ST JOHN THE BAPTIST

Among those born of women none is greater then John the Baptist, and yet he is the smallest in the kingdom of heaven.
All around the world people rejoice today as they celebrate the birth of the Baptist. Here at Sevenoaks we rejoice especially as he is our Patron Saint. In front of me on my desk is a photograph of the place where John was born and where we were fortunate enough to pray and celebrate the Holy Mysteries last February. Next to this picture, I have an icon of St John which my children gave me as a birthday gift some years back. It shows St John blessing us, showing us the way he was to die but also sporting a pair of wings.
The wings represent the angelic state of the Baptist’s life. Through the desert experience and his humility (the smallest in the kingdom of heaven), he lived as though he was an angel. In humility, he pointed towards Jesus, in humility he paved the way, in humility he became the greatest among those born of women.
May St John grant us the grace of humility as like him we seek the desert experience.