Today we celebrate the feast of the nativity of St. John the Baptist. The Bible readings for this feast take the place of the regular Sunday readings. Today’s feast occurs near the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere just as the daylight begins to diminish. Six months from now we celebrate the feast of the nativity of Christ near the shortest day of the year just as the daylight begins to increase. This connects with what John the Baptist says in John’s gospel: “[Christ] must increase; I must decrease” (John 3:30).
This saying of John must also be our motto as we journey in faith, hope, and love on this earth. Any self-absorption must be replaced with the light of Christ radiating more clearly in our lives and in our world. How do you experience this needed and necessary transformation?