HOMILY SUNDAY 12 – C
Being on a Mission – Solemnity of the Nativity of John the Baptist
(Is 49:1-6; Ps 139; Acts 13:22-26; Lk 1:57-66, 80)
**********************************************************
In 2003 I went shopping with Fr. Joe Jacek on a motorcycle in Meru, Kenya to purchase flip chart paper, personal toiletry, hot chocolate, and to get some photocopying done. There was a sense of mission to the trip; a definite goal, and a purpose: to prepare for a workshop, and facilitate personal growth for the pre-novices.
Our liturgy today, the feast of John the Baptist, the opening prayer, and the readings all mission us to be prophets, to be Kings, and to proclaim the new life that Jesus came to bring the world, as part of a new evangelization.
We are given three heroes in the readings, three mentors to follow in that mission: Isaiah; King David, and John the Baptist.
The first man on a mission is the Prophet Isaiah. He was called before his birth, while in his mother’s womb, to be a servant of God. He was to bring back Jacob to God, to gather Israel to God. He was honoured before God who was his strength, and called to be a light to the nations so that God’s salvation would reach to the ends of the earth.
The second man on a mission is King David, who was referred to by St. Paul as the king of their ancestors. He was a man after God’s own heart missioned to carry out God’s will. He was to be the ancestor of Jesus the Saviour of Israel. He actually was the only king of Israel who truly lived the kingly energy that God gave him (and gives us). That means that he knew who he was, what God wanted him to do, and had the confidence to do it. That was why he was able to overrule the priest who tried to prevent him from taking the sacred bread from the Holy of Holies that only the priests were allowed to eat, to feed his men. Basically, he told the priest, if God was here, this is what God would want me to do, and I am doing it.
The third man on a mission is John the Baptist. The opening prayer tells us that he was to make ready a nation for Christ. He was to direct the hearts of the people into the way of salvation and peace. Like Isaiah, he was called in his mother’s womb, and we know that he leapt for joy in the presence of Jesus in Mary’s womb. In preparation for Jesus, he was to proclaim a baptism of repentance, and point out the way of humility before God, before Jesus, and announce the message of salvation.
It is very interesting that St. Augustine, in the office of readings for today, compares the releasing of the voice of Zechariah and the birth of John, to the tearing of the veil of the Temple when Jesus died on the cross. That veil was to prevent people from entering into the Holy of Holies. The tearing of that veil means that the unconditional, forgiving love of Jesus on the Cross, made it possible for us to now see into the very heart of God – to see that God is humble, totally non-violent, forgiving, compassionate and merciful – truths the world still has not learned.
The release of Zechariah’s voice and the birth of John who would be a voice in the wilderness, were linked with the tearing of the veil, in that they were pointing to and preparing the way for the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus who bring about a new creation and inaugurate the reign of God among us.
All this to say that we are also people on a mission. By our baptism and discipleship, we are called to embody in our lives and ministry all that these three ancestors of ours possessed in their lives and ministry. For us now, however, it would be called a “new evangelization.” We are to find new ways, with a new ardor, with new methods, and including the whole church, to be servants of God in spreading this Good News.
We are to bring the message of Jesus Christ to those who have never heard it, and to bring those who have strayed away back to God. We are to be light to others like Isaiah, to live kingly energy like David, and to make people ready for a deeper relationship with Jesus, to direct their hearts into the way of salvation and peace, to point the way to Jesus with great humility, like John the Baptist, and to do so with great joy in our hearts, as Pope Francis so often tells us.
We have some models to follow: Bishop Robert Barron who created the Word on Fire ministry through the internet and DVD’s; Ronald Rolheiser who uses writing, lecturing and videos to proclaim the Good News in simple language; and Richard Rohr who founded the Center for Contemplation and Action in New Mexico. He uses on-line courses, CD’s and videos, and runs programs at his centre. These three would be a few. It is up to us to be creative, use our imaginations, and be open to the Spirit to come up with new ways of being prophetic and missionary, as men, women and youth on a mission.
The Eucharist that we celebrate now is our food for the journey into becoming more and more prophetic people on a mission, like Isaiah, King David, and John the Baptist.
We are to do this in new creative ways, with a new ardor and methods, collaborating with others, and adapting the age-old, hope-filled and life-giving message of salvation in Christ to the world of today.
