AND YOU SHALL CALL HIS NAME JOHN

HOMILY FOR THE SOLEMNITY OF THE NATIVITY OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST

 

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

We celebrate today the birthday of John the Baptist because of his connection to the Christ of our salvation. John was born of Zechariah and Elizabeth. His parents were righteous and upright in the sight of God. Before his birth, they were childless and were elderly. They were parents who did not relegate their religious duties due to the difficulties of life. The father, Zechariah was faithful to his priesthood. He had been chosen by God as a priest and he was faithful to that call. He carried out his duties as a priest despite his childlessness which was perceived as a great misfortune. In those days, having a son was a sign of God’s approval, while not having a son was an indication of God’s disapproval.

The luck fell on Zechariah to offer sacrifice. On this day, he experienced one of the greatest events of his life. As he offered the sacrifice, Zechariah was praying. He encountered God in a very personal way. According to the Gospel of today (Luke 1:5-17), an angel of the Lord appeared to him and announced to him that his wife Elizabeth will bear him a wife and his name shall be called John. What is the meaning of the name John? The name simply means the grace of God. John’s conception was as a result of the total grace of God. God already has a purpose for him right from the day the announcement by the angel came, just as the Lord declared to Jeremiah in the First Reading (Jer. 1:4-10) that before he was formed in the mother’s womb, he knew him. The grace that would bring John into existence would also lead him to greatness. His name is manifested in his mission. John’s life was also a testimony that he maintained his mission and lived up to his name.

Questions we need to ask ourselves are: what is my name? What is the mission in my name? What does my name mean? What are the conditions that surrounded my birth? These questions are important for the discovery of whom we are and why we exist. The problem you may be passing through today may be as a result of issues surrounding your name and your nativity. It is not ruled out that your mission may be connected to your God-given name. The pitiable part of it is that some of us have cancelled the names we were given at birth for the names we prefer to answer. You must know that those names may be the source of your confusion. We must retrace our steps and return to our origin. John’s name was a name that would disseminate blessings to others and pattern the way John would live his life.

1. John’s life would cause his parents to rejoice. You will have joy and gladness (1:14a). He would be everything that every parent would want in a child. He would not bring them shame.

2. John’s life would cause others to rejoice. And many would rejoice because of his birth (1:14b). His contribution to his society would cause people to become happy.

3. John’s life would denote greatness. He will be great before the Lord (1:15). John mission was to point to the world the messiah; and there is no greater mission than this. People would come to encounter Jesus because John had directed them to him. The greatest happiness every Christian should have is to become a channel through which people go to God, and to become someone who knows and directs people to Christ.

4. He would live a disciplined and controlled life. No wine, no strong drink. His mission demands great discipline and dedication. And so, anything that would cause distraction to this mission must be avoided. This is the same way we must avoid anything that can cause distraction to us in our Christian life.

5. John will be filled with the Holy Spirit. Surely, such a holy life that brings joy is surely to be a life possessed by the Holy Spirit. He is a vessel chosen by God for a special service, and fitted in a very special manner. Every Christian needs the Holy Spirit.

6. He will convert many to the Lord. This is the work of the prophets; to make sure people are turned to the Lord. He has the mission to lead people in the right direction towards the messiah; not out of Him or worse still, to himself. He will be the fore-runner of the Messiah. His ministry is like that of Elijah, the greatest of the prophets. We, as Christians are to lead people to Christ and not to ourselves.

In conclusion, it was in John that the promise of God to send a messiah palpably began. In John, the promise is fulfilled, and the long expectation is met. As we celebrate the birthday of John, may we be enshrouded with that same grace of holiness and dedication that he had. Amen. God bless you.