{"id":12100,"date":"2012-06-20T12:00:59","date_gmt":"2012-06-20T19:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/?p=12100"},"modified":"2015-03-19T15:33:03","modified_gmt":"2015-03-19T22:33:03","slug":"called-sanctified-and-sent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/2012\/06\/20\/called-sanctified-and-sent\/","title":{"rendered":"Sunday Lectionary: Called, sanctified and sent"},"content":{"rendered":"

Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist: 24th June, 2012<\/h2>\n

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After being\u00a0“<\/span>fearfully, wonderfully made…<\/span>knit…in [his] mother’s womb”<\/span><\/em>, we read in this week’s Gospel of how Elizabeth gave birth to a son and how he was named\u00a0“John”<\/span><\/em>. \u00a0It’s a solemnity again! This week we celebrate the birth\u00a0(“nativity”<\/em><\/span>) of\u00a0the one who would be the herald of the coming Messiah, John the Baptist:<\/p>\n

In those days came John the Baptist, preaching<\/span> in the wilderness of Judea<\/span>, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand<\/span>.” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness<\/span>: Prepare the way<\/span> of the Lord, make his paths straight”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair<\/span>, and a leather belt<\/span> around his waist; and his food was locusts<\/span> and wild honey<\/span>. Then went out to him Jerusalem<\/span> and all Judea<\/span> and all the region about the Jordan<\/span>, and they were baptized<\/span> by him in the river Jordan<\/span>, confessing their sins<\/span><\/em>. – Matthew 3:1-6<\/span><\/p>\n

As we celebrate Mass this week, let us pray for courage to step out boldly as prophets, to speak truth to our world and to prepare the way of the Lord.<\/p>\n

The baptized have become “living stones” to be “built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood.” By Baptism<\/span> they share in the priesthood of Christ, in his prophetic<\/span> and royal mission<\/span>… “[They] must profess<\/span> before men the faith<\/span> they have received from God through the Church” and participate in the apostolic and missionary activity<\/span> of the People of God.<\/em> – Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraphs\u00a01268 and 1270\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Reading I: Isaiah 49:1-6<\/h3>\n

Our First Reading from Isaiah is the beginning of the second of the “Suffering Servant”<\/em><\/span> song. This Reading primarily refers to the Messiah, but it could easily be applied to the Messiah’s forerunner, John. Therefore, in the commentary I’ll point out how this passage is fulfilled for Jesus and how it is fulfilled for John.<\/p>\n

Hear me, O coastlands, listen, O distant peoples. The LORD called me from birth, from my mother’s womb he gave me my name. He made of me a sharp-edged sword and concealed me in the shadow of his arm. He made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me. You are my servant, he said to me, Israel, through whom I show my glory.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength, yet my reward is with the LORD, my recompense is with my God. For now the LORD has spoken\u00a0who formed me as his servant from the womb, that Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; and I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my strength! It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Questions:<\/p>\n