Podcasts about saint john the baptist

Gospel  Luke 1:5-17 In the days of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah of the priestly division of Abijah; his wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. Both were righteous in the eyes of God, observing all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren and both were advanced in years. Once when he was serving as priest in his division's turn before God, according to the practice of the priestly service, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense. Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside at the hour of the incense offering, the angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right of the altar of incense. Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. John will drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb, and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn their hearts toward their children and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to prepare a people fit for the Lord.” Reflection God makes promises to all of us. He made a promise to Zechariah and Elizabeth that they would have a son one day, and when the time pass for it to happen in this ordinary way, he lost sight of the promise, and gave up on it. And yet, when an angel appeared to him to tell him that this was going to happen, but it was going to happen in a way that was beyond anything that would have been normal, it was an extraordinary event, a woman far into her old age having a baby. But what the lesson seems to me to be that no matter how long it takes, no matter what form it takes, the promises that God makes to us will take place. We have to believe. We have to trust, or we are not going to be open to when it does happen. Closing Prayer Father, bless us with an ability to trust beyond what is logical. What is practical. You've made a promise to all of us that we will know you, we will live with you, you will dwell in us, and we will do things that are your work in others. Bless us with the faith that we need that never do we lose the hope that that will happen. Then we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Full Text of ReadingsSolemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist Lectionary: 586, 587The Saint of the day is Nativity of Saint John the BaptistSaint John the Baptist's Story Jesus called John the greatest of all those who had preceded him: “I tell you, among those born of women, no one is greater than John….” But John would have agreed completely with what Jesus added: “[Y]et the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he” (Luke 7:28). John spent his time in the desert, an ascetic. He began to announce the coming of the Kingdom, and to call everyone to a fundamental reformation of life. His purpose was to prepare the way for Jesus. His baptism, he said, was for repentance. But one would come who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. John was not worthy even to untie his sandals. His attitude toward Jesus was: “He must increase; I must decrease” (John 3:30). John was humbled to find among the crowd of sinners who came to be baptized the one whom he already knew to be the Messiah. “I need to be baptized by you” (Matthew 3:14b). But Jesus insisted, “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15b). Jesus, true and humble human as well as eternal God, was eager to do what was required of any good Jew. Jesus thus publicly entered the community of those awaiting the Messiah. But making himself part of that community, he made it truly messianic. The greatness of John, his pivotal place in the history of salvation, is seen in the great emphasis Luke gives to the announcement of his birth and the event itself—both made prominently parallel to the same occurrences in the life of Jesus. John attracted countless people to the banks of the Jordan, and it occurred to some people that he might be the Messiah. But he constantly deferred to Jesus, even to sending away some of his followers to become the first disciples of Jesus. Perhaps John's idea of the coming of the Kingdom of God was not being perfectly fulfilled in the public ministry of Jesus. For whatever reason, when he was in prison he sent his disciples to ask Jesus if he was the Messiah. Jesus' answer showed that the Messiah was to be a figure like that of the Suffering Servant in Isaiah. John himself would share in the pattern of messianic suffering, losing his life to the revenge of Herodias. Reflection John challenges us Christians to the fundamental attitude of Christianity—total dependence on the Father, in Christ. Except for the Mother of God, no one had a higher function in the unfolding of salvation. Yet the least in the kingdom, Jesus said, is greater than he, for the pure gift that the Father gives. The attractiveness as well as the austerity of John, his fierce courage in denouncing evil—all stem from his fundamental and total placing of his life within the will of God. Saint John the Baptist is the Patron Saint of: Baptism Learn more about St. John the Baptist! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Celebrating The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist in the Church Calendar, June 24, 2025.Our general order and lectionary come from the Book of Common Prayer Daily Office.Psalm 85:7-13Luke 1:57-80Today's song: Be Thou My Vision (Eleanor Hull; Mary Byrne)Playlist of songs from Morning Prayer.If you have a prayer request please ⁠submit it here⁠. Sign up ⁠here⁠ for the email list.Morning Prayer and Worship is a production of Steady Stream Ministries, a 501(c)(3) non profit organization. Thank you for your support. ⁠You can go here to find out more⁠.Get an ad-free feed of the podcast with a monthly contribution of any amount!⁠Join our Facebook group here!⁠Photo by Aa Dil.Advent, Rite TwoBecause you sent your beloved Son to redeem us from sin and death, and to make us heirs in him of everlasting life; that when he shall come again in power and great triumph to judge the world, we may without shame or fear rejoice to behold his appearing. Collect of the DayThe Nativity of Saint John the Baptist, Rite TwoAlmighty God, by whose providence your servant John the Baptist was wonderfully born, and sent to prepare the way of your Son our Savior by preaching repentance: Make us so to follow his teaching and holy life, that we may truly repent according to his preaching; and, following his example, constantly speak the truth, boldly rebuke vice, and patiently suffer for the truth's sake; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Read OnlineAll 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. Luke 1:65–66John the Baptist was formed by the hand of the Lord. Saint Thomas Aquinas goes so far as to say that John was sanctified in the womb of his mother, Elizabeth, as is written: “He will be filled with the holy Spirit even from his mother's womb” (Luke 1:15). From the moment that the Blessed Virgin Mary greeted Elizabeth and John leaped for joy, the hand of the Lord was upon John, making him holy and leading him to the fulfillment of God's holy will.John's early life is not recorded for us, other than in the passage quoted above. We are told that he “grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel.” We should see in this passage the truth that John was not only sanctified within the womb of his mother but that, throughout his childhood and on into adulthood, he remained deeply united to God and was filled with the Holy Spirit.Today we honor one particular aspect of John's life—his birth. We know that he was blessed to not only be born into the blessed family of Elizabeth and Zechariah but that the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, was also his relative and was present at his birth. Zechariah, his father, gave him the name “John” even though it would have been the custom to call him Zechariah after his father. Zechariah did this in obedience to the Archangel Gabriel, who appeared to him prior to John's birth and instructed him to do so.Great mystery and excitement surrounded the birth of John, and there is little doubt that those who were present at his birth would have been caught up in the intrigue and hope of who he would become. And John didn't disappoint. It was of him that Jesus one day would say, “I tell you, among those born of women, no one is greater than John…” (Luke 7:28).Though you may not have had the privilege of being sanctified in the womb of your mother, or to have had your father receive a revelation from the Archangel Gabriel prior to your birth, you are, nonetheless, called to be guided by the hand of the Lord each and every day. God wants you to become “strong in spirit” so that you can fulfill the unique will given to you. We honor the great saints, in part, because they give us an example of how to live. For that reason, we must see in each of their lives the model to which we must conform. The primary witness set by Saint John the Baptist is that he was unwaveringly obedient to God and to being formed by His hand. The result was the glorious fulfillment of his unique mission in life, all the way to giving his life as a martyr. Reflect, today, upon the very real fact that, though you were not sanctified in the womb, you were sanctified by Baptism. From there, you were strengthened by the Spirit through Confirmation and are regularly fed by the Most Holy Eucharist. In many ways, you are just as blessed as John.Reflect upon the simple yet profound fact that God wants to use you for His holy mission. He gives to you some particular mission He has not entrusted to another. Say “Yes” to that mission today so that you, too, will be seen as “great” in the Kingdom of Heaven.Lord of all greatness, You sanctified Saint John the Baptist in the womb, and You continued to pour forth Your grace upon him throughout his life. He responded to You and fulfilled his glorious mission. I thank You for the sanctification given to me by my Baptism and strengthened through Confirmation and the Holy Eucharist. Help me to be open to all the graces You wish to bestow so that I may fulfill the unique mission given to me. Jesus, I trust in You.Image Luca Giordano, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

For 24 June 2025, The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist, based on Luke 1:57-66, 80

Full Text of ReadingsFeast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Lectionary: 572The Saint of the day is Visitation of the Blessed Virgin MaryThe Story of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary This is a fairly late feast, going back only to the 13th or 14th century. It was established widely throughout the Church to pray for unity. The present date of celebration was set in 1969, in order to follow the Annunciation of the Lord and precede the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist. Like most feasts of Mary, it is closely connected with Jesus and his saving work. The more visible actors in the visitation drama (see Luke 1:39-45) are Mary and Elizabeth. However, Jesus and John the Baptist steal the scene in a hidden way. Jesus makes John leap with joy—the joy of messianic salvation. Elizabeth, in turn, is filled with the Holy Spirit and addresses words of praise to Mary—words that echo down through the ages. It is helpful to recall that we do not have a journalist's account of this meeting. Rather Luke, speaking for the Church, gives a prayerful poet's rendition of the scene. Elizabeth's praise of Mary as “the mother of my Lord” can be viewed as the earliest Church's devotion to Mary. As with all authentic devotion to Mary, Elizabeth's (the Church's) words first praise God for what God has done to Mary. Only secondly does she praise Mary for trusting God's words. Then comes the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55). Here, Mary herself—like the Church—traces all her greatness to God. Reflection One of the invocations in Mary's litany is “Ark of the Covenant.” Like the Ark of the Covenant of old, Mary brings God's presence into the lives of other people. As David danced before the Ark, John the Baptist leaps for joy. As the Ark helped to unite the 12 tribes of Israel by being placed in David's capital, so Mary has the power to unite all Christians in her son. At times, devotion to Mary may have occasioned some divisiveness, but we can hope that authentic devotion will lead all to Christ and therefore, to one another. Click here for a meditation on the Joyful Mysteries! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Read OnlineMary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” Luke 1:39–42The beautiful feast we celebrate today depicts two miraculous pregnancies. One came about by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit. The other was the miraculous conception in the womb of a woman who was advanced in years. The Scripture passage quoted above presents us with the initial encounter of Mary and Elizabeth as they greeted each other upon Mary's arrival. Mary had traveled a long distance to be with her cousin for the last few months of Elizabeth's pregnancy. And upon greeting Elizabeth, another miraculous event occurred. The baby in the womb of Elizabeth, Saint John the Baptist, “leaped for joy.” Thus, even prior to his birth, John began to fulfill his unique mission of preparing the way for the Lord. He did so at that moment by inspiring his own mother, Elizabeth, with a knowledge of the divine presence of the Savior within the womb of Mary.Consider, especially, the conversations that these two holy women would have shared during their months together. Though we are given only a small insight into their initial conversation from the Scriptures, we can be certain that this was but a small sampling of what they would have discussed in much prayerful detail. In particular, their conversations would have contained a mutual sharing of the spiritual gift of joy.Joy is much more than an emotion. It is spiritual in nature. It is not only an experience of something fun, it's the experience of realizing the action of God in your life. Seeing God at work in wonderful ways leads to gratitude and rejoicing. This joy produces a strength and energy that is contagious and uplifting.We must all strive to see the hand of God at work in our own lives so that our focus upon His divine actions will produce joy also. We need joy. We need to be strengthened by this gift so that we will be encouraged and strengthened as we daily strive to fulfill His will.Reflect, today, upon the witness of joy that these two holy women give us. Know that you are called to share in the same joy as you humbly turn your attention to the ways in which God has blessed you. If you find that you lack joy in life, then consider where you allow your mind to wander throughout the day. Do you dwell on the past, on hurts, on problems and the like? If so, these thoughts will undoubtedly lead to depression and possibly even despair. Try to turn your mind to the action of God in your life. See the many blessings you have been given and savor those divine actions. Doing so will lead you to rejoice with Saint Elizabeth and our Blessed Mother.My holy infant Jesus, as You dwelt in the sacred womb of Your own dear mother, Your presence caused much rejoicing in her heart and in the hearts of Elizabeth and John. Help me to see Your presence in our world and in my life, so that I, too, will be filled with the joy of You constantly coming to me. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: Joseolgon, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Delivered by Vici from the Parish of Saint John the Baptist in the Archdiocese of Jakarta, Indonesia. Acts of the Apostles 13: 26-33; Rs psalm 2: 6-7.8-9.10-11; John 14: 1-6.THE GOOD SHEPHERD COMFORTS ANDWELCOMES The title for our meditation today is:The Good Shepherd Comforts and Welcomes. We humans feel comfortable when weengage in our interpersonal relationships with one another. Whereas we feelbeing welcomed or at home when we relate to the environtment around and thingswe have or use. For example, you feel comfortable with friends near you, and atthe same time you feel at home in the atmosphere of cooperation and peaceenvironment. The Lord Jesus as our good shepherdgives us comfort and feeling at home in such context. Jesus makes uscomfortable with Him and our fellow believers. Jesus makes us feel at home inHis house, the Church, also in relation with all His teachings andcommandments. The very fitting expression for this is what Jesus says today inthe Gospel reading: do not let your heart be troubled, have faith in God, havefaith also in Me. With My Father and Me, everything will be at home andcomfortable. But not everyone agrees about beingcomfortable and at home in Christ. There are always people who don'timmediately understand. There can also be different interpretations. Forexample, the apostle Tomas asked in this way, “Show us what you are saying!”Then Jesus so convincingly said: I am the way, the truth and the life. Thisassertion is sufficient enough to overcome that doubt. Jesus empowers the ministers of theChurch to comfort and make every believer in the Church feel at home. Like theApostle Peter, Saint Paul also had the teaching authority to preach all thetruths about Jesus Christ. This really comforted and gave feeling at home toall those who listened to his preaching, especially the Gentiles or non-Jewishbelievers who were very critical and skeptical. They could accept Paul'steachings and eventually chose to become followers of Christ. Then the question to be raised aboutthis would be: who is the most responsible to provide a comfortable and feelingat home experience of one's life? For sure it is not God and the Churchleaders. They will always give attention and care to all of us out of love.Being comfortable and at home is not their primary concern. So, feelingcomfortable and at home must be first created by each one of us. It is the same with the fact of lifewhen we reject or accept our father and mother. They are God's gift to each ofus. But about being comfortable with your own father and mother, it is your ownresponsibility. You and I have to create it. Feeling at home and comfortablewith God and the Church must be our duty to make it.Let's pray. In the name of theFather ... Almighty God, may we always feel comfortable and at home because youare always in our midst through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Our Father who art inheaven ... In the name of the Father …

Delivered by Vici from the Parish of Saint John the Baptist in the Archdiocese of Jakarta, Indonesia. Acts of the Apostles 8: 1b-8; Rs psalm 66: 1-3a.4-5.6-7a; John 6: 35-40.TRUSTED PERSONS The title for our meditation today is:Trusted Persons. There was a teenager girl appeared depressed and silent inrecent days. She only wanted to be alone and did not want to talk to anybody.At school she didn't want to say hello to any. At home she spent her time inthe room alone. She disactivated her "online" activities in socialmedia, because she didn't want to be disturbed. There was not a single personwho came to be at her side in those days, except the Lord to whom she sharedeverything. In her prayers, she offered all herpain and disappointment to God. A friend she really trusted lied to her. Somefriends at school who she thought could help her, did not show up. Her motherand father at home and her siblings could not understand her actual situation.So she felt that she was indeed far from them all. Everyone she trusted turnedout to make her suffer so she thought that trust was very costly and should notbe taken for granted. When perhaps we are in the samesituation with that teenager, we really hope that as the believers andfollowers of the Lord Jesus, we must not be like Judas Iscariot who betrayed theMaster Jesus Christ. Whereas if the believers and followers of the Lord are likethe apostles and disciples of Jesus Christ, as described in the today's readingfrom Acts of the Apostles, certainly this is the true Christian testimony thatwe must follow. They were believers of Jesus Christ and members of the early Churchwho went through the whole country to preach the gospel. After their companionStephen was brutally murdered, their effort and enthusiasm as believers becameincreasingly strong and so encouraged. Jesus Christ declared his identity asthe "Bread of Life," and his apostles and disciples listened to it directly.They truly believed in this truth. Jesus asserted that through seeing andbelieving in Him as the one sent from the heavenly Father, they would have life.The apostles and disciples of Jesus listened and understood this teachingcorrectly. This is the true and good Word of God. They were the first faithfulto profes their faith in it. Therefore, when they shared and proclaimed it tomany others, these firsthand testimony of faith became valid and true evidencefor the growth of faith of those who heard and understood later. To become true and good believers, wereally need in the first time to make ourselves true and good people. The trueperson is the one who is credible or can be trusted in words and actions. He orshe is a sincere and honest person about himself or herself and his or herfellow neighbours. A good person is ethically and morally a fellow and friendwhose presence is very necessary to us. Are you included in this category of thetrusted persons? Let's pray. In the name of theFather ... O Lord Jesus Christ, may we be your people of faith in carrying outthe mission that you have entrusted to us in this world. Glory to the Fatherand to the Son and to the Holy Spirit ... In the name of the Father ...

Read OnlineThe Father loves the Son and has given everything over to him. John 3:35It's interesting to note that the words of today's Gospel appear to be from Saint John the Baptist, since they come within the context of his testimony to Jesus. Some commentators, however, suggest that they are words that were actually spoken by Jesus and that the Evangelist inserts them here as a continuation of the testimony of the Baptist, attributing them to Saint John. Regardless of who actually spoke these words, the line quoted above gives us much to reflect upon, in that it gives us insight into the very meaning and practice of true love.What is love? Is it a feeling? An emotion? A drive or a desire for something or someone? Of course, the secular understanding of love is much different than a divine understanding of love. Oftentimes the secular view of love is more self-centered. To “love” someone or something is to want to possess that person or object. “Love” from a secular view focuses upon the attraction and desire. But true love, from a divine perspective, is very different.The line quoted above tells us two things: First, we are told that “The Father loves the Son…” But then we are given a definition of that love. We are told that love in this case results in the Father giving “everything over” to the Son. When we consider the word “everything” in this passage, it is clear that this can only refer to the Father giving Himself to the Son in totality. Within the life of the Father, everything means His very essence, His being, His personhood, His whole divine self. The Father does not say, “I want;” rather, the Father says, “I give.” And the Son receives all that the Father is.Though this is deep and mystical language, it becomes very practical for our lives when we understand that divine love is not about wanting, taking, desiring, feeling, etc. Divine love is about giving. It's about the giving of oneself to another. And it's not just about giving some of yourself away, it's about giving “everything” away.If the Father gave everything to the Son, does that mean that the Father has nothing left? Certainly not. The beautiful nature of divine love is that it is never ending. The more one gives themself away, the more they have. Thus, the gift of the life of the Father to the Son is infinite and eternal. The Father never ceases to give, and the Son never ceases to receive. And the more the Father gives Himself to the Son, the more the Father becomes the essence of love itself.The same is true in our lives. It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that love should only go so far. But if we are to strive to imitate and participate in the love the Father has for the Son, then we must also understand that love is about giving, not receiving, and that the giving must be a gift of everything, holding nothing back. We must give ourselves away to others without counting the cost and without exception.Reflect, today, upon your view of love. Look at it from a practical perspective as you think about the people whom you are especially called to love with a divine love. Do you understand your duty to give yourself to them completely? Do you realize that giving yourself away will not result in the loss of your life but in the fulfillment of it? Ponder the divine love that the Father has for the Son and make the radical and holy choice today to strive to imitate and participate in that same love.My loving Lord, the Father has given all to You, and You, in turn, have given all to the Father. The love You share is infinite and eternal, overflowing into the lives of all Your creatures. Draw me into that divine love, dear Lord, and help me to imitate and share in Your love by fully giving my life to others. Jesus, I trust in You.Sancta Trinitas by Lawrence OP, license CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Today's Topics: 1) Gospel - Mark 8:34—9:1 - Jesus summoned the crowd with His disciples and said to them, "Whoever wishes to come after Me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and that of the Gospel will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? What could one give in exchange for his life? Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this faithless and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of when He comes in His Father's glory with the holy angels." He also said to them, "Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the Kingdom of God has come in power." 2, 3, 4) Father Sebastian Walshe, O.Praem., joins Terry to discuss his new book: Saint John the Baptist: Priest, Prophet, and Martyr (TAN BOOKS) https://tanbooks.com/products/books/saint-john-the-baptist-priest-prophet-and-martyr/?srsltid=AfmBOoqrLcchV7mr8rVYHg_gM1FFECSwKk5kwWc5bVHyaKHclT5me7K-

In this episode, we learn about Jesus' cousin, St John the Baptist and his role in preparing people's hearts to encounter the Lord and much more! L'articolo E55 | Children's Show – Saint John the Baptist: Preparing Hearts for the Lord proviene da Radio Maria.

Read OnlineHerod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and kept him in custody. When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him. Mark 6:20Ideally, when the Gospel is preached and received by another, the effect is that the receiver is filled with joy, consolation and a desire to change. The Gospel is transforming for those who truly listen and respond with generosity. But what about those who do not respond with generosity? What effect does the Gospel have upon them? Our Gospel today gives us that answer.The line above comes from the story of the beheading of Saint John the Baptist. The bad actors in this story are Herod, Herod's illegitimate wife Herodias, and Herodias' daughter (traditionally named Salome). John had been imprisoned by Herod because John told Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.” But what's most interesting about this story is that, even in prison, Herod would listen to John preach. But instead of leading Herod to conversion, he was left “perplexed” by what John preached.Being “perplexed” was not the only reaction to John's preaching. Herodias' reaction was one of hatred. She appeared to be stung to the heart by John's condemnation of her “marriage” to Herod, and it was she who then orchestrated John's beheading.This Gospel, then, teaches us of two other common reactions to the Truth of the holy Gospel when it is preached. One is hatred and another is confusion (being perplexed). Obviously, hatred is far worse than simply being perplexed. But neither is the right reaction to the words of Truth.What is your reaction to the full Gospel when it is preached? Are there aspects of the Gospel that leave you uneasy? Are there teachings of our Lord that confuse you or lead you to anger? First look within your own heart to determine if you struggle with having a similar reaction as did Herod and Herodias. And then consider how the world reacts to the Truth of the Gospel. We should not be surprised at all that we find many Herods and Herodiases alive today. Reflect, today, upon any ways that you see the Gospel being rejected on one level or another. If you sense this within your own heart, then repent with all your might. If you see it elsewhere, do not allow the hostility to shake you or concern you. Keep your mind and heart upon the Truth and remain steadfast no matter the reaction you encounter.My Lord of all Truth, Your Word and Your Word alone brings grace and salvation. Please give me the grace I need to always listen to Your Word and to respond generously with all my heart. May I repent when I am convicted by Your Word and may I wholeheartedly return to You. Give me courage when others reject Your Truth and wisdom to know how to share that Word with love. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Pieter de Grebber, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Read Online“Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you testified, here he is baptizing and everyone is coming to him.” John 3:26 John the Baptist had amassed quite a following. People kept coming to Him to be baptized, and many wanted his ministry to grow. However, once Jesus began His own public ministry, some of the followers of John became jealous. But John gave the right answer to them. He explained to them that his life and mission was to prepare people for Jesus. Now that Jesus had begun His ministry, John joyfully said, “So this joy of mine has been made complete. He must increase; I must decrease” (John 3:29–30).This humility of John is a great lesson, especially for those who are actively engaged in the apostolic mission of the Church. Too often when we get involved with some apostolate and another's “ministry” seems to grow faster than ours, jealousy can set in. But the key to understanding our role in the apostolic mission of Christ's Church is that we must seek to fulfill our role and our role alone. We must never see ourselves in competition with others within the Church. We must know when we are to act in accord with God's will, and we must know when we are to step back and allow others to fulfill God's will. We must do the will of God, nothing more, nothing less and nothing other.Additionally, that last statement from John must always resound within our hearts when we are called to actively engage in the apostolate. “He must increase; I must decrease.” This is an ideal model for everyone who serves Christ and others within the Church.Reflect, today, upon those holy words of the Baptist. Apply them to your mission within your family, among your friends and especially if you are involved in some apostolic service within the Church. Everything you do must point to Christ. This will only happen if you, like Saint John the Baptist, understand the unique role that God has given to you and you embrace that role alone.Lord, I give myself to You for Your service and glory. Use me as You will. As You use me, please give me the humility I need to always remember that I serve You and Your will alone. Free me from jealousy and envy and help me to rejoice in the numerous ways that You act through others in my life. Jesus, I trust in You.  Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured image above: Metanoiete! via Flickr

Read OnlineJohn testified further, saying, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him. I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.” John 1:32–34It's interesting to note that in the Gospel of John, Saint John the Baptist never baptized Jesus, as is depicted in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. Instead, in the Gospel of John, John the Baptist simply witnessed the descent of the Holy Spirit from a distance, and then spoke the quoted line above. The next day, the Baptist pointed to Jesus as the “Lamb of God,” and two of his own disciples left the Baptist to follow Jesus.Why is there this apparent discrepancy between the Gospel of John and the three Synoptic Gospels? Though it's hard to answer that for certain, one thing that is made uniquely clear in the Gospel of John is that the Baptist was given a unique spiritual knowledge by the Father that Jesus was the “Lamb of God.” In this Gospel, the revelation of Who Jesus was did not take place in a way that everyone present heard and saw. Rather, John's Gospel focuses upon the interior realization that John the Baptist received from the One Who sent him. And the One Who sent him was the Father in Heaven.One spiritual truth worth pondering from the account of the Gospel of John read today is that the conviction and certainty given to the Baptist about Jesus' identity was so certain that he knew Who Jesus was beyond any shadow of a doubt. This personal revelation given to the Baptist changed his life. From that moment on, all he did was point people to Jesus.As you ponder this spiritual revelation about Jesus that the Baptist received from the Father in Heaven, consider for yourself what would be more convincing. Would it be more convincing to hear an audible voice from Heaven declare Who Jesus was? Or to receive this same knowledge through an interior and spiritual communication from the Father? If you believe that the former, the external and audible voice, would be more convincing, then you might want to pause and think again. The truth is that God's clearest and most certain form of communication to us is one that is internal. And even if there were an audible voice spoken from Heaven, as depicted in the Synoptic Gospels, that Voice would have to also be interiorly confirmed by faith in the hearts of the hearers so as to convince them on the deepest level. Reflect, today, upon the spiritual truth that God the Father wants to speak to you in the depths of your own soul so as to draw you into a certainty about Himself and all that He has spoken as true. Do you hear God speak? Have you allowed yourself to be convinced by His Voice? Listen to Him today and allow all that He speaks to you to become the source and goal of all that you say and do in life. Father in Heaven, You have revealed to me Who You are and Your plan for my life in many ways. And though You are always speaking to me, I acknowledge that I do not always listen. Please open my soul to You more fully so that I may come to faith and be certain of Your love and Your perfect will in my life. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured image above: Baptism of Christ By Andrea del Verrocchio, via Wikimedia Commons

"Saint Seraphim was born in the town of Kursk in 1759. From tender childhood he was under the protection of the most holy Mother of God, who, when he was nine years old, appeared to him in a vision, and through her icon of Kursk, healed him from a grave sickness from which he had not been expected to recover. At the age of nineteen he entered the monastery of Sarov, where he amazed all with his obedience, his lofty asceticism, and his great humility. In 1780 the Saint was stricken with a sickness which he manfully endured for three years, until our Lady the Theotokos healed him, appearing to him with the Apostles Peter and John. He was tonsured a monk in 1786, being named for the holy Hieromartyr Seraphim, Bishop of Phanarion (Dec. 4), and was ordained deacon a year later. In his unquenchable love for God, he continually added labours to labours, increasing in virtue and prayer with titan strides. Once, during the Divine Liturgy of Holy and Great Thursday he was counted worthy of a vision of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who appeared encompassed by the heavenly hosts. After this dread vision, he gave himself over to greater labours.   "In 1794, Saint Seraphim took up the solitary life in a cell in the forest. This period of extreme asceticism lasted some fifteen years, until 1810. It was at this time that he took upon himself one of the greatest feats of his life. Assailed with despondency and a storm of contrary thoughts raised by the enemy of our salvation, the Saint passed a thousand nights on a rock, continuing in prayer until God gave him complete victory over the enemy. On another occasion, he was assaulted by robbers, who broke his chest and his head with their blows, leaving him almost dead. Here again, he began to recover after an appearance of the most Holy Theotokos, who came to him with the Apostles Peter and John, and pointing to Saint Seraphim, uttered these awesome words, 'This is one of my kind.'   "In 1810, at the age of fifty, weakened by his more than human struggles, Saint Seraphim returned to the monastery for the third part of his ascetical labours, in which he lived as a recluse, until 1825. For the first five years of his reclusion, he spoke to no one at all, and little is known of this period. After five years, he began receiving visitors little by little, giving counsel and consolation to ailing souls. In 1825, the most holy Theotokos appeared to the Saint and revealed to him that it was pleasing to God that he fully end his reclusion; from this time the number of people who came to see him grew daily. It was also at the command of the holy Virgin that he undertook the spiritual direction of the Diveyevo Convent. He healed bodily ailments, foretold things to come, brought hardened sinners to repentance, and saw clearly the secrets of the heart of those who came to him. Through his utter humility and childlike simplicity, his unrivalled ascetical travails, and his angel-like love for God, he ascended to the holiness and greatness of the ancient God-bearing Fathers and became, like Anthony for Egypt, the physician for the whole Russian land. In all, the most holy Theotokos appeared to him twelve times in his life. The last was on Annunciation, 1831, to announce to him that he would soon enter into his rest. She appeared to him accompanied by twelve virgins martyrs and monastic saints with Saint John the Baptist and Saint John the Theologian. With a body ailing and broken from innumerable hardships, and an unspotted soul shining with the light of Heaven, the Saint lived less than two years after this, falling asleep in peace on January 2, 1833, chanting Paschal hymns. On the night of his repose, the righteous Philaret of the Glinsk Hermitage beheld his soul ascending to Heaven in light. Because of the universal testimony to the singular holiness of his life, and the seas of miracles that he performed both in life and after death, his veneration quickly spread beyond the boundaries of the Russian Empire to every corner of the earth. See also July 19." (Great Horologion)   July 19 is the commemoration of the uncovering of St Seraphim's holy relics, which was attended by Tsar Nicholas II.   Saint Seraphim's life became a perpetual celebration of Pascha: in his later years he dressed in a white garment, greeted everyone, regardless of the season, with "Christ is Risen!" and chanted the Pascha service every day of the year

Read Online“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.”  John 1:26–27Now that our Christmas Octave is completed, we immediately begin to look toward the future ministry of our Lord. In our Gospel today, Saint John the Baptist is the one who points us to that future ministry of Jesus. He acknowledges his mission to baptize with water is one that is temporary and only a preparation for the One Who is coming after him.As we saw in several of our Advent readings, Saint John the Baptist is a man of great humility. His admission that he is not worthy to untie even Jesus' sandal straps is proof of this fact. But ironically, it is this humble admission that makes him so great!Do you want to be great? Deep down we all do. This desire goes hand in hand with our innate desire for happiness. We want our lives to have meaning and purpose, and we want to make a difference. The question is “How?” How do you do this? How do you achieve true greatness?From a worldly perspective, greatness can often become synonymous with success, riches, power, admiration from others, etc. But from a divine perspective, greatness is achieved by humbly giving God the greatest glory we can with our lives.Giving God all the glory has a double effect upon our lives. First, doing so allows us to live in accord with the truth of life. The truth is that God and God alone deserves all our praise and glory. All good things come from God and God alone. Second, humbly giving God all the glory and pointing to the fact that we are unworthy of Him has the reciprocal effect of God reaching down and elevating us to share in His life and His glory.Reflect, today, upon your calling to imitate the humility of Saint John the Baptist. Never shy away from humbling yourself before the greatness and glory of God. Doing so will not demean you or hamper your greatness. Rather, only in the deepest humility before the glory of God is God able to draw you into the greatness of His very life and mission. Lord, I give all glory and praise to You and You alone. You are the source of all good; without You I am nothing. Help me to continually humble myself before You so that I may share in the glory and greatness of Your life of grace. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured image above: The Baptism of Christ By Nicolás Enríquez, via Wikimedia Commons

Read OnlineZechariah his father, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied, saying: “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; for he has come to his people and set them free…” Luke 1:67–68Our story of the birth of Saint John the Baptist concludes today with the song of praise spoken by Zechariah after his tongue had been loosened on account of his transformation in faith. He had moved from doubting what the Archangel Gabriel had spoken to him to believing and following the command of the Archangel to name his firstborn son “John.” As we saw in yesterday's reflection, Zechariah is a model and example for those who have lacked faith, have suffered the consequences of their lack of faith, and have changed as a result.Today, we see an even fuller illustration of what happens when we change. No matter how deeply we have doubted in the past, no matter how far we have turned from God, when we turn back to Him with all our heart, we can hope to experience the same thing experienced by Zechariah. First, we see that Zechariah is “filled with the Holy Spirit.” And as a result of this gift of the Holy Spirit, Zechariah “prophesied.” These two revelations are very significant.As we prepare for the celebration of the Birth of Christ tomorrow on Christmas Day, we are also called to be “filled with the Holy Spirit” so that we also can act as a prophetic messenger of the Lord. Though Christmas is all about the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, Christ Jesus our Lord, the Holy Spirit (the Third Person of the Holy Trinity) plays just as much of a significant role in the glorious event, both at that time and also today. Recall that it was by the Holy Spirit Who overshadowed Mother Mary that she conceived the Christ Child. In today's Gospel, it was the Holy Spirit Who enabled Zechariah to proclaim the greatness of God's act of sending John the Baptist ahead of Jesus to prepare the way for Him. Today, it must be the Holy Spirit Who fills our lives so as to enable us to proclaim the Christmas Truth.In our day and age, Christmas has become very secular in many parts of the world. Few people take time on Christmas to truly pray and worship God for all that He has done. Few people continually proclaim that glorious message of the Incarnation to family and friends during this most solemn celebration. How about you? Are you able to be a true “prophet” of the Most High God this Christmas? Has the Holy Spirit overshadowed you and filled you with the grace needed to point others to this glorious reason for our celebration?Reflect, today, upon the role of the Holy Spirit in your life this day. Invite the Holy Spirit to fill you, inspire you, and strengthen you, and to give to you the wisdom you need to be a mouthpiece of the glorious gift of the birth of the Savior of the World this Christmas. No other gift could be more important to give to others than this message of truth and love.Holy Spirit, I give You my life and invite You to come to me, to overshadow me and to fill me with Your divine presence. As You fill me, give me the wisdom I need to speak of Your greatness and to be an instrument through which others are drawn into the glorious celebration of the birth of the Savior of the World. Come, Holy Spirit, fill me, consume me and use me for Your glory.  Jesus, I trust in You.  Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured image above: Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel!, via flickr

Read Online“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” Luke 1:42–43Elizabeth expressed a beautiful humility in this statement. The Blessed Virgin Mary had just made a long journey to be with Elizabeth in her final months of pregnancy. As soon as our Blessed Mother greeted Elizabeth, Elizabeth's child, Saint John the Baptist, leaped for joy in her womb. Elizabeth acknowledges this and then humbly expresses the fact that she is exceptionally blessed to have Mary, the mother of her Lord, come to visit her.There are many things worth pondering in this visitation of our Blessed Mother. But try to focus upon the humble wonder and awe expressed by Elizabeth. “And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” Elizabeth was clearly grateful for Mary's visit. But it appears that her reaction went even beyond gratitude. She was given the gift of wonder and awe. She clearly knew she was incredibly blessed by the fact that both the Mother of God and her Lord Himself were now in her presence in her home.This gift of wonder and awe that Elizabeth experienced is one of the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit. It's a gift that enters a humble heart, enabling it to first see its unworthiness of a special grace given. But then this humble soul receives the special grace and responds with an overwhelming amazement. Thus, not only is gratitude present, but there is also this holy amazement that results in praise of God.In our own lives, there are so many incredible graces we have received from God. But too often we fail to see them for what they are. We fail to see the incredible graces God has given us and, thus, fail to experience the amazement that should result from God's gifts. As you look at your own life, what graces has God given to you? Do you see them? Are you grateful for them? And, if so, are you able to go even beyond gratitude so as to experience a holy wonder and awe of God's goodness and blessings in your life? Though it might be difficult to arrive at this level of amazement, it is a true gift that we must all strive to obtain and experience every day of our lives.Reflect, today, upon this holy gift of the Holy Spirit that Elizabeth experienced. Place yourself at the scene. Try to see the experience within her heart. Try to feel how she felt. Try to sense the praise that resulted. And try to open yourself more fully to receive this same gift of the Holy Spirit in your life. The Lord comes to you constantly by grace, especially every time you receive Him in Holy Communion. For that reason, we must all strive to live a holy wonder and awe every day of our lives. My most glorious Lord, You grace me beyond imagination. Too often, I fail to experience the gratitude and the wonder and awe that should result. Please help me to first see the countless blessings of Your grace and presence in my life. And as I see them, please fill me with the Holy Spirit so that I, too, may continually sing Your worthy praises. Jesus, I trust in You.  Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured image above: The Visitation, via flickr

Read OnlineThe crowds asked John the Baptist, “What should we do?” Luke 3:10Among those within the crowds who were asking Saint John the Baptist this question were tax collectors, soldiers and ordinary people. John gave an answer to them all, first telling them to turn away from the sins that they struggled with the most. Sin takes on many forms and often is closely associated with our daily duties in life. Some sins are sins of commission, meaning sins we commit by an intentional act. Some sins are those of omission, meaning a lack of certain virtues or a failure to do what we ought to do.After addressing the particular sins that those in the crowds were struggling with, John then turns their attention to Christ. He states to them that “​​one mightier than I is coming” and that “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” In other words, John was giving the people a twofold command. First, work to overcome sin. And second, turn your eyes to Him Who is coming to you. Repenting from sin is not enough. Once we repent, we must then fill the void within our souls with the presence of Christ.Advent, just like Lent, is an important time within our liturgical year to heed these messages. Though it's true that we must work to overcome sin and turn to Christ every day of the year, God knows we need a special time each year when we give concerted effort to these spiritual endeavors. So before Advent passes you by, heed the words of the Baptist and take some time to examine your conscience thoroughly. Perhaps use a detailed list of the Ten Commandments or the Seven Capital Sins. Once you do that, seek out an opportunity to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Doing so is essential to a fruitful Advent season.Once you thoroughly repent of the sins you struggle with the most right now, turn to the Savior of the World with special attentiveness to the miracle of the Incarnation this Advent. Spend time adoring the God Who came to us in the form of a little child. Meditate on this Gift. Gaze at a nativity scene prayerfully. Read the Scripture passages about the birth of Christ. Close your eyes and imagine yourself there at His birth.Reflect, today, upon this twofold exhortation from John and apply it to your Advent preparations. Cleanse your soul in a special way from all sin this Advent. Then prayerfully ponder and meditate upon the reality we are preparing to celebrate. As John says, allow the Christ Child to truly “baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” through your deepening devotion and prayer this Advent. My dear Jesus, please help me to see my sins as You see them. Help me to be attentive to every sinful action I commit and even those smaller sins of omission. As I ponder my sin, please draw me to Your mercy and grace so that I can then open the eyes of my soul more deeply to see You and to adore You more completely this Advent. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured Image above: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand!", via flickr

Read Online“Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” Luke 3:5–6These, the words of the prophet Isaiah, were spoken about the mission of Saint John the Baptist. John was to “Prepare the way of the Lord” and to “make straight his paths.” In prophesying this, Isaiah goes on to give this very descriptive image of John's ministry. It would be one that levels mountains and valleys, straightens every winding road, and smooths out the rough terrain. In other words, John came to remove every obstacle to God, making it easy to encounter the Messiah.How does John complete this mission? By calling the people of that time to the dry and empty desert where all the false allurements cease to exist. This is done by detachment from the many sins and temptations they faced. Their repentance was an act by which the people humbled themselves before God, admitted their sins and acknowledged their need for a Savior. This humble admission, coupled with the commitment to change their ways, prepared heart after heart for the grace and mercy that came through Christ the Lord.Today, there are countless obstacles to grace that so many people encounter. Some have been drawn into the satisfactions of earthly riches and material comforts and find little need for God. Others have very little that this world can offer but are consumed with a desire for money and the passing comforts it promises. And still others are drawn into many other forms of sins and false satisfactions. But there are some who are like a dry and deserted desert, just waiting to soak up the gentle rain of God's grace. These are those who have sought to detach themselves from the false promises of this world and remain “empty” and “dry” so as to be prepared for the abundance of grace when it comes. These holy souls have heeded the call to repentance and have humbly acknowledged their need for the Savior.Reflect, today, upon whether or not your soul is like that dry and barren desert, detached from all the false and passing satisfactions of this world, and prepared to soak up the mercy and grace of God alone. Repentance brings forth detachment, and detachment prepares the soul for God. When one is truly detached and free from the many obstacles to God, then the road from God to your soul will be straight and easily traveled. Reflect upon your soul today and where you see unhealthy attachments. Repent with all your heart so that you are among those most fully ready for an abundance of the grace and mercy of God.Lord, I turn to You in my need and repent of the many lies and false promises of satisfaction in this world. Please free me from all that is not of You so that my soul will be more fully prepared to soak You and Your mercy up like a gentle rain upon a dry and barren desert. I open myself to You, my Lord. Come fill and satiate my soul. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured image above:  "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand!", via flickr

Hey, friends! Today's episode is about the mother of Saint John the Baptist, called her cousin, the Blessed Virgin Mary, “blessed among women,” and played a role in announcing the coming of the Lord. Let's see why we should listen to angels with our new friend: Saint Elizabeth.

In this segment from the Son Rise Morning Show on Sacred Heart Radio, Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. discusses begins a new series connecting Advent to the Eucharist and focuses on Christ as the Lamb of God in the Eucharist.Fr. Frank makes the connection to what the priest says when showing the Eucharist: “Behold the Lamb of God”, the Sacrifice of the Christ the Lamb of God for us, and the Mass as a re-presentation of the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross, dying for our sins.Christmas is the "most wonderful time of the year”: trees are trimmed, presents wrapped, and the chilly air signals the coming season of festive warmth. But did you know we're not really ready for Christmas without first observing a "little Lent?" Advent is one of the highlights of our liturgical year. Every year, at the end of the summer, I begin to yearn for colder days. Then autumn rolls around with the beautiful changing leaves, pumpkin pies, and the days seem to go by quicker and quicker (no thanks to Daylight Saving Time!). Then, just after Thanksgiving, we run right into Advent. Each year, it feels like we are sprinting to get to the holiday season and run right through Christmas and New Years. This year, though, I want to be more intentional about celebrating the joy of Advent and run an Advent Marathon, instead of my usual sprint.Notes:Read about St. John the Baptist hereLearn more about Advent hereView Eucharistic Revival ResourcesRead Ad Infinitum blog posts on Advent Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center and you can also listen to his weekly Sunday Gospel reflections. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources.

Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist. Father Dave asks if we've ever made a promise that we could not live up to. Today's readings remind us that God always keeps his promises, even when we feel like he is not present. Preached at St. Paul the Apostle Church, New York City, NY on 08-29-24

Aujourd'hui, pour les 3 ans du podcast, je vous offre un épisode exclu ! Dans cet épisode, je vous racontais deux vieilles histoires criminelles françaises en vous mettant dans l'ambiance de l'époque. Bonne écoute !

Read Online“‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance. We sang a dirge, but you did not weep.' John the Baptist came neither eating food nor drinking wine, and you said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.' But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.” Luke 7:32–35Ecclesiastes 3 is a very popular reading for funerals. It says, “There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens. A time to give birth, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant…A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.” This reading is consoling to those who are mourning at a funeral because life is filled with many different emotions and experiences. When those at a funeral think about their loved one, they will recall both the good times and the bad, the sorrows and the joys. Doing so helps remind them that even though the funeral is a time of sorrow, joys will follow in the future. This is the natural rhythm of life.In our Gospel today, Jesus challenged those who failed to have the proper human response at the right time. “We played the flute for you, but you did not dance. We sang a dirge, but you did not weep.” The image of playing a flute and singing a dirge and the subsequent failure to dance and weep reveals a certain disconnect that many people had to John the Baptist and to Jesus Himself during their ministries. In commenting upon this passage, Saint Augustine says that John the Baptist's preaching was like a dirge that called people to the “weeping” of repentance. However, when he preached, there were many who failed to respond with the appropriate repentance. When Jesus came, He preached and gave witness to the new life of grace that He came to bestow. Though some listened and responded to Him, there were many who did not. Jesus' message was like the music of the flute that was to inspire people to “dance.” But many failed to respond with the joy that they were invited to experience and live through His transforming message and grace.There is, indeed, an appointed time for everything and for every affair under Heaven. The mission we have been given is to be attentive to that which God is speaking to us at each and every moment of our lives. At times we must “weep” by looking at our sins honestly, experience the horror of those sins, and passionately reject them. At other times we will “dance” when God invites us into His consoling grace and asks us to see clearly His merciful love. At those moments we are invited to be deeply grateful and to express that gratitude with our whole souls.Reflect, today, upon the calling you have been given to live in a well-ordered way. Do so by considering how attentive you are to the people around you. Does the attentiveness of your charity help you to see the hurt within the hearts of those who are suffering? Are you compelled to offer them a compassionate ear and merciful heart? When others are experiencing the joys of life, are you able to share that joy with them? Can you do so fully, without jealousy or envy of any kind? When God inspires you to some act of conversion and bestows some grace, do you listen and promptly obey, responding in the most appropriate way? Our souls must become sensitive to the promptings of grace and must respond accordingly. Seek to have a well-ordered soul so that you will live and experience the life that God places before you each day in accord with His perfect will.Lord, Your soul was perfectly ordered, always responding to the will of the Father with perfection. You were firm when love demanded it, courageous in the face of hardship, merciful to the repentant sinner, and joyful at the conversion of all. Please help me to always be attentive to the promptings of Your grace and to always respond to You in the way I am called. Jesus, I trust in You.  Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured images above: Saint John the Baptist, Standing in a Landscape, via Wikimedia Commons

Every year the Deacons of the Archdiocese gather and celebrate mass with their Archbishop. This year Archbishop Aquila adresses the Denver Perminant Diaconate as it celebrates its 50th year! Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/082924.cfm 

Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist. Father Dave challenges us to live like John the Baptist and bring others to Jesus. We are called to be a light to the world, and God equips us to show his glory. Preached at St. Paul the Apostle Church, New York City, NY on 06-24-24

Gospel Mark 6:17-29 Herod was the one who had John the Baptist arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married. John had said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." Herodias harbored a grudge against him and wanted to kill him but was unable to do so. Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and kept him in custody. When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him. She had an opportunity one day when Herod, on his birthday, gave a banquet for his courtiers, his military officers, and the leading men of Galilee. Herodias' own daughter came in and performed a dance that delighted Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, "Ask of me whatever you wish and I will grant it to you." He even swore many things to her, "I will grant you whatever you ask of me, even to half of my kingdom." She went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask for?" She replied, "The head of John the Baptist." The girl hurried back to the king's presence and made her request, "I want you to give me at once on a platter the head of John the Baptist." The king was deeply distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests he did not wish to break his word to her. So he promptly dispatched an executioner with orders to bring back his head. He went off and beheaded him in the prison. He brought in the head on a platter and gave it to the girl. The girl in turn gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb. Reflection We've been spending a lot of time this week focusing on the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. But now we have a king, King Herod, and we see something in him that is very like that. He's caught in a situation where he's afraid that he's going to be misunderstood by the public, and he cannot take a stand on what he believes, but does only what serves his ego. That's why we have to be careful with. The ego. Closing Prayer Father, nothing gives us more a sense of value and worth than being authentic. Saying what we believe. Acting on what we believe. Give us that kind of integrity. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Friends of the Rosary, Today, August 29, is the Memorial of the Passion of St. John the Baptist, the greatest of the Old Testament prophets. On June 24, we celebrated the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, and today, we honor the anniversary of his martyrdom. Besides Our Lord and Our Lady, St. John the Baptist is the only one whose birth and death are thus celebrated. Since the fourth century, the Church has commemorated Christ's precursor's martyrdom. The saint's venerable head is venerated at various places. Today's Gospel relates the circumstances of his execution. When John rebuked King Herod for his unlawful union with Herodias, his brother's wife, Herod imprisoned John. Herodias took advantage of an unexpected opportunity to obtain the saint's beheading through her daughter Salome. St. John the Baptist was a cousin of Jesus. His mission was to preach repentance to Israel in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. He also preached the freedom of heavenly peace. By his suffering, John the Baptist showed that Christ also would suffer. The apostle Paul rightly explained: "You have been granted the privilege not only to believe in Christ but also to suffer for his sake." He told us why it is Christ's gift that his chosen ones should suffer for him: "The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed in us." Ave Maria!Jesus, I Trust In You!St. John the Baptist, Pray for Us! Come, Holy Spirit, come! To Jesus through Mary! + Mikel Amigot | RosaryNetwork.com, New York • ⁠August 29, 2024, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

Join Father Kevin Drew as he preaches on this Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist. Today's readings First Reading: Jeremiah 1:17-19 Psalm: 71:1-2, 3-4a, 5-6ab, 15ab and 17 Gospel: Mark 6:17-29 Catholic Radio Network

Today is the feast of the passion of Saint John the Baptist. Father Kubicki shares the reason why Saint John was beheaded. Let us follow Saint John and stand up for what is right even if it costs our life.

ROSARY - LUMINOUS MYSTERIES today.  DIVINE MERCY CHAPLET for Thursday.

Read OnlineHerod was the one who had John the Baptist arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married. John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.” Herodias harbored a grudge against him and wanted to kill him but was unable to do so. Mark 6:17–19The suffering and death of Saint John the Baptist greatly parallels the suffering and death of Jesus. They were cousins. John was one of the first to acknowledge the divine presence of our Lord when he leaped for joy in the womb of his mother during the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth. John lived a holy and simple life, embracing His mission to prepare the way for the Lord. He was the last and greatest of the Old Testament prophets. Of him, Jesus said that there was no one born of woman who was greater than John. For these reasons, we should not be the least bit surprised that John's suffering and death parallelled and prefigured the death of the Savior of the World.Herod was fearful of John, believing him to be a holy man of God. He imprisoned him with a certain regret, knowing that he was innocent. Similarly, before Pilate condemned Jesus to death, he found Him not guilty of any crime. Pilate knew Jesus was innocent but allowed fear to direct his choice to condemn our Lord.John was ultimately killed because of the hatred and plotting of Herodias, the unlawful wife of Herod. It was Herodias' anger that became a weapon, forcing Herod to put John to death. Similarly, it was the jealousy and anger of the religious leaders at that time that instigated and drove the death of Jesus. Pilate, like Herod, was at first unwilling to condemn our Lord. But the relentless hatred of the scribes and Pharisees compelled Pilate to condemn Jesus, just as it was Herodias' hatred that compelled Herod to kill John.After John's death, some of his disciples came to carry his body away for burial. This was permitted by Herod, perhaps because of his feelings of guilt. So also with our Lord, Pilate permitted some disciples and the holy women to carry Jesus' dead body to the tomb for burial.In the end, the good fruit of Jesus' death infinitely overshadowed the crime that was committed against Him. So also with John. We can be certain that, as a martyr, the blood he shed as a witness to Christ bore spiritual fruit that surpassed all he had done in his public ministry.Each of us is called to imitate our Lord and, therefore, should also take inspiration from Saint John the Baptist. They both were innocent but suffered greatly. They both spoke the truth, despite the hatred of some. They both gave their lives, in accord with the Father's plan. Jesus was John's Savior; John was but a precursor and servant of our Lord. Reflect, today, upon the invitation God has given to you to imitate the life of John the Baptist by uniting yourself to his Lord. The first form of imitation will take place when you commit yourself to the proclamation of the truth in accord with your mission. What mission has God given to you? How is He calling you to proclaim the Gospel with courage, strength, determination and fidelity to the end? Reflect, also, upon the injustice inflicted first upon John and then upon our Lord. As you do, try to look at any injustice you have received in life in the light of John's and Jesus' lives. They did not run away from injustice. They embraced it as a sacrifice and offered it to the Father in Heaven. Jesus' Sacrifice brought forth the Salvation of the World; John's was but a sharing in that glorious offering. Make your offering with them, and do not hesitate to do so with deep love and trust in the Father's plan. Most glorious Lord, You invited Saint John the Baptist to prepare the way for Your coming and Your death. He gave his life as a martyr, and this sacrifice bore an abundance of good fruit. Please give me the grace to walk in his footsteps by faithfully fulfilling my mission in life with courage and strength. May I never waver in the face of injustice so that I can embrace it and make it my spiritual offering to You. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured Image above: The painting of Decapitation of st. John the Baptist in church Chiesa di Santo Stefano by Sebastiano Galeotti, via Adobe

For 29 August 2024, The Memorial of the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist, based on Mark 6:17-29

Read OnlineHerod the tetrarch heard of the reputation of Jesus and said to his servants, “This man is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why mighty powers are at work in him.” Matthew 14:1–2Herod the tetrarch was one of three brothers and a sister who became 1st-century rulers to succeed their father, Herod the Great, when he died in 4 B.C. Herod governed much of the territory west of the Sea of Galilee, which was the territory in which Jesus spent most of His time during His public ministry. He also ruled a territory just east of the Dead Sea, which is where he had imprisoned and ultimately killed John the Baptist. Herod was known for being a very busy builder and is prominently known for his role in the deaths of Saint John the Baptist and Jesus.Recall that Herod had taken his brother's wife, Herodias, as his own, and John the Baptist publicly opposed this. For that reason, Herod had John arrested and ultimately beheaded at the request of Herodias, who took the Baptist's criticism very personally. Herod, on the other hand, had a strange sort of admiration for the Baptist.The Gospel passage quoted above reveals a somewhat unusual statement by Herod. After he had killed Saint John the Baptist, he heard about the reputation of Jesus Who was traveling throughout Herod's territory preaching and performing many mighty deeds. Word spread fast about Jesus and quickly reached even the ears of Herod. So why did Herod strangely think that Jesus must have been John the Baptist raised from the dead? Though we do not know for certain, we certainly can speculate.In the version of this story found in the Gospel of Mark, we read, “Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and kept him in custody. When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him” (Mark 6:20). Herod may have been a man who had a spark of faith but was ultimately ruled by his passions and desire for power. Perhaps that is why he initially kept John the Baptist alive in his prison. It also appears that Herod had some form of either regret or fear over his beheading of John. And it is most likely for this reason that Herod immediately thought of John when he initially heard of Jesus and the “mighty powers” that were at work within Him.Regret, fear and guilt are common effects of a conscience that is in conflict. Herod the tetrarch is a good example of what happens when we do not resolve that conflict within ourselves. The only way to resolve the interior confusion of a conflicted conscience is to humbly submit to the truth. Imagine if Herod would have repented. Imagine if he would have sought out Jesus, confessed his sins, and begged for forgiveness. What a glorious story that would have been. Instead, we have the witness of a man who has gone astray and remained obstinate in his sin.Reflect, today, upon this unholy witness of Herod. God can use all things for His glory, and He can even use the example of Herod to reveal to ourselves any similar tendency. Do you struggle with regret, fear and guilt? Does this cause conflict within you? The good news is that this conflict is easily resolved by a humble heart that seeks the truth. Seek the truth by admitting any long-lasting sin you need to resolve and permit the mercy of God to enter in so as to set you free.My merciful Jesus, You desire that all people experience freedom from the sins of the past. You desire to penetrate our hearts and to bring resolution and peace. Please help me to open my mind and heart to You in the areas that still cause pain and regret, and help me to be set free by Your infinite mercy. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured image above: Herod the Great By James Tissot, via Wikimedia Commons

In this mediation we look at some of the great saints we encounter in the liturgy in August, including the Cure of Ars, Saint Maximilian Kolbe, Saint Monica, Saint Augustine, Saint John the Baptist. We celebrate the Assumption of Mary, the mother of Jesus and the greatest of saints. Taking advantage of the example, lives, and words of these great saints, let us strive to grow in holiness and become saints ourselves.

Born: 406 AD, Imola, Italy Died: July 31, 450 AD For more on St. Peter Chrysologus and his teachings From Wikipedia: Peter was born in Imola, where Cornelius, bishop of Roman Catholic Diocese of Imola, baptized him, educated him, and ordained him a deacon. He was made an archdeacon through the influence of Emperor Valentinian III. Pope Sixtus III appointed Peter as Bishop of Ravenna (or perhaps archbishop) circa 433, apparently rejecting the candidate whom the people of the city ofRavenna elected. The traditional account, as recorded in the Roman Breviary, is that Sixtus had a vision of Pope Saint Peter the Apostle and Saint Apollinaris of Ravenna, the first bishop of that see, who showed Sixtus a young man, the next Bishop of Ravenna. When a group from Ravenna arrived, including Cornelius and his archdeacon Peter from Imola, Sixtus recognized Peter as the young man in his vision and consecrated him as a bishop. St.-Peter-ChPeople knew Saint Peter Chrysologus, the Doctor of Homilies, for his short but inspired talks; he supposedly feared boring his audience. His piety and zeal won universal admiration. After hearing oratory of his first homily as bishop, Roman Empress Galla Placidia supposedly gave him the surname Chrysologus, meaning "golden-worded." Empress Galla Placidia patronized many of projects of Bishop Saint Peter. In his extant homilies, bishop Peter explained Biblical texts briefly and concisely. He also condemned Arianism and Monophysitism as heresies and explained beautifully the Apostles' Creed, the mystery of the Incarnation, and other topics in simple and clear language. He dedicated a series of homilies to Saint John the Baptist and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Peter advocated daily reception of Eucharist. He urged his listeners to confide in the forgiveness offered through Christ. He shared the confidence of Saint Pope Leo I the Great (440-461), another doctor of the Church. A synod held in Constantinople in 448 condemned Eutyches for Monophysitism; Eutyches then appealed to Saint Peter Chrysologus but failed in his endeavour to win the support of the Bishop. The Acts of the Council of Chalcedon(451) preserves the text of letter of Saint Peter Chrysologus in response to Eutyches; Peter admonishes Eutyches to accept the ruling of the synod and to give obedience to the Bishop of Rome as the successor of Saint Peter. The post St. Peter Chrysologus – The Doctors of the Church: The Charism of Wisdom with Dr. Matthew Bunson – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Patrick tackles a critical topic: the Catholic Church's stance on ectopic pregnancies. John, a dedicated pro-lifer, asks about the morality of managing an ectopic pregnancy when the mother's life is at risk. Patrick discusses the principle of double effect, which permits removing a diseased fallopian tube to save the mother, while sadly resulting in the unintended death of the unborn child. This approach underlines the importance of intention in moral decisions, distinguishing it from direct abortion. It's a thought-provoking exploration of ethics and life.   Leonard - Is there a difference between anointing of the sick and extreme unction? (00:34) Jack – My priest didn't say the Gloria or the Creed at the feast of Saint John the Baptist (01:41) Les - The 10 commandments being posted in schools in Louisiana (07:21) Paul (email) – Many of our government buildings have the 10 Commandments set in stone just outside their front doors (24:00) Roy - Women are able to enter the military faster than men under the current standards. (26:46) Judy (email) – What was the name of the book you're going to send Brooklyn (from the 2nd hour of today's show) (36:40) John - Ectopic pregnancy has always been gray area. Is it legitimate to end that kind of pregnancy?  What is the church's teaching? (37:39) Jim - I read an article about the reason girls have eating disorders is because of being abused. Edward – Comment about the 10 Commandments being displayed at school

(2:47) Bible Study: Father talks about Saint John the Baptist (19:43) Break 1 (20:24) Letters: Father answers why deacons can be married, how Jesus experienced God the Father and gender roles, what it means to be in communion, (32:33) Break 2 (33:29) Word of the Day: Solemnity   (38:59) Phones: Bill - Gen 1:3 What did he mean by light when he says let there be light? What kind of light is he talking about? Nathan - when was the pope recognized as the pope. I heard they went to constitute instead of the Pope back in the day. Why did they do that and when did it change?

Gospel Luke 1:57-66, 80 When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that 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. Reflection We see in this story a very, very important teaching. The Old Testament and the New Testament are not the same. The Old Testament, based on the law and performance. The New Testament based on God's presence within us. It's a radical shift. And it's so fascinating that in the plan of God, the greatest of the Old Testament prophets is the one that looks at Jesus and says, there that's the one. That's what we've been talking about. That's the direction you need to now take. Listen to him. I spoke God's words, but he is God incarnate. Closing Prayer Father, it's always been difficult for us to make the shift between the Old and the New Testament. The Old Testament is so much more attuned to our minds and our wills. And yet, the New Testament demands that we open our heart and let God dwell there. So help us in this transition. It's what we all go through in our own spiritual journey. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen.

Full Text of ReadingsSolemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist Mass during the Day Lectionary: 587The Saint of the day is Nativity of Saint John the BaptistSaint John the Baptist's Story Jesus called John the greatest of all those who had preceded him: “I tell you, among those born of women, no one is greater than John….” But John would have agreed completely with what Jesus added: “[Y]et the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he” (Luke 7:28). John spent his time in the desert, an ascetic. He began to announce the coming of the Kingdom, and to call everyone to a fundamental reformation of life. His purpose was to prepare the way for Jesus. His baptism, he said, was for repentance. But one would come who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. John was not worthy even to untie his sandals. His attitude toward Jesus was: “He must increase; I must decrease” (John 3:30). John was humbled to find among the crowd of sinners who came to be baptized the one whom he already knew to be the Messiah. “I need to be baptized by you” (Matthew 3:14b). But Jesus insisted, “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15b). Jesus, true and humble human as well as eternal God, was eager to do what was required of any good Jew. Jesus thus publicly entered the community of those awaiting the Messiah. But making himself part of that community, he made it truly messianic. The greatness of John, his pivotal place in the history of salvation, is seen in the great emphasis Luke gives to the announcement of his birth and the event itself—both made prominently parallel to the same occurrences in the life of Jesus. John attracted countless people to the banks of the Jordan, and it occurred to some people that he might be the Messiah. But he constantly deferred to Jesus, even to sending away some of his followers to become the first disciples of Jesus. Perhaps John's idea of the coming of the Kingdom of God was not being perfectly fulfilled in the public ministry of Jesus. For whatever reason, when he was in prison he sent his disciples to ask Jesus if he was the Messiah. Jesus' answer showed that the Messiah was to be a figure like that of the Suffering Servant in Isaiah. John himself would share in the pattern of messianic suffering, losing his life to the revenge of Herodias. Reflection John challenges us Christians to the fundamental attitude of Christianity—total dependence on the Father, in Christ. Except for the Mother of God, no one had a higher function in the unfolding of salvation. Yet the least in the kingdom, Jesus said, is greater than he, for the pure gift that the Father gives. The attractiveness as well as the austerity of John, his fierce courage in denouncing evil—all stem from his fundamental and total placing of his life within the will of God. Saint John the Baptist is the Patron Saint of: Baptism Learn more about St. John the Baptist! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Read OnlineAll 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. Luke 1:65–66John the Baptist was formed by the hand of the Lord. Saint Thomas Aquinas goes so far as to say that John was sanctified in the womb of his mother, Elizabeth, as is written: “He will be filled with the holy Spirit even from his mother's womb” (Luke 1:15). From the moment that the Blessed Virgin Mary greeted Elizabeth and John leaped for joy, the hand of the Lord was upon John, making him holy and leading him to the fulfillment of God's holy will.John's early life is not recorded for us, other than in the passage quoted above. We are told that he “grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel.” We should see in this passage the truth that John was not only sanctified within the womb of his mother but that, throughout his childhood and on into adulthood, he remained deeply united to God and was filled with the Holy Spirit.Today we honor one particular aspect of John's life—his birth. We know that he was blessed to not only be born into the blessed family of Elizabeth and Zechariah but that the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, was also his relative and was present at his birth. Zechariah, his father, gave him the name “John” even though it would have been the custom to call him Zechariah after his father. Zechariah did this in obedience to the Archangel Gabriel, who appeared to him prior to John's birth and instructed him to do so.Great mystery and excitement surrounded the birth of John, and there is little doubt that those who were present at his birth would have been caught up in the intrigue and hope of who he would become. And John didn't disappoint. It was of him that Jesus one day would say, “I tell you, among those born of women, no one is greater than John…” (Luke 7:28).Though you may not have had the privilege of being sanctified in the womb of your mother, or to have had your father receive a revelation from the Archangel Gabriel prior to your birth, you are, nonetheless, called to be guided by the hand of the Lord each and every day. God wants you to become “strong in spirit” so that you can fulfill the unique will given to you. We honor the great saints, in part, because they give us an example of how to live. For that reason, we must see in each of their lives the model to which we must conform. The primary witness set by Saint John the Baptist is that he was unwaveringly obedient to God and to being formed by His hand. The result was the glorious fulfillment of his unique mission in life, all the way to giving his life as a martyr.Reflect, today, upon the very real fact that, though you were not sanctified in the womb, you were sanctified by Baptism. From there, you were strengthened by the Spirit through Confirmation and are regularly fed by the Most Holy Eucharist. In many ways, you are just as blessed as John. Reflect upon the simple yet profound fact that God wants to use you for His holy mission. He gives to you some particular mission He has not entrusted to another. Say “Yes” to that mission today so that you, too, will be seen as “great” in the Kingdom of Heaven. Lord of all greatness, You sanctified Saint John the Baptist in the womb, and You continued to pour forth Your grace upon him throughout his life. He responded to You and fulfilled his glorious mission. I thank You for the sanctification given to me by my Baptism and strengthened through Confirmation and the Holy Eucharist. Help me to be open to all the graces You wish to bestow so that I may fulfill the unique mission given to me. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured images above: Birth of St John the Baptist By Luca Giordano, via Wikimedia Commons

Full Text of ReadingsFeast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Lectionary: 572The Saint of the day is Visitation of the Blessed Virgin MaryThe Story of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary This is a fairly late feast, going back only to the 13th or 14th century. It was established widely throughout the Church to pray for unity. The present date of celebration was set in 1969, in order to follow the Annunciation of the Lord and precede the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist. Like most feasts of Mary, it is closely connected with Jesus and his saving work. The more visible actors in the visitation drama (see Luke 1:39-45) are Mary and Elizabeth. However, Jesus and John the Baptist steal the scene in a hidden way. Jesus makes John leap with joy—the joy of messianic salvation. Elizabeth, in turn, is filled with the Holy Spirit and addresses words of praise to Mary—words that echo down through the ages. It is helpful to recall that we do not have a journalist's account of this meeting. Rather Luke, speaking for the Church, gives a prayerful poet's rendition of the scene. Elizabeth's praise of Mary as “the mother of my Lord” can be viewed as the earliest Church's devotion to Mary. As with all authentic devotion to Mary, Elizabeth's (the Church's) words first praise God for what God has done to Mary. Only secondly does she praise Mary for trusting God's words. Then comes the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55). Here, Mary herself—like the Church—traces all her greatness to God. Reflection One of the invocations in Mary's litany is “Ark of the Covenant.” Like the Ark of the Covenant of old, Mary brings God's presence into the lives of other people. As David danced before the Ark, John the Baptist leaps for joy. As the Ark helped to unite the 12 tribes of Israel by being placed in David's capital, so Mary has the power to unite all Christians in her son. At times, devotion to Mary may have occasioned some divisiveness, but we can hope that authentic devotion will lead all to Christ and therefore, to one another. Click here for a meditation on the Joyful Mysteries! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” Luke 1:39–42The beautiful feast we celebrate today depicts two miraculous pregnancies. One came about by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit. The other was the miraculous conception in the womb of a woman who was advanced in years. The Scripture passage quoted above presents us with the initial encounter of Mary and Elizabeth as they greeted each other upon Mary's arrival. Mary had traveled a long distance to be with her cousin for the last few months of Elizabeth's pregnancy. And upon greeting Elizabeth, another miraculous event occurred. The baby in the womb of Elizabeth, Saint John the Baptist, “leaped for joy.” Thus, even prior to his birth, John began to fulfill his unique mission of preparing the way for the Lord. He did so at that moment by inspiring his own mother, Elizabeth, with a knowledge of the divine presence of the Savior within the womb of Mary.Consider, especially, the conversations that these two holy women would have shared during their months together. Though we are given only a small insight into their initial conversation from the Scriptures, we can be certain that this was but a small sampling of what they would have discussed in much prayerful detail. In particular, their conversations would have contained a mutual sharing of the spiritual gift of joy. Joy is much more than an emotion. It is spiritual in nature. It is not only an experience of something fun, it's the experience of realizing the action of God in your life. Seeing God at work in wonderful ways leads to gratitude and rejoicing. This joy produces a strength and energy that is contagious and uplifting. We must all strive to see the hand of God at work in our own lives so that our focus upon His divine actions will produce joy also. We need joy. We need to be strengthened by this gift so that we will be encouraged and strengthened as we daily strive to fulfill His will. Reflect, today, upon the witness of joy that these two holy women give us. Know that you are called to share in the same joy as you humbly turn your attention to the ways in which God has blessed you. If you find that you lack joy in life, then consider where you allow your mind to wander throughout the day. Do you dwell on the past, on hurts, on problems and the like? If so, these thoughts will undoubtedly lead to depression and possibly even despair. Try to turn your mind to the action of God in your life. See the many blessings you have been given and savor those divine actions. Doing so will lead you to rejoice with Saint Elizabeth and our Blessed Mother. My holy infant Jesus, as You dwelt in the sacred womb of Your own dear mother, Your presence caused much rejoicing in her heart and in the hearts of Elizabeth and John. Help me to see Your presence in our world and in my life, so that I, too, will be filled with the joy of You constantly coming to me. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured image above: Stained glass windows of the Visitation in Trofa Church, Portugal, via Wikimedia Commons