His name is John

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How Great Thou Art

Salt of the Sound

Today is Wednesday the 24th of June, the feast of the Nativity of St John the Baptist, in the 12th week of Ordinary Time.

Salt of the Sound sings, ‘How Great Thou Art’. As you come to prayer today, recall the things for which you are grateful to God.

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation

And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart

Then I shall bow in humble adoration

And there proclaim: "My God, how great thou art!"

Then sings my soul, my Saviour-God, to thee

How great thou art! How great thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Saviour-God, to thee

How great thou art! How great thou art!

3:15

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Luke. We will only hear the passage once through today, followed by an imaginative contemplation exercise, so prepare to step into the scene...

Luke 1:57-66, 80

Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. Her neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.

On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. But his mother said, ‘No; he is to be called John.’ They said to her, ‘None of your relatives has this name.’ Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. He asked for a writing-tablet and wrote, ‘His name is John.’ And all of them were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God. Fear came over all their neighbours, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea. All who heard them pondered them and said, ‘What then will this child become?’ For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him.

The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day he appeared publicly to Israel.

5:38

Today we celebrate the birth of John the Baptist, and our reading reminds us of some of the extraordinary and surprising events surrounding John’s birth.

As you begin your time of prayer, try to picture the hill country of Judea with its green, sloping hills and pine forests.

Imagine Elizabeth and Zechariah in their house, holding their baby.

Listen to their conversation... then the exclamations of joy and the delight of the neighbours and relatives as they come to wish them well.

What is it like to become part of this scene? Perhaps there is someone in the home with whom you would like to have a conversation.

We now imagine that we join the family for the circumcision ceremony of John. We remember that Zechariah has been mute for nine months, so picture him now as he struggles to communicate by gestures and writing the name of the child.

‘His name is John.’

Imagine that you hear Zechariah recovering his voice and listen as he begins to praise God. What reactions do you see among his family and guests?

‘All these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea.  All who heard them pondered them and said, “What then will this child become?’

In your prayer now, offer your own praise to God as you recall the life and ministry of John. What would you like to especially give thanks for?

12:13

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be

World without end

Amen