Homily
for June 24, 2017
Today happens to be the
birthday of Saint John the Baptist. Birthdays are always great days; they give
us some time to reflect on the life of the celebrant, how he or she came to be
born and the impact of their lives upon humanity.
From the life of John the
Baptist, we can see that no human life comes into existence by a mere random
act. God is the one who brings human beings to life and long before we come out
of our Mothers’ wombs, God already has a plan for our life.
John the Baptist was not yet
born before God sent an Angel to Zechariah his father telling him how he would
have a son despite his old age who will prepare the way for the Messiah. Long
before John the Baptist was formed in the womb, he already existed in the mind
of God.
Long before we were born,
God knew our names and he had plans for our lives. This is what the Prophet
Isiah relates in our first reading: “The Lord called me from the womb, from my
mother’s womb he named my name…”
Dear friends, each time we
commit or consent to Abortion, we commit a very grave sin! Abortion is the
greatest act of man’s inhumanity to his fellow man. By killing an unborn baby,
we deny him or her the chance to live out the plans God already has for them. God
will never allow a baby form in the womb if He does not have plans for the
baby. It is an act of extreme wickedness to destroy precious human life in the
womb.
Names are not merely means
of identification; names are spiritual. A person’s name can affect his or her
life. Our Gospel passage this morning is a record of the naming ceremony of
John the Baptist. The people were planning to call him Zechariah after his
father or “Junior” because they felt he would re-live his father’s life. But
Elizabeth and Zechariah knew that this child had a destiny different from that of
his father so they both opted for “John” instead.
We must be careful of the
kind of names we give our children. Names mean a lot. Notice that it was only
after naming the child that Zechariah’s speech returned. And guess what,
Zechariah who used to complain and doubt a lot became a changed person; he sang
the Benedictus, a song of praise to God, a song similar to that of Mary when
she visited Elizabeth.
The people wondered: “What
will this child turn out to be?” This is the same question we should ask ourselves
each time we come across little children. Every child deserves respect, care
and love because you can never know what the future of that child would be. This
little baby you see today may one day be your life-saver. Age is just a number!
Our second reading sums up
the life of John the Baptist. He fulfilled his destiny. He prepared the way for
Jesus. He drew people’s attention only to end up saying: “I am not he. No, but
after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.” The
moment John the Baptist said that, he had reached old age. He had finished his
work and was now prepared to bow out.
Old age is not when my hair
becomes grey. I reach old age when I complete the assignment God gave me on
earth. So the question is: “Have I discovered my destiny in life? Do I know my
real purpose on earth?”
Let us pray: Lord Jesus, increase
my respect for the life of the unborn. Amen.
*Happy Weekend. Be Happy. Live
Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Solemnity of
the Birthday of John the Baptist. Bible Study: Isaiah 49:1-6, Acts 13:22-26 and Luke 1:57-66.80).*
Fr. Abu.
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