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| Infant Jesus and John the Baptist Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, 1617-1682 |
And you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins…
Luke 1, 76-77
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His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI greeted the faithful gathered in Saint Peter’s Square for the Angelus on June 24th, the Nativity of John the Baptist, and it was on this figure of the Church that the Pope spoke of before the recitation of the Marian Prayer.
"This Sunday, we celebrate the birth of John the Baptist, the great saint who prepared the way for our Lord. John was a voice, crying in the wilderness, calling God’s people to repentance. Let us heed his voice today, and make room for the Lord in our hearts."
The Holy Father explained that John’s conception to Mary’s elderly cousin Elizabeth is a sign that “nothing is impossible to God”.
Pope Benedict described John the Baptist as “the forerunner of Jesus, a messenger who prepares the way for the Son of God.”
“Thirty years later” continued the Pope, “John begins baptizing people in the Jordan River, hence the name ‘the Baptist’. He wanted people to repent in preparation for the imminent coming of the Messiah.”
“God,” underlined the Holy Father, “had a mission for this great Saint. He was the one to baptize Jesus and in his own violent death bore witness to the Son of God and was the first to make Jesus known publicly.”
For more information, please visit:
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| River Jordan Baptismal Site |
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Jesus' public life begins with his baptism by John in the Jordan. John preaches "a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins". A crowd of sinners - tax collectors and soldiers, Pharisees and Sadducees, and prostitutes - come to be baptized by him. "Then Jesus appears." the Baptist hesitates, but Jesus insists and receives baptism. Then the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, comes upon Jesus and a voice from heaven proclaims, "This is my beloved Son." This is the manifestation ("Epiphany") of Jesus as Messiah of Israel and Son of God.
The baptism of Jesus is on his part the acceptance and inauguration of his mission as God's suffering Servant. He allows himself to be numbered among sinners; he is already "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world". Already he is anticipating the "baptism" of his bloody death. Already he is coming to "fulfil all righteousness", that is, he is submitting himself entirely to his Father's will: out of love he consents to this baptism of death for the remission of our sins. The Father's voice responds to the Son's acceptance, proclaiming his entire delight in his Son. The Spirit whom Jesus possessed in fullness from his conception comes to "rest on him". Jesus will be the source of the Spirit for all mankind. At his baptism "the heavens were opened" - the heavens that Adam's sin had closed - and the waters were sanctified by the descent of Jesus and the Spirit, a prelude to the new creation.
Catechism of the Catholic Church, 535-536
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| River Jordan Baptismal Site |
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| Mosaic in the Courtyard of the Church of Saint John the Baptist, Ein Karem |
God has a mission for each one of us.
Let us hear and heed the Lord’s voice.
Let us make room for Him in our hearts every moment of our lives.
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| Church of Saint John the Baptist, Ein Karem |
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