Reflection for the Vigil of the Feast of St. John the Baptist

It was pure gift when Sr. Mary Irene was the presenter for my Spirituality and Literature classes. Scripture came alive.  My favorite session was the one she gave about the Bible’s being the living word of God. I left class realizing we are encouraged to live in God’s world through God’s words, alive and true. Today’s gospel is no exception. 

God keeps his word. At the birth of John, the Israelites’ hopes are coming to fruition—the long-awaited Messiah and his messenger are coming. The Israelites have been waiting since Isaiah’s prophecy, some 700 years BCE, which states: a voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God: (40:3). Malachai’s prophecy some 400 years BCE is also coming to pass. Malachai’s prophesy states: “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before you  (3). In addition, Malachai prophesizes, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes” (4: 5-6).  Let it be sufficient to say that most of the commentators I consulted find cause for comparisons between John and Elijah. What is important is that the time is coming, indeed, it is here.  John is in the picture and now so is Jesus, whom John recognizes with a joyful leap. God is keeping his centuries-old promise. 

The eighth day, the day of John’s circumcision has come and there is great joy for all their neighbors and relatives, Emphasis is given to the name for the baby.  The guests expect him to be called Zachariah. When, however, Elizabeth declares his name shall be John, the guests resist and refer to the father, of course. Subsequently, he writes that his name is John. Many commentators indicate that the names have meanings; for instance, Zachariah means God remembers, Elizabeth means God is reliable, and John means God is gracious. Names are important. 

Now, the question is: How can this gospel be God’s living word for us? 

For starters, it tells us that God’s word is alive, and it tells us God keeps his promises to a thousand generations. Further, we know we are his people, that in his great and wonderful love for us, even our names are important. That in his words in that amazing love letter we call the Bible, those living words give us life.  We know that the Messiah does and will answer our prayers, that our prayers can and do move mountains. The prayers we say—for those we love, for immigrants, for our friends, our neighbors, for our world with all its heartaches—they are all heard. More—we know that by our prayers we too are making a straight way for the Lord, that we are preparing the way of the Lord, that what Alfred Lord Tennyson writes is true: “More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of” and that gives us cause to leap for joy.