This year, the Twelfth Sunday of Ordinary Time coincides with the celebration of the birth of Saint John the Baptist.

Rather than giving us a Gospel Reading from Saint John’s life, the Church gives us the prophecy of his birth to his father Zechariah. John the Baptist was the great prophet in the wilderness (Isaiah 40:3), proclaiming the coming of Christ, and indeed, one could say, the last prophet of the Old Testament, so it is fitting for the Church to turn her gaze toward the theme of prophecy.

The prophets were not fortunetellers - they were messengers. They were chosen by the Lord to remind his people of his existence and that he has a divine plan for them. The prophets were sent to call the Israelites back to their true God when they would begin to worship false idols. The message God entrusted to them was meant to grow a deeper faith in the hearts of God’s people.

But not all of God’s people responded with greater faith. Some were too overcome by fear to surrender in trust to the Lord. Each of us faces this same choice today. When the Lord’s word is spoken in our lives, we can either respond with fear or receptivity. God is always calling us to respond with greater trust and wonder, and he gives us his own Spirit to make it possible.

Click to access video  
(Need access to FORMED? Go here to register > AnnunciationChurch.FORMED.org)

---

---

First Reading Reflection
"I will make you a light to the nations" (Isaiah 49:1-6)

This passage forms one of the “servant” songs in Isaiah. It is a classic example of a prophecy with multi-layered meaning. Parts of the prophecy are clearly addressed to “Israel,” the chosen people of God (Exodus 4:22). Yet the speaker also uses the first-person singular, suggesting that the servant is an individual, possibly Isaiah, possibly someone else. (Compare to Acts 8:34-40) Ultimately, it finds fulfillment in Christ and His Church. Today it is applied specially to John the Baptist, the last and greatest of the Old Testament prophets, allowing us insight into our own prophetic vocation. This prophecy reveals that, despite the sufferings of Israel, they will one day be given restoration. This restoration will come through the servant, who is faithful to God, unlike the Israelite nation: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel. I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6). Indeed, Isaiah 50:4-9 continues to develop this theme, showing how the servant is a new Moses. This prophecy is foretelling the reign of Christ the King, whose coming will be preceded by John the Baptist, the voice crying out in the wilderness (Isaiah 40:3).

There is the paradox of a hidden witness in this prophecy. The speaker has been called while in the womb, which is a secret place. He is described as a concealed sword and an arrow hidden in the quiver. He himself does not even fully know his mission, as revealed by the lament over his apparent futility. The life of the prophet is mysterious. Despite the darkness, God’s light shines forth through the prophets, and there is an undercurrent of triumph.
 

 

Second Reading Reflection
"John heralded his coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance" (Acts 13:22-26)

Paul is speaking to people in a Jewish synagogue, showing them how Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s saving plan. This passage is part of a longer speech, which contains a brief summary of the history of God’s intervention on Israel’s behalf. The story centers on David, the king of Israel, whose reliance on God inaugurated the golden age of Jewish history. This passage makes implicit reference to 2 Samuel 7, in which God promises David that his heir will be given an unending throne. The Jews of Paul’s day did not believe this king had appeared yet, because they were living under the oppression of Roman rule. Paul argues that Jesus is the fulfillment of the promise made to David.

After talking about King David, St. Paul discusses John the Baptist, whose testimony serves a dual purpose. John the Baptist is the forerunner of Christ, as revealed in the prophecies, for his mission points to the spiritual dimension of Christ’s life. John makes preparation for Christ by calling the Israelite people to repentance. Because Christ has already come and established his Baptism, Paul’s hearers are prepared to receive the Messiah king who saves them from their sin.

“My brothers…to us this word of salvation has been sent” (Acts 13:26). With these words, the introductory to the message is finished. The next verses will focus on the mystery of the Messiah’s death, and how the Jewish leaders “missed” his coming. Let us ask St. John the Baptist to intercede for us that we may not be distracted from God’s mercy, but recognize his salvation when it is offered.
 

 

Gospel Reflection
"John is his name" (Luke 1:57-66, 80)

We do not often find extensive details about a prophet’s life in the Scriptures. But, there are some notable exceptions: Moses’s life story is an example of a detailed history, as is the story of the prophet Samuel. In both cases, the person whose life is chronicled is of tremendous significance for the Israelites plays an important role in the history of the Israelites. The lives of Moses and Samuel mark turning points in the salvation story: Moses delivers the people from their bondage in Egypt, and Samuel gives the Israelites the king they desire. The names of these leaders reflect their origins and their missions: Moses means “to draw out,” and Samuel means “asked of God.”

The process of naming John manifests his prophetic mission, as we heard in the first reading: “from my mother’s womb he gave me my name.” The name John means “God is gracious,” which is a fitting name for a child who is clearly a gift of God. His name illuminates the central theme of John’s message, which is aimed at preparing the people for the greatest gift of all—Christ’s Incarnation and redemption from sin.

Close examination of the Gospel accounts on John the Baptist reveals that every aspect of his life is aimed at making Christ known and loved. Let us pray on this feast for the gift of living lives completely centered on the graciousness of God.

 

---

---

 

DIGGING DEEPER:
Daily Mental Prayer

As Catholics, we are very blessed with numerous ways to pray and encounter God’s love for us. But, with all of the rosaries, novenas, and even daily Masses, we can fi ll up our spiritual lives with a lot of activity and never come to a place of true stillness within ourselves.

The saints all agree that stillness and silence are essential for growing in the spiritual life. We sometimes fl ee from the silence because we fear what God will say if we stop long enough to listen to him. Encourage your participants to try ten minutes of mental prayer each day this week. This can come after Mass or reading Scripture, but the individual should sit in silence, listening for the voice of the Lord, while meditating on a simple Bible verse or spiritual truth.
 

PRAYER:

Return to the Gospel story for this week. Recall that fear consumes Zechariah, and he doubts the words of the angel Gabriel. He ultimately doesn’t trust that God can do as the angel says. He is afraid that God is not a good God and won’t keep his promise concerning his wife Elizabeth giving birth to a son.

Take the word that comes to mind and refl ect on what it means to you personally. For example, the phrase spoken by Gabriel to Zechariah, “Do not be afraid,” might have stuck out to you. Ask yourself what this means in your own life. Is there a place of fear in your heart that is keeping you from trusting the Lord? Try to name it and bring it to the Lord. Cast your fear into the light, and ask him to give you the gift of faith and receptivity in place of your fear. © A

 

RESOLUTION: 

In the Annunciation to Mary, she responds to the Lord with her profound fi at, “May it be done to me according to your word.” We are called to imitate these words of deep trust in our own lives. As we learn to hear God’s voice, we must also ask for the grace to respond with wonder and receptivity as Mary did.

This week, make a commitment to listen closely for God’s voice in your heart. When you recognize his voice, try to respond like Mary, “May it be done to me according to your word.” How will you try to listen for God’s voice more closely this week?
 

---

---

Reprinted from  Opening the Word at Formed.org .
Click here (subscribe for FREE, enter code: KK788T)  to get the full content of Opening the Word, including video reflections, study guides and journals for the Sunday Mass readings of the year.

FORMED Fellowship + Lunch 
(Sunday @ 12:00 noon in the Hall)