Saint John the Baptist

The birth of John the Baptist is described in Luke’s Gospel, set in Judea during the final years before the public ministry of Jesus. John was born to Zechariah, a priest of the Temple, and Elizabeth, a relative of Mary. His birth was announced by the angel Gabriel, and his name broke expectation because it signaled a divine mission rather than a family custom.

The Church celebrates John’s birth on June 24, six months before Christmas, reflecting Luke 1:36, where Elizabeth is in her sixth month when the Annunciation is made to Mary. John became the voice crying in the wilderness, preaching repentance near the Jordan River and preparing Israel for the Messiah. His solemnity reminds us that every Christian vocation is meant to point beyond the self toward Christ.

Prayer: Saint John the Baptist, prepare our hearts for the Lord and teach us to decrease so that Christ may increase. Amen.