Saint John the Forerunner and Baptist (Birth)
Date of celebration: 23/09
This is how the prophet Isaiah prophesied about the Forerunner of the Lord, John: “Voice of shouting in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.” (Isaiah II, 3). That is, the voice of a man, who calls out in the desert and says: “Prepare the way, where the Lord will come to you. Make straight and smooth the roads through which he will pass.’
In other words, uproot from your souls the thorns of sinful passions and throw away the stones of selfishness and greed and cleanse your interior with repentance, so that it may receive the Lord. This voice, which was John, was born in a miraculous way. Zacharias’ Father was a Priest. At the time of incense in the altar, he saw an angel of the Lord, who announced to him that he would have a son and he would be named John. Zacharias squealed with joy, but was in disbelief.
His wife was barren and old, how could what he was hearing happen? Then the angel told him that in order to punish his unbelief, until God’s will was fulfilled, he would remain deaf and dumb. Indeed, Elizabeth conceived, and after nine months gave birth to a son. After eight days, when the child was circumcised, the relatives wanted to give him the name of his father, Zacharias. But Zacharias wrote the name John on a sign. Immediately, his tongue was loosed, and the joy for all was great.
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