Luke 1:57-66, 80
When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. 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 blessing God. Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, "What, then, will this child be?" For surely the hand of the Lord was with him. The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel.
Dawg's thought:
Today's prayer intention is for the 3 missing boys in New Jersey.
"What, then, will this child be... for surely the hand of the Lord was with him..."
When I think of St. John the Baptist's declaration of humility, "I must decrease so that He may increase," I think to myself the same thing: surely the hand of the Lord was with him. This declaration is exactly the reason why today is his solemnity because today is the day when the days begin to grow shorter, just like Christmas is the day when the days grow longer.
Today, let us decrease with humility as well. Take care and God Bless.
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