Feast of St John the Baptist

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“What will this Child turn out to be?”  You can understand this question if we realise some basic facts surrounding this story. 

For Elizabeth and Zechariah they were filled with joy because they were never expected to have children. John was a real gift from God. The name John means The lord is gracious .  This question then was more poignant this person this baby who they had been given as a gift of God. He would end up being the light for the nations pointing and preparing the way for the Messiah (Jesus)  his mission would be short be vital and important.

John is the link between the old and the New Testament the last of the great prophets to point the way to Jesus. He even eludes to the fact that he is unable to walk the same way this was not his mission. 

We see the hope of our own Children at baptism as a Church and as parents we see the hope of the future I am sure that many parents ask the same question: “what will this child turn out to be?” I am sure its the same for almost every parent that they will be happy, secure, have a good job. These things are important and to have them is a bonus but there is a deeper meaning to this Question. For John it was to proclaim and point to Christ. Maybe the same mission of John is also our mission because We are also God’s Children. What potential does he see in us? He wants the very best for us. 
So like John we are also called to follow Jesus to not seek our own interests but to seek what God has called us to do. 
Our Mission then is to go out and proclaim Jesus to point others to him to realise that we have the potential to be saints to go and bring others to him. Over the last few months in this parish I have seen people change when they have realised the Wonder of their being and their mission to be like Jesus. They have both physically changed and also changed in their personality. They have become awakened to the possibility that they too could be who God wants them to be and be so excited and changed that they have then gone to tell others and draw them into the love and joy they feel. 

I finish with a quote from Catherine of Siena 


“ Be who God wants you to be and you will set the world on fire”

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