St. John the Baptist was a “miracle baby.”  His mother St. Elizabeth, a relative of the Blessed Virgin Mary, “conceived a son in her old age” though she had been “called barren” (Luke: 1: 36).  The reason she conceived was because, as the Archangel Gabriel told Mary, “Nothing will be impossible for God” (Luke 1: 37) who created John to be the  “forerunner” to Jesus.

John was a “miracle baby” as well because he was born without Original Sin.  He was not immaculately conceived like the Blessed Virgin, but when Mary visited Elizabeth in order to help during her pregnancy, the Holy Spirit came upon Elizabeth and the baby John, still in her womb, “leaped for joy” (Luke 1: 44).  Thus, he was freed from Original Sin in his mother’s womb.  And so, we celebrate a feast in honor of his birth as well as a feast in remembrance of his martyrdom and entrance into eternal life on August 29.

Eight days after his birth, his father Zechariah was “filled with the Holy Spirit” and proclaimed a great prophecy concerning his son (Luke 1: 67).  This prophecy, known as Zechariah’s Canticle, is part of the Church’s Morning Prayer and is prayed daily.  In it, after praising God who “has visited and brought redemption to His people” (Luke 1: 68), Zechariah addressed his son:

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare His way, to give His people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins.  In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace (Luke 1: 76-79).

God created John the Baptist for a mission—to prepare people to receive the Messiah, Jesus, the Savior of the world.  He did this by announcing the mercy of God “who wills everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2: 4).

Each of us has a similar mission in life.  Sharing “in the tender compassion of our God,” we are to be lights “that shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.”  We are called “to guide” others “into the way of peace.”  But we can only do this in so far as we grow in union with Jesus, the Light of the world.  Like John, we must say each day, “He must increase; I must decrease” (John 3: 30).