THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Her Doctrine and Morals Nativity of St. John the Baptist 24 June 2012

The Sunday Sermon

Dear Friends,

The Church celebrates only three Nativities: the first is that of Jesus on Christmas Day, the second is that of the Blessed Mother, the third is that of St. John the Baptist. There is a very important doctrinal truth revealed to us in this. We are conceived in sin and consequently at our birth we come forth from our mothers in the state of sin – Original Sin.

Jesus as God, of course, was without sin; so consequently His birth is one of great joy and celebration to the world. He came in all purity to take our sins upon Himself, and thus to redeem us. Mary, as the Mother of God, was privileged to be preserved from all sin. She was conceived Immaculate, so consequently her birth was without sin. Her Nativity is likewise a source of great joy to the Church and all devout Catholics.

St. John is not God nor was he conceived immaculately. However, Sacred Scripture informs us that while still in his mother’s womb, his mother – St. Elizabeth – was visited by Mary who was already carrying Our Lord in her womb. At the first sound of Mary’s voice; St. John lept in his mother’s womb. Tradition informs us that at that moment St. John was sanctified by the very presence of God. From that moment, the sixth month since his conception, he was without sin. Three months later at his birth he saw the light of day for the first time as no other new born, in the state of sanctifying grace. His birth then is a cause for celebration for us also.

For the rest of us the first spiritual joy was the day of our baptism. This day is greater than the day of our creation (conception) and of our (physical) birth. The life of the soul given in baptism (second birth) is far superior to the material life of our bodies given in our conception. The world emphasizes our birth with such pomp and ceremony that many spiritual realities are lost sight of.

We did not begin living on our birth day. Our lives actually began with our conception about nine months earlier. Hopefully, at that moment, our parents, cooperating with the grace of God and living in the state of graceful Holy Matrimony, participated in the work of God in this miraculous wonder of creation. Though this is the best scenario for us, and the life of our souls, we are still, nonetheless, conceived in the state of Original Sin. It seems much better to be conceived only in Original Sin rather than have our conception take place in the very act of Mortal Sin of our parents. Too many people are conceived with the additional burden of the fornication or adultery of their parents added to the already tremendous weight of Original Sin.

For a few of us who were given the grace to be born, and were not taken early by God, or have our lives ended prematurely by our parents (regardless of whether or not we were conceived with the added burden of our parents acts of sin in our conception) we have been given the great grace and opportunity of Baptism. With the grace of Baptism we are given our first opportunity of supernatural life. We become adopted children of God, and Jesus – the Son of God – becomes our Brother. Baptism is therefore a true second birth – a spiritual birth in the life of grace. This birth is worthy of celebration because it is similar to the Birth of Christ, Who was born without sin. This birth likewise makes Mary our mother as we are her children too. We become children of God, and since she is the Mother of God it follows that we are her children too. Not only in this manner but also because of her glorious privilege of her Immaculate Conception and birth we become like her in our second birth – Baptism (which washes us clean of sin).

Next we must consider our relation to St. John. Our baptismal life much more corresponds to his life than it does to either Jesus or Mary. We began as enemies of God in sin but, have been sanctified later by the grace of Baptism. St. John was conceived a physical relative of Jesus, but was made a spiritual relation by the sanctification that occurred in his mother’s womb. We may not be physically closely related to God, but we become spiritually related by Baptism. We say “closely-related” because we are all physically related to God for two reasons: First, because Adam is the father of us all and he is the son of God because he came directly from the hand of God. Christ is the Second Adam coming forth directly from the hand of God when He was conceived by the Holy Ghost in the womb of Mary. Secondly, we are physically related to God because it was He that gave us life through the willing or unwilling cooperation of our parents. Far more important than this physical relation, is our spiritual one given to us by the grace of our second birth in Baptism.

Therefore as we celebrate St. John’s nativity let us learn to love and honor our own spiritual nativity (Baptism). May we frequently with great joy renew our Baptismal Promises and ever strive to keep alive the life of grace given us at that time.