Saint John Of The Cross, Doctor

Isaiah 41:13-20
Matthew 11:11-15

Today, December 14, we celebrate the memorial of St. John of the Cross, a mystical doctor of the Church who through his life and writings strives to live the way of perfection, the way of growth, that is, loving God and neighbors. For John, the spiritual life is a continual process of growth or regression. It is never static. Growth in the spiritual life is an integrated development that implies a firm, unrelenting, and enthusiastic search for union with God. The tool for this growth is mortification
The poem,  Dark Night,  is the basis of two of John’s major works, the Ascent of Mount Carmel and the Dark Night.

He suffered severely at the hands of his fellow religious but in the end, he was raised to be a doctor of the Church. St. John of the Cross often said; In sorrow and suffering, go straight to God with confidence, and you will be strengthened, enlightened, and instructed. Being a mystic, he received knowledge from God. Spiritual knowledge is a source of strength to the Christian. It strengthens his faith. Believers are constantly spoken of in the Scriptures as being persons who are enlightened and taught of the Lord; they are said to “have an unction from the Holy One,” How important, then, is it that we should grow not only in grace but in the “knowledge” of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus praises John the Baptist as the great prophet and confirms that John has fulfilled the promise that Elijah would return to herald the coming of the Messiah (Malachi 4:5). It was God who gave John the Baptist’s parents his name. God gave him his mission before birth. He was a voice that brought healing and joy to his father and mother. He was a gracious child and a blessing to the house of Israel. He was chosen to be the prophet of the Lord to prepare the way for the Lord. He was a man of great humility and courage. He spoke the truth and died for the sake of the kingdom of God.

The mission of John the Baptist was planned by God even before he was born. When we think deeper about it, our existence too is in God’s plan even before we were born. God has a plan and mission for each of us just as He had a plan and a mission for John the Baptist.

John the Baptist went on to fulfill his mission in life and prepared the way for the Saviour. How do you see your role as a bearer of the Good News of Jesus? What thoughts and feelings do you have when you realize that you have been called by God from before your birth? What can you do to remind others of the “graciousness of God”?
Let it be known that even though the enemies range with anger, fury, and violence, God will do what He says He will do. God will do it for you. Like John the Baptist, may we be a true, humble, and steadfast witness to Christ.

May God give us the grace to continue to live out our calling from Him which was given to us from before our birth – to give witness to the Good News and prepare the way for the Lord Jesus to come into our life and the lives of others. May you be great before God and man. And may St John the Baptist pray for you. Amen.
God bless you and bless your day.

Fr Joseph Osho