Reflection on the Word:

Celebrating our birthday is something most of us take for granted and look forward to every year. Generally it is the saint’s death (their birth into eternal life) that is observed in the Church’s calendar. This makes John the Baptist a member of a very exclusive nativity club. The other members are Mary, the Mother of Jesus (September 8) and Jesus himself (December 25).

In the First Reading (Isaiah 49:1-6) the prophet’s task is not just to gather the people of Israel together but to be

“the light of the nations”.

The Second Reading (Acts of the Apostles 13:22-26) is an extract from a long sermon delivered by Paul in the synagogue at Antioch. What he wants to do is persuade his hearers that Jesus is the fulfilment of God’s promises of old.

The Gospel (Luke 1:57-66, 80) is the story of the Baptist’s birth and naming. In his telling, Luke is at pains to present Elizabeth and Zechariah as devout and observant members of the people of Israel.