LESSON FIVE: SAINT

St. John the Baptist

The son of Elizabeth (cousin to Mary, the mother of Jesus), John, was the one born to prepare the world for Jesus. As a young man he went to the desert near the Jordan River to preach a message of repentance in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. Wearing clothing made of camel’s hair bound with a leather belt, eating wild honey and locusts (Matthew 3:5), John was totally dedicated in his ascetic way of life to his prophetic role.

He had no fear in challenging the Jewish religious leaders to produce good works as evidence of their repentance (Matthew 3:8). Nor did he fear the Jewish ruler, Herod Antipas, when he censured him because he took Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, as his own. He challenged everyone to repent. For those who did, he offered a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of their sins.

When Jesus came to him for baptism, John expressed his humility saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?” (Matthew 4:14) It was only when Jesus insisted that his baptism be allowed to fulfill all righteousness, that John, in obedience allowed his baptism. Later on Jesus replaced John’s baptism of repentance with the baptism in water and the Holy Spirit as John had predicted.

Jesus spoke highly of John saying that he was the realization of the expected return of Elijah, the ancient prophet. Elijah was taken up to heaven in a fiery chariot and was expected to return at the end of time.

Shortly after Jesus’ baptism, Herod Antipas put John in prison. During his stay in prison, Herodias’ daughter performed a dance for Herod. He was so taken by the dance that he promised her anything she wanted. When she asked for the head of John the Baptist, he had to keep his word. So John’s prophetic career ended in martyrdom.  

Many of John’s disciples became followers of Jesus realizing that he was the Messiah, the one who would save the world from sin, the one that John had given his life to prepare his way.

When John’s mother, Elizabeth, first saw Mary coming to help her during her pregnancy, the unborn child, John, lept in her womb. Elizabeth immediately recognized that Mary was to be the Mother of God. John, even in the womb, was acknowledging the coming of the Son of God. The tradition of the Church has been that John at that moment was freed of original sin. This special status and his life of total dedication prompted Jesus to say: “I tell you, among those born of women, no one is greater than John.” (Luke 7:28)

Virtues of John the Baptist to seek in our own lives: dedication to preparing others for the coming of Jesus into their hearts, courage in following Jesus, willingness to make great sacrifices for the coming of the Kingdom, a repentant spirit, fearlessness in the face of evil, humility, willingness to die for our faith.