Opening Prayer Series: Collect- Nativity of John the Baptist.

The Collect ( Mass during the day) for the Nativity of St John the Baptist reads as follows:

O God who raised up St John the Baptist,

to make ready a nation fit for Christ Our Lord,

give Your people we pray,

the grace of spiritual joys,

and direct the hearts of all the faithful

into the way of salvation and peace.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ Your Son,

who lives with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God for ever and ever.

In making this prayer tangible, the following reflection questions emerged:

1. Why does the Church celebrate the  Nativity of John the Baptist?
2. How can I make myself ready for Christ this coming week?
3. How can I bring another person to Christ?
4. Why should I pray for the grace of spiritual joys?
5. What is the way of salvation and peace?
6. How can I be led into the way of salvation and peace this coming week?
7. What is my personal plan in this Year of Grace for this coming week?

In today's Collect, it says that God raised up St John the Baptist to make ready a nation fit for Christ the Lord.  In today's Gospel, which is Luke's account of the Nativity of John the Baptist, we sense the neighbours joy for Elizabeth and Zechariah, since having children was considered a blessing and to give birth to a child late in life raised the stakes of interest even further amongst the neighbours.

These neighbours would have remembered what they have been told about Zechariah when the angel appeared to him nine months before the baby's birth, (Lk 15:23) and now when the child is to be named, there is a break from tradition and he is called John, which his father communicated by writing. Then his power of speech returns and he praises God.  St Luke creates the awe and wonder experienced by the neighbours so well.  A birth of a child always creates interest from loved ones, friends and neighbours. But how much more interested would these neighbours been as they watched St John the Baptist grow and mature.

So, we are not Zechariah and Elizabeth's neighbours.  How does this gospel scene speak to us?

This gospel passage may encourage us to:

• Be aware of the presence of God in our lives and the lives of others and in experiencing it, express our gratititude to God.
• Appreciate the gift of new life in a birth of a child and experience and share the joy with the new parents.
• Pray for the new born child asking God to help him/ her to grow with His blessing.
• Understand that the naming of a child is important as it often indicates personality traits and future career path. If you are expecting a child, you may wish to ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in the naming of your child.
• Remain faithful to what we believe to be true especially if we have had some spiritual confirmation/experience.

May the celebration of the nativity of St John the Baptist 

give you encouragement  to bring others to Christ 

and to be faithful to your vocation to which God has called you.