and preparation, the life and the glorious death of Saint John the Baptist can most splendidly serve as a model for all of us who ardently yearn for a life of authentic holiness. Among the admirable virtues that Saint John the Baptist preached and lived are virtues that we should most ardently desire to live out: prayer, penance, silence, humility, detachment, mission, love for Jesus, love for the truth, and an undaunted courage to face evil and deceit with a willingness to die for the Truth. Great and Glorious Saint John the Baptist, pray for us!
Copyright 2020 Oblates of the Virgin Mary
St. Peter Chanel Church, Hawaiian Gardens, CA
