The Birth of John the Baptist continues the Mission

The Roman Catholic Lectionary today presents the texts for the Birth of Saint John the Baptist. The mission which John is born to undertake is also described by Isaiah some 500 years earlier. The common thread is the Servant of Isaiah is to be a light to the world to restore the people to the fullness of their relationship with the Divine. The psalmist shares the insight of the intimacy that has always existed between Creator and creature, though we are most often unaware of this closeness. The Acts of the Apostles declare the relationship of Jesus to John. Acts perhaps hints at Jesus as the “Servant” in Isaiah. The Scripture texts on John portray the eccentric prophet calling the people to repent and change direction. This is also a message of Isaiah. Jesus will deliver the intimacy with the Divine through the experience of unconditional love for all.