Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist

Background 

Please keep in mind that history for the Hebrews is not concerned with who does what to whom; in other words, this passage is not about history in any modern sense of that word.  Rather the Hebrews understood history in terms of the mighty acts of their God who is Lord of history.  Christians understood Jesus as the very Word of God acting in human history. So this passage is about the mighty acts of God in Christ Jesus; that is what is happening.

So when you turned your gaze to the words below, look first to find God at work in Christ Jesus.  As is our custom, let us ask ourselves some questions to focus our attention.  Who are the characters in this passage?  Will you list them?  When [the “when” of the passage] does this passage occur?  [Would anyone venture to identify the when of the author and the community to whom he is writing? ]

Hint, Luke is a Gentile writing to Gentiles. Now the order of spreading the Good News of Jesus was from Palestine where the Good News was preached to the Jews in Aramaic and Hebrew; to the Jews of the Diaspora – Jews everywhere else who lived primarily in a Greek culture, spoke Greek, read Greek; and finally to the Gentiles – everybody who wasn’t Jewish and had no meaningful background in the Jewish Scripture.  It was among this group that Jesus’ title of The Messiah, The Anointed One, became his last name, Christ, [Christos] The Anointed One and from whom we are named, Christians.  Such preaching took place over time and it took time for people to say yes and no and then for the preachers to respond to the yes’ and the no’s.

There is always too your “when;” the period of time in which your life is being held.  What is happening to you?

The last formal question, what is the plot of this story?  Why is it being told to Gentile Christians?  As you read, attend to yourself … what questions, comments, observations emerge inside of you?  They are very important.  Notice too that verses 67 to 79 are omitted by the church for this Sunday’s celebration.

Of course you can read the introductory notes to Luke’s Gospel, http://www.usccb.org/bible/scripture.cfm?bk=Luke&ch= and / or the notes to this passage, http://www.usccb.org/bible/luke/1

The Reading – Lk. 1:57 – 66, 80

When the time arrived forElizabethto have her child she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said in reply, “No. He will be called John.”  But they answered her, “There is no one among your relatives who has this name.”  So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called.  He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,” and all were amazed.  Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God.  Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea.  All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, “What, then, will this child be?”  For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.  The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel.

In your comments, answer any one or more of the questions. Note that you can add your comments by clicking on the “Comment” word at the very bottom of this post.  Once you make a comment, it will appear on the list on the right side of the page.  There you can click any one of the comments, read the dialogue, and join in if you are so inclined.