Gospel of the Day
Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the Temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.’
My dear Jesus, thank you so much for your cousin, your forerunner, of whom you said, “Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist.” How much light we receive when we prayerfully reflect on the lives of the saints!
John said that he must decrease so that you might increase. If we do not become smaller each day, recognising that we are nothing without you, dying to our disordered self, to our self-love, then you cannot grow within our hearts and dwell there.
John went into the desert in search of silence. It is only in silence that we can hear you, Lord. We need to listen to you in order to know you and to know ourselves.
John called people to repentance. I need to acknowledge my sin and my weakness so that you can accomplish your work within me.
John lived a life of self-denial. Mortification is necessary to purify my heart and free me from my attachments, so that the spirit may guide my life rather than the desires of the flesh.
And John understood the indissolubility of marriage. He valued it so deeply that he gave his life defending it, even daring to challenge the king for living with a woman who was not his wife.
Saint John, pray for us. Thank you, Lord.
Esther: John, would you like another beer?
John: No thanks, one is enough.
Esther: That’s unusual! What’s brought that on?
John: One is plenty, thank you. I used to think all this talk about mortification was a bit silly and unimportant. But I’m beginning to realise that if I don’t free myself from these small attachments, even the ones I used to justify, then the bigger battles become much harder to win. These little sacrifices, made out of love for the Lord, help me keep my heart attentive and more aware of his presence.
Esther: Ah, now I understand! I’ve noticed lately that you don’t react to things that used to get on your nerves, and I couldn’t work out why. How wonderful the Lord is!
John: He really is. He gives me so much light in prayer. In the silence I’m discovering his infinite love. I want to love as he loves. And I’ve realised that I need to keep purifying my heart through small acts of sacrifice, uncovering and letting go of attachments so that he can truly reign within me. And you have no idea what peace I have, what joy! It’s infinitely better than that extra beer!
Esther: You’re so sweet! Please help me to persevere as well.
Please teach me always to listen to your Son and to follow the guidance of my guardian angel. Help me to deny myself, embrace the cross of each day, and follow him. Blessed and praised be God!