As we celebrate the solemnity of Saint John the Baptist, we are reminded of the importance of mission and evangelization. In the first reading, Isaiah says, "The Lord has called me from the womb; from my mother's womb he has had regard for the love of him who spoke to him." (Isaiah 49:1) These words remind us that from the very beginning, John was chosen by God for a special purpose.
In fact, John's whole life was a response to God's call. He was a prophet who came to prepare the way for Jesus, to point him out to the people, and to bear witness to his divine nature. As we hear in the Gospel, "And you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways...to give knowledge of salvation to his people by forgiveness of their sins." (Luke 1:76-77)
But what does it mean to be called by God? It means being chosen for a specific task, but also being shaped by that calling. John's life was one of simplicity and humility. He lived in the wilderness, eating locusts and wild honey, and wearing a leather belt around his waist.
He was not concerned with worldly wealth or status. His focus was solely on proclaiming the message of God's love and forgiveness.
As we reflect on John's life and ministry, we are reminded that our own lives are also called by God. We are called to share in his mission of spreading love and forgiveness. But like John, our calling requires us to let go of our own desires and ambitions. We must be willing to listen to God's voice and follow his guidance, even when it means we will suffer for it.
We know the story of how John was eventually beheaded as a reward for a promiscuous dance by Salome, Herodias’ daughter. One is apt to ask, or even wonder, “Wait a minute. So God chose this man, and adorned him with many spiritual gifts. He consecrated himself completely to God. How is it then that God did not protect him? Does God not care about those who freely accept to do his will? What kind of protection does he give us, if it is not a protection from death?”
This is a deep question which needs to be asked, because I know it is on the mind of many a good thinking Catholic. Let me just propose to you, that God does protect us. Given our facts and historicity of our biblical accounts, but also throughout the entirety of salvation history and that of the Church in these past two thousand years, we have seen Christians, followers of Christ bravely accepting death, so as to testify to the greatness and sanctity of God which many a persecutor set out to disprove or malign. We have also seen our own loved ones have to come to terms with an illness, and sometimes one which leads to death.
But the protection God has in mind for us, is not temporary, but eternal. What do I mean? I mean that God can save you from a shipwreck or a car accident, or through some illness, but inevitably, due to sin, death entered into the world as its due punishment. So, if he can only save us from death temporarily, what kind of a protection is that? Well, it is huge of course because it will afford us more time. But inevitably, through some unforeseen cause, we will have to taste the bitterness of death (now, as a sidenote, we must remember that those still alive when the Lord returns will be transformed without tasting the first death). So if God protects us from this first death, it is a temporary protection. The death rather he wishes to truly protect us from is the second death. The second death is eternal separation from God, and it is described in horrific detail in the Book of Revelation, chapter 21, verse 8.
It reads thus: “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, as for murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their lot shall be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” This is the death God protects his faithful from; prophets, kings, apostles, disciples, bishops, priests, nuns and laity alike, and it has to do with the eternal, immortal state of the soul at death, which if it appears before God with unrepented mortal sin, has chosen to separate itself from God forever in a second and eternal death. Seduced and overcome by the enemy of souls, the father of lies, Satan, the unrepentant soul, of its own volition, has chosen evil over good, hell over heaven. This is the eternal kind of protection God is offering us, then my dear brothers and sisters, because the first death is nothing in comparison to this second, eternal state of death. And, don’t take it from me—listen to the words of our Lord himself who simply puts it like this: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell” Matthew 10:28. Many Church Fathers have identified the one of whom we should have a healthy fear to be God himself, distinguishing between imprudent fear, and that which is prudent, and they admonish us to think of hell so as to not end up there. For we must remember, that though the body goes into the ground, it too will be raised by God on the last day. Hence, even the death of the body is temporary.
Again, brothers and sisters, on this feast of Saint John, who was martyred for testifying to the truth, we are being given the grace to put things into their proper perspective. Maybe you’ve wondered how it is a person can choose death rather than offend God, and this is your answer. The first death is merely temporary. It’s the second kind of death we need to worry about… and by worry, I mean… preparation. We need to prepare, so that at all times we will be ready to stand judgement. This is our journey… to get to that place, to that state in life—that notwithstanding our imperfections, we are nevertheless prepared to be judged. For this reason Jesus tells us to aim high—to “be perfect” just as your heavenly Father is perfect. Most of us might need purgatory to help purify us enough to get us finally to the perfect ports of heaven, but we should, with all humility, aim high, set our sights on heaven.
A lot of people today who do set their sights on heaven and seek perfection are branded as scrupulous. That will be another homily for another day, but in the meanwhile, we can ask ourselves: What will living in heaven be like if it means there is no sin, no pain, no suffering, no tears, no envy, nothing that can divide us, never an objectification of a person for selfish motives, never an impure thought, much less impure actions… only the purest and holiest of love, charity above all else, humble adoration of the Lord our God… what kind of a person must I be, to be able to live in a state of this heavenly beatitude which God has destined for me all along? Perhaps this is one of the things the saints intuited, which helped them in their conduct in the world, and we can make it our own today. The kind of protection God gives us extends beyond this brief and terrestrial life. Always remember that. It will help us when a loved one too makes their transition.
In the second reading from Acts, St. Paul reminds us that God chose John to herald the arrival of the true Messiah and that when people thought John was that Messiah, he unhesitatingly declared, “I am not the one you imagine me to be; that one is coming after me and I am not fit to undo his sandal.” (Acts 13:22-25) Paul highlights John's faithfulness and humility as key qualities that made him an effective witness.
As we celebrate Saint John the Baptist today, let us reflect on our own callings and ministries. Are we faithful and humble servants of God like John? Are we willing to listen to God's voice and follow his guidance? Let us ask ourselves these questions and allow ourselves to be shaped by his love.
And being shaped by his love also means that he helps us through our doubts and our uncertainties even about him and the things of above. This is because God’s ways are infinitely beyond our ways, and his thinking beyond ours. Once again, we learn a lot about this from the life of Saint John. When he was imprisoned, he too had his doubts, and Jesus helped him with those as well.
In conclusion, let us pray that we may be like Saint John the Baptist – faithful servants of God who point others to Jesus Christ. May we be bold witnesses to his love and forgiveness, just as John was bold in his preaching and baptism. May our lives be transformed by his love and may we spread that love to all those around us.
Amen.
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