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Gospel: Luke 1: 57-66
When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child
she gave birth to a son.
Her neighbors and relatives heard
that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her,
and they rejoiced with her.
When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child,
they were going to call him Zechariah after his father,
but his mother said in reply,
“No. He will be called John.”
But they answered her,
“There is no one among your relatives who has this name.”
So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called.
He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,”
and all were amazed.
Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed,
and he spoke blessing God.
Then fear came upon all their neighbors,
and all these matters were discussed
throughout the hill country of Judea.
All who heard these things took them to heart, saying,
“What, then, will this child be?
For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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Mark Twain once said, “The two most important days in your life are the day you were born…and the day you know why.”
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In today’s Gospel, we celebrate the birth of John the Baptist. From the moment of his birth, people were wondering, “Why was this child born? What will he become?”
They suspected John had a divine purpose. But they’d have to wait another thirty years to find out what it was.
After entering into the desert, John builds up the kingdom of God by his preaching and baptism of repentance, preparing thousands to receive Jesus.
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John reminds us that we all have a “why,” a reason for our lives. My mother used to say, her “why” was simply becoming a mother.
My “why” has been being ordained a priest.
What is your “why”?
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Perhaps the answer changes, even simplifies, over time.
But we can be sure of this: the same Lord who gave us life also gives a purpose to each day.
May we find it – and live out with love.
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Image credits: (1) Quoteistan, Mark Twain (2) Keesler Air Force Base (3) MTD Training