Monday, June 23, 2014

 

Tuesday - Solemnity, Nativity of John the Baptist

June 24, 2014 
Tuesday - Solemnity, Nativity of John the Baptist 

Vigil: Jer 1: 4-10 / Ps 71: 1-2, 3-4a, 5-6ab, 15ab and 17 / 1 Pt 1: 8-12 / Lk 1: 5-17; 
Day: Is 49: 1-6 / Ps 139: 1b-3, 13-14ab, 14c-15 / Acts 13: 22-26 / Lk 1: 57-66, 80 

Reading: Is 49:1-6
Listen to me, O islands, pay attention, peoples from distant lands. Yahweh called me from my mother's womb; he pronounced my name before I was born. He made my mouth like a sharpened sword. He hid me in the shadow of his hand. He made me into a polished arrow set apart in his quiver. He said to me, "You are Israel, my servant, Through you I will be known." "I have labored in vain," I thought and spent my strength for nothing." Yet what is due me was in the hand of Yahweh, and my reward was with my God. I am important in the sight of Yahweh, and my God is my strength. And now Yahweh has spoken, he who formed me in the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him, to gather Israel to him. He said: "It is not enough that you be my servant, to restore the tribes of Jacob, to bring back the remnant of Israel. I will make you the light of the nations, that my salvation will reach to the ends of the earth."    

Gospel: Luke 1:57-66, 80
When the time came for Elizabeth, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the merciful Lord had done a wonderful thing for her and they rejoiced with her. When on the eighth day they came to attend the circumcision of the child, they wanted to name him Zechariah after his father. But his mother said, "Not so; he shall be called John." They said to her, "No one in your family has that name"; and they asked the father by means of signs for the name he wanted to give. Zechariah asked for a writing tablet and wrote on it, "His name is John," and they were very surprised. Immediately Zechariah could speak again and his first words were in praise of God. A holy fear came on all in the neighborhood, and throughout the Hills of Judea the people talked about these events. All who heard of it pondered in their minds and wondered, "What will this child be?" For they understood that the hand of the Lord was with him. As the child grew up, he was seen to be strong in the Spirit; he lived in the desert till the day when he appeared openly in Israel.

Reflection:
    Parents often are concerned about how their children will turn out to be when they grow up. They have so much hope for them and sometimes they create an image of what they want their kids to be in the future. At the same time they also have fears of what could hinder their child's growth and development.
     In the gospel, people were asking one another about John the Baptist, "What will this child turn out to be?" But his parents knew that God had a plan for him because of the mysterious things that occurred before his birth.  So they put the life of their son in God's hands. We all know that John would become the Precursor of the Messiah, that he would baptize Jesus in the Jordan River and do many great things. But what John did first before he embarked on his mission was to go to the desert and live there. This great man chose to live a very hard life in preparation for his ministry of calling people to conversion. John took the narrow path and that is why aside from Jesus and Mary, he is the only other saint whose birth is celebrated by the Catholic Church.
     So if you are still wondering what your child will turn out to be, you might consider letting him take the path of John the Baptist. Allow him/her to become a servant leader who might have to suffer much opposition for doing what is right in front of God. Of course we all want our kids to become rich and famous, but if they desire to serve people as their life's work, by all means let them do so. Then we can proudly say that we are the parents of this boy or girl who made a difference in the world.         

Prayer Requests:           
We pray ...
... for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the unborn
... for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary
... for families who are in need of healing
     * for the healing of Froilan Ramos
... for world peace and reconciliation

Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most. 

Have a good day!

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