ANGELUS TODAY
June 24, 2012
Remembering John the Baptist
Pope Benedict spoke to the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square today for the noontime Angelus on John the Baptist, whose nativity the Church observes today.
In English, he said:
This Sunday, we celebrate the birth of John the Baptist, the great saint who prepared the way for our Lord. John was a voice, crying in the wilderness, calling God’s people to repentance. Let us heed his voice today, and make room for the Lord in our hearts.
After the prayers, he thanked the faithful for their contributions collected in Italy today on the Day for the Pope's Charities, and also asked their prayers for the earthquake victims in the Modena area as he prepares to visit them on Tuesday, June 26.
Here is a full translation of the Holy Father's words today:
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today, June 24, we celebrate the solemnity of the birth of St. John the Baptist. Other than the Virgin Mary, the Baptist is the only saint whose birth is celerbated by the liturgy, and this is because his birth is closely linked to the mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God.
In fact, even in his mother's womb, John was the precursor of Jesus: His miraculous conception was announced by the Angel to Mary as a sign that "nothing is impossible to God" (Lk 1,37), six months before the great miracle that would bring us salvation - the union of God with man through the work of the Holy Spirit.
The four Gospels all give great importance to the figure of John the Baptist as the prophet who concludes the Old testament and inaugurates the New, recognizing the Messiah in Jesus of Nazareth, consecrated by the Lord.
Indeed, Jesus himself would speak of John in these words: "This is the one about whom it is written: ‘Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way before you.’ Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he" (Mt 11,10-11).
The father of John, Zachariah - husband of Elizabeth, Mary's relative - was a priest of the Old Testament cult. He did not immediately believe the news of a fatherhood that was unthinkable [because of his wife's advanced age], and for this, he became mute until the day the baby was circumcised, to whom he and his wife gave the name indicated by God, John, which means 'the Lord gives grace'.
Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Zachariah spoke thus of his son's mission: "And you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins" (Lk 1,76-77).
All of this would be manifested 30 years later, when John started to baptize in the river Jordan, calling the people to prepare themselves with that gesture of penitence for the imminent coming of the Messiah, whom God had revealed to him during the time he spent in the Judean desert. And so he was called the Baptist - one who baptizes (cfr Mt 3,1-6),
When one day, from Nazareth, Jesus himself came to be baptized, John refused at first, and then agreed, and he saw the Holy Spirit poised above Jesus and heard the voice of the heavenly Father who proclaimed that this was his Son (cfr Mt 3,13-17).
But the Baptist's mission was not done. Not long thereafter, he would be asked to precede Jesus even by way of a violent death. John was beheaded in the prison of King Herod, and thus rendered full testimony to the Lamb of God, whom he had been the first to recognize and publicly proclaim.
Dear friends, the Virgin Mary helped her older relative Elizabeth to bring to term her pregnancy of John. May she help us all to follow Jesus, the Christ, Son of God, whom the Baptist announced with great humility and prophetic ardor.
After the prayers, he said:
Today in Italy is the Day for the Pope's Charity. I thank all the parish communities, families and individuals for their constant generous support in behalf of so many brothers in difficulty.
In this regard, may I remind you that day after tomorrow, God willing, I shall make a brief visit to the area struck by the recent earthquakes in North Italy. I wish this to be a sign of solidarity from the whole Church, and I ask you all to accompany me with your prayers.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 24/06/2012 18:42]