June 24: The Nativity of John the Baptist

First, a quick shout-out to the Community of St. John Baptist in New Jersey, New York, and England.  And to all those celebrating, including the city of Genoa (this is for you, Dario) and the province of Quebec.  Happy patronal festival to you all.

What a great day!  We get the story of John’s birth and naming, and Zechariah's song.  In the office readings we hear Malachi promising/threatening the people that God is coming.  We hear John's famous line, made for the solstice: “he must increase, but I must decrease.”  All powerful pieces of the story of Jesus among us.

But today, what really stood out for me was the verse before the “solstice sentence.”

“He who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. For this reason my joy has been fulfilled.” (John 3:29)

I don't think of John as joyful.  I think of him as passionate, zealous, fierce.  I hear the warnings to repent, the accusations against the comfortable religious leaders.  I admire him.  But joy?  No.  But today I get it.

John gave his life to calling the people back to God.  He knew that the Holy One was coming.  He knew his job was to prepare the people.  He was not the main event; he was not even the warm-up act.  He was the one who comes to clean the arena before the big event.  Well, maybe he was the cleaner and the warm-up act; certainly many of his disciples thought he was maybe even the main event.  But he knew he wasn't.  He was waiting. 

Then, one day, he meets Jesus.  He knows he's the one he's been waiting for.  He rejoices, because he sees that his life and ministry have not been in vain.  I imagine that for many years he might have wondered: is this call from God, or am I nuts like so many people think?  Then his doubts are ended.

I hear the song of Simeon here.  Simeon, the ancient one who prayed in the Temple and believed that he would see the Anointed One before he died, also rejoiced when Jesus appeared.  “Lord, you now have set your servant free to go in peace as you have promised.  For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, whom you have prepared for all the world to see.”(Luke 2:29-31).  I imagine John might have said the same thing.  

Have you ever wondered if you were wasting your time, your life?  Have you ever known the joy of finding that your dream is being fulfilled?  

I have given years now to the quest to know God, to see God.  It can look crazy to people.  There's not much to show for it.  But I do know that joy, in glimpses and glimmers, and I know that I will know it more deeply in time to come.  And I know that in order for that to happen, I need to give way to let God be God, Jesus be Jesus.  S/he must increase, but I must decrease.  And when I fade away to nothing, my joy will be complete.

May you know that joy.  May we all know that transforming joy.  Amen.

P.S. I’ll be gone for the next eight days in silent retreat.  Please pray that I let myself be found by God.  Thank you!