The Abbey Church June 2006

 

June 24th 2006

Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist Mass during the Day

Is 49:1-6 Hear me, O coastlands,listen, O distant peoples. The LORD called me from birth, from my mother’s womb he gave me my name. He made of me a sharp-edged sword and concealed me in the shadow of his arm. He made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me. You are my servant, he said to me, Israel, through whom I show my glory. Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength, yet my reward is with the LORD, my recompense is with my God. For now the LORD has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb,that Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; and I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my strength! It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant,to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

Ps 139:1b-3, 13-14ab, 14c-15R. (14) I praise you, for I am wonderfully made.
O LORD, you have probed me, you know me: you know when I sit and when I stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. My journeys and my rest you scrutinize, with all my ways you are familiar.
R. I praise you for I am wonderfully made.
Truly you have formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made; wonderful are your works.
R. I praise you, for I am wonderfully made.
My soul also you knew full well; nor was my frame unknown to you When I was made in secret, when I was fashioned in the depths of the earth.
R. I praise you, for I am wonderfully made.

Acts 13:22-26 In those days, Paul said: “God raised up David as king; of him God testified, I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will carry out my every wish. From this man’s descendants God, according to his promise, has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus. John heralded his coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel; and as John was completing his course, he would say, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. Behold, one is coming after me; I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet.’ “My brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those others among you who are God-fearing,to us this word of salvation has been sent.”

Lk 1:57-66, 80 When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heardthat the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child,they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said in reply, “No. He will be called John.” But they answered her, “There is no one among your relatives who has this name.” So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,” and all were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, “What, then, will this child be?” For surely the hand of the Lord was with him. The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel.

The baby John is named first by Elizabeth whichwas not the custom of the time. Zechariah's tongue is freed when he speaks and he is able to concur with Elizabeth then to bless God in thanksgiving. John is sign of God's blessings and works. His parents at his birth are aware that he will be a prophet of Israel. He is not named after his father or any of his relatives but is named as a recognition of this role in life and the importance of his connection with God. Zechariah's speech is returned when he wished to follow God's will and name the child John after having lost his voice when he had doubted the word of God in the form of an angel. "John" means "Yahweh is gracious" in Hebrew culture of that time. My first name (baptismal and religious) is "Joan" which is a variation of John and has the same meaning. The hand of God was on John in what he did. I pray that at times that God calls me to go where I do not want to go and do what I do not want to do that I can see the temptations of the desert and remain steadfast in the Lord. To do God's will is a blessing and gift that is filled with more blessings in return.

I pray for the trust and joy of following God in the desert knowing that the heart of God holds waters that flow and fill all believers for all time. I wish to give glory to God in a life fully alive and a heart filled with joy, thankfullness and praise. In the desert of heat, privation, suffering and trials, God is the living water the blessing, the comfort, the way. God knew me before I was born and has been gently leading me in this journey which is a pilgrimage through this passing world to life eternal.