John Baptist

She is a pretty old woman. She suffers tremendously beacause they say that she has been cursed by God. Why can they ever say something so terrible like this to a miserable woman like her? Because she is sterile, meaning she can’t give birth to a baby. They treat her with contempt and discrimination. She cries. She cries and trusts that God is not like what they say. She knows God listens to her and God is at the side of the miserable. And, she is not wrong about this.

Today is her son’s birthday. She, Elizabeth, looks up to heaven and emotionally thanks God. She and her husband decide to name their son John, a name unknown to the family and strange to the tradition of their people. Their friends and relatives don’t agree with their change. But they still hold on to that name because they have their own reason: John means “God is gracious”. Yes, God gives grace when we need it. Indeed, it’s Good News.

Happy the Feast of Saint John the Baptist!