| The greatest man born of women
As Elizabeth gives birth to John the Baptist, we ask the question. “who really is John the Baptist”? Isaiah prophesied about him as John was the voice to announce to the whole world the word our Lord Jesus and to make straight the path and to prepare the hearts for all to follow Christ. He was to remove from man’s heart the things that prevented them from the illumination of the divine light, John was born as part of the divine plan for purpose of preparing the way for the Messiah and to soften the hearts and light the path for the whole world to receive Christ. Jesus proclaimed that John is Greatest man born of women and that he was the greatest prophet of all times In his ministry of 6 months he was able to covert many people to repentance from their sins. The angel said to Zacharia that John will come in the spirit and power of Elijah to prepare the way for the Christ in His first coming while Elijah himself will coming the 2nd coming of Christ to prepare the way as judge for our Lord Jesus. “He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord..” “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; John the Baptist lived a life of extreme true humility of the heart, he allowed Christ to come into focus while he slips out of focus “He must increase but I must decrease”. John emphasised that his Baptism was of water for the washing and repentance while John announced to the whole world that Jesus’s baptism is that of Holy Spirit that will give forgiveness and freeing one from sin and only Christ can forgive sins. The holiness of John according to the gospel many people believed that he was the Messiah as he lived a complete Ascetic living in the wilderness, dressed in camel hair, and only eating locust and wild honey, while they looked at Jesus as only a prophet who ate and drank with sinners and tax collectors. But John through his humility proclaimed that “He who shall come after me is preferred before me, for He was before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.” John saw himself as the friend of the bridegroom who will present the bridegroom and will open for him the door. John’s greatest joy was to hear the voice of the Bridegroom and he only lived for the moment he saw Christ coming and said “behold the lamb of God who carries the sins of the world” and when he Baptised Jesus he saw the heaven open and the mysteries of the incarnation revealed to him. John he himself felt that he is not even worthy to discuss the mysteries revealed to him, but only to be the voice that will prepare the way for the coming of the word (Christ). In Johns humility he steps a side completely and goes into silence so people can see Jesus as the true Messiah. We learn from the life of St John the Baptist true humility and true focus in life on one thing, to live and to see Christ clear in our lives. When Christ becomes our focus and Christ becomes our work and our occupation then we will see Christ as He is the Messiah who will reveal to us the mystery of His Glory and open for us the doors of heaven and shower us with His love, compassion, mercy, blessings, and eternal life. – Fr Augustinos Nada |