MANILA, Philippines – Watch out! This coming Sunday is the feast of St. John Baptist’s birth and pranksters will take to the streets, playfully dousing water on people. There’s more to the feast of St. John the Baptist, however, than dousing of water. For the Baptist’s life tells us about what it means to be a true Christian.
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John the Baptist was a prophet. When we hear the term “prophet,” not a few think that he is someone who foretells the future, like our manghuhula (fortune tellers) do. The truth is that the prophet’s chief role is not to foretell, but to build the future by telling people how to live in the present.
To be a prophet means to proclaim the message of God at all times, to all people whether they like to hear it or not. The prophet is the conscience of the people.
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Thus, John the Baptist lambasted the self-righteous Pharisees and Sadducees: “Brood of vipers, who warned you to fly from the retribution that is coming!” Then he dared tell Herodias, the mistress of Herod and his brother’s wife, that their relationship was immoral. John’s words disturbed Herodias’ conscience and the only way to silence him was to have him beheaded. By the way, he was the first man in Scriptures to literally “lose his head over a woman.”
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There will be times, too, when we Christians have to stick to non-negotiable moral principles and convictions. This reminds me of a grieving balikbayan lady who approached his parish priest to request that a Requiem Mass be said for her imported dog, which had just died. “Mass for a dog?” retorted the priest. “Lady, that’s against the canon (church) law!”
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“You see, Father, I love that dear little dog very much. I set aside $500 for his funeral service. But if you don’t like, I’ll just go to the Protestant church,” replied the lady as she turned around to leave. On hearing the $500, the priest’s eyes sparkled and blurted out, “Lady, you can’t do that. Your dog is a Catholic. Come back, I’ll say the Mass for the poor little creature.”
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Obviously, that’s only a joke but don’t our Christian principles and convictions falter when some juicy considerations are offered?
Think, for instance, of certain multi-million-peso projects and purchases for which certain government officials can cheat. It’s not just government projects but in shows and movies where a nice girl consents to appear bold “if the price is right.”
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Another important message of the Baptist is his life of utter simplicity and austerity. John practiced what he preached. People are turned off by glib talking leaders who are really after their own pockets and vested interests. This applies to clerics and evangelists, too, who enrich themselves from the church collection and not exemplifying the poverty and simplicity of Christ. As someone once said, “I can’t hear what you’re teaching because I cannot see it in your action.” These leaders are no prophets but PROFITS.
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FAMILY TV MASS – is aired on IBC 13 at 7 a.m. every Sunday and on GMA Pinoy TV International. Sponsor: MOST HOLY REDEEMER PARISH, SFDM, QC. Presider: Fr. Clod Bagabaldo, parish priest.
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For Mass intentions, e.g. sick, dead, call Brian at Christ the King Seminary (cf. tel. directory) or e-mail: familytvmass@yahoo.com.
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