Saturday, June 24, 2023
Solemnity for di Birth of Saint John the Baptist
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Everybody wey hear these things keep dem for heart, dey ask, “So, wetin dis pikin go become?” Because truly, di hand of di Lord dey with am. Di pikin grow and become strong for spirit, and e stay for desert until di day wey e show imself to Israel. Luke 1:65–66
Na di hand of di Lord form John the Baptist. Saint Thomas Aquinas even talk say God make John holy inside im mama Elizabeth belle, as dem write: “Holy Spirit go fill am even from im mama belle” (Luke 1:15). From di moment wey di Blessed Virgin Mary greet Elizabeth and John jump for joy, di hand of di Lord dey upon John, dey make am holy and dey lead am to fulfil God holy will.
Apart from di passage wey we quote above, dem no record John early life for us. Dem tell us say e “grow and become strong for spirit, and e stay for desert until di day wey e show imself to Israel.” For dis passage, we suppose see di truth say no be only inside im mama belle God make John holy. Throughout im childhood and as e become adult, e remain deeply united with God, and Holy Spirit fill am.
Today, we dey honour one particular part of John life—im birth. We know say God bless am: no be only say dem born am into di blessed family of Elizabeth and Zechariah, but di Blessed Virgin Mary, di Mother of God, na also im relative, and she dey there when dem born am. Zechariah, im papa, give am di name “John,” even though their custom for be to name am Zechariah after im papa. Zechariah do dis to obey Archangel Gabriel, wey appear to am before dem born John and tell am to do so.
Great mystery and excitement surround John birth, and almost no doubt dey say di people wey dey there when dem born am go don dey wonder with hope about who e go become. And John no disappoint dem. Na about am Jesus go later talk one day say, “I tell una, among people wey women don born, nobody great pass John…” (Luke 7:28).
Even if you no get di special privilege for God to make you holy inside your mama belle, or for your papa to receive revelation from Archangel Gabriel before dem born you, God still call you to allow di hand of di Lord guide you every single day. God want make you become “strong for spirit” so you fit fulfil di special plan wey E get for you. One reason why we dey honour di great saints na because dem show us example of how to live. Because of dis, we must see for each of their lives di example wey we must follow. Di main witness wey Saint John the Baptist give na say e obey God without shaking and allow God hand to form am. Di result na di glorious way wey e fulfil im own special mission for life, reach di point wey e give im life as martyr.
Today, tink deep about dis true fact: even though God no make you holy inside your mama belle, E make you holy through Baptism. After dat, di Holy Spirit give you strength through Confirmation, and di Most Holy Eucharist dey feed you regularly. For many ways, you get blessing just as John get. Tink deep about dis simple but deep truth: God want use you for Im holy mission. E give you one particular mission wey E no entrust to another person. Tell am “Yes” to dat mission today, so dem go see you too as person wey “great” for di Kingdom of Heaven.
Lord of all greatness, You make Saint John the Baptist holy inside im mama belle, and You continue to pour Your grace upon am throughout im life. E respond to You and fulfil im glorious mission. I thank You for di holiness wey You give me through my Baptism and strengthen through Confirmation and di Holy Eucharist. Help me to open my heart to all di graces wey You want give me, so I fit fulfil di special mission wey You give me. Jesus, na You I trust.
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Read More – Di Birth of Saint John the Baptist
