Biblical ‘wildman’

He wore clothes made of camel hair, with a leather belt around his waist, ate locusts and wild honey and gave fiery messages about repentance. His untamable message of repentance drew many to convert and be baptized, but it also drew the ire of some. Eventually he was beheaded by orders from Herod Antipas at the request of Herodias’ daughter. 

On June 24 we celebrate his nativity, and remember the miraculous circumstances that led up to his birth. We recall that right after his birth his father St. Zacharia, who had been stunned with disbelief when the angel Gabriel announced in the altar of incense in the temple that St. Zacharia’s barren wife, St. Elizabeth, would conceive a child. St. Gabriel struck St. Zacharia speechless until the evangelist’s birth. 

When questioned by the people what the child should be named St. Zacharia asked for a tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” St. Zacharia recovered his speech and gave his well-known canticle of praise. 

St. John, known as the herald of the Messiah, began his mission in the womb. In the vivid story of Mary’s visitation with St. Elizabeth, St. John leapt in St. Elizabeth’s womb at the sound of Mary’s voice because she was pregnant with Christ. This leads the Blessed Mother to proclaim her well known canticle of praise.

While St. John is thought of as the “greatest prophet who ever lived” and drew his own followers out into the desert, he may even be more known for his humility. 

When the Pharisees approached St. John and asked if he was the Messiah, St. John responds, “I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie” (Jn 1: 26 – 27).

Resolving that his life would point to Christ, one day St. John was baptizing and he saw Jesus. He declared, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” 

These words are proclaimed during Mass today when the priest raises the consecrated chalice of wine and bread that have become the body of Christ.

And it was St. John whom Jesus asked to baptize him in the Jordan River. As Jesus came up out of the water St. John and those present had the awe-inspiring experience of the seeing the spirit of God descending like a dove over Jesus and hearing the voice of God saying, “This is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased.” 

St. John could have been “heady” through his close-knit ties with Christ. But even his final witness pointed to Christ. When his disciples came to him saying that Jesus was baptizing people St. John insisted, “He must increase; I must decrease.”

Before St. John steps out of the limelight as the bridegroom, let’s light a birthday candle to celebrate the life of the man whom even today urges us to “prepare the way for the Lord.”