There was a spiritual cry from John the Baptist announcing the arrival of Jesus to be immersed in the waters of River Jordan in the wilderness. John who was five months older to Jesus was the son of Zechariaus who was miraculously conceived by the ageing Elizabeth who was a cousin of Virgin Mary.
The Gospel presents Jesus as the great Teacher who has the authority to interpret the Law of God and who teaches about God’s Kingdom.
At that time John the Baptist came to the desert of Judaea and started preaching saying “Turn away from your sins because the Kingdom of heaven is near. John was the man the prophet Isaiah was talking about when he said ‘Someone is shouting in the desert, prepare a road for the Lord. Make a straight path for him to travel”.
John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair. He wore a leather belt round his waist and his food was locusts and wild honey. People came to him from Jerusalem, the whole province of Judaea and from the country near River Jordan. They confessed their sins and he baptized them in the Jordan River.
When John saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to him to be baptized, he said to them ‘You snakes; who told you that you could escape from the punishment God is about to send? Do these things that will show that you have turned from your sins. And don’t think you can escape punishment by saying that Abraham is your ancestor. I tell you that God can take these stones and make descendants for Abraham. The axe is ready to cut down the trees at the roots: every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut and thrown to fire. I baptize you with water to show that you have repented but one who will come after me will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. He is much greater than I am: and I am not good enough even to carry his sandals. He has his winnowing shovel with him to thrash out all the grain. He will gather his wheat into his barn, but he will burn the chaffs in a fire that never goes out.”
At that time Jesus arrived from Galilee, came to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. But John tried to make him change his mind. “I ought to be baptized by you,” John said and “yet you have come to me”. But Jesus answered him “Let it be so for now. For in this way we shall do all the good God requires”. So John agreed.
As soon as Jesus was baptized, he came out of the water. The heaven was opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove and alighting on him. Then a voice said ‘This is my own dear Son, with whom I am pleased’.
THE HOLY BIBLE
When Elizabeth gave birth to a baby son, he wanted to name him Zechariaus after his father but Elizabeth said no. His name is to be John. As the news spread around Zechariah who was dumb asked for a writing tablet and wrote ‘His name will be John’. At that moment he was able to speak. Again he started praising God. As the news spread around the hill country, people began to fear and asked each other ‘What is this child going to be? It was plain that God’s power was upon him.
The Holy Bible says so and John the Baptist was born as it prophesized.
St. John the Baptist, (born 1st decade BCE, Judaea, Palestine, near Jerusalem—died 28–36 CE; feast day June 24).
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