The Gospel for the solemnity of the Nativity of John the Baptist is taken from St. Luke, first chapter, 57th verse, to the 66th verse and the 80th verse. When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a son. Her. 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 blessings of God.

Then fear came upon all the neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, what will this child be? Surely the hand of God was with him. The child grew, became strong in spirit. He was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel. Many have shared with me the experience when they saw their child for the first time.

And they were filled with emotion of love and wanting to care for this child and wondering, what will the child be? Who will he be, or who will she be? It’s natural to believe that there’s something given to us before we enter this world, which is the work we’re called to do. And we have the gifts and the talent and the ability to do it with God’s help. Believe in a destiny. Believe in your destiny.

It’s the way God works. It’s what he wants us to know and wants us to surrender to. Closing prayer Father, your guidance is promised. It’s up to us to open our hearts, open our minds to what it is that you’re longing to show us. And if we understand that the most important thing is that we become who we are, meant to be, using our gifts, our talents, in the way that we’re able to, maybe we do great things. Maybe we do almost nothing that seems of any significance to anyone other than you, bless us with that conviction that we have a task to accomplish, and you’ll be there for us.

Amen.