Today we recognize the birth of John the Baptist.
John the Baptist was born six months before Jesus. While we don’t know their exact dates of birth, it makes sense chronologically that we celebrate John the Baptist’s birthday six months ahead of the day we celebrate Jesus’s birth.
This day of solemnity – June 24 – comes three days after the start of summer. The first day of summer is the longest day of the year, after which days begin to get shorter.
Likewise, we celebrate Jesus’s birthday – December 25 – four days after the darkest day of the year, when the darkest days of the year are beginning to get lighter. Metaphorically, Jesus is bringing light into the world.
Just as we recognize Jesus as bringing light into the world, we look at the current seasonal calendar and see another metaphor correlated to celebrating the birth of John the Baptist. Days are now getting shorter; we look to 3:30 in the fourth gospel: “He must become greater, I must become less.” In other words…..Just as John the Baptist recognized Jesus as greater than himself (“I am not worthy to untie his sandals”), we look at today’s days getting shorter as symbolically representing that we must reduce ourselves (we are less important) as we give Jesus a greater place in our lives.
Kim Burkhardt blogs at A Parish Catechist and The Books of the Ages.
* Royalty paid for use of image.
