The birth of John

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.” 6So 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.

REFLECTION

WHAT, THEN, WILL THIS CHILD BE? The birth of John the Baptist becomes an “intriguing” event for the people of his time. Even the giving of his name turns into an “issue” as he is called “John,” a name not found among his kin. But “John” (or Yohanan) perfectly fits who he is, the embodiment of “God’s graciousness.” And everyone wonders, “What, then, will this child be?”

John will become the “voice of one crying out in the desert” (Mk 1:3), who will prepare the way of the Lord and will become his witness (cf Jn 1:7, 15). He will die a violent death because he will stand for righteousness. No wonder Jesus will say, “Among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist” (Mt 11:11; cf Lk 7:28).

We need genuine Christian witnesses for our times.