When the disciples asked Jesus Christ what He thought about John the Baptist, the Savior directly named His Forerunner the Angel, and added that of all the people there was not yet more than John the Baptist (Matthew 11: 10-11). Such a high appreciation from the mouth of Christ Himself, already makes for us the personality of Saint John an example for imitation.
But what is the reason that the Church so solemnly celebrates the birth of this great prophet? The fact is that this wonderful event, which is described on the very first pages of his Gospel by the Apostle Luke, is surprisingly multifaceted.
On the one hand, this is an example of a worthy reward for a constant prayer, the patience of unjust insults and the hope of God's help. The elderly priest Zacharias and his wife, Elizabeth, had no children, and for this they were constantly subjected to ridicule and condemnation of the Jewish society of that time, which considered the infertility of the Lord as punishment for sins. One can only imagine with what contempt the surrounding people treated Zechariah, considering him an unworthy cleric. How did the parents of the future prophet answer all these challenges? It would seem that the easiest way would be to answer evil for evil, to become angry and hate your offenders. But the saints Zechariah and Elizabeth silently tolerated all, and only more strongly asked God to remove from them this unrighteous shame. And the Lord did not leave their prayers, having awarded them the honor of being the parents of the Savior's Assistant to the world. On the other hand, in this birth celebration, we see how God overcomes the physical laws of the visible world, manifesting His heavenly omnipotence. The appearance of the Angel of Zechariah in the temple and his temporary dumbness, the birth of a healthy child in the elderly parents, the father's prophecy about the future of his son, are all evidences of miracles that tear apart the categories of being that are habitual to our understanding.
And finally, the main reason for today's holiday is that it was from the Nativity of St. John the Baptist and the Baptist that the process of saving all mankind began, preparing it for the acceptance of the teaching of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Therefore, it is not without reason that the Evangelist Luke, who carefully collected all sources and writes his narrative in chronological order, begins his Gospel precisely with the event of the Nativity of the Precursor. For the sake of the great goal of saving the whole human race, God chooses the most worthy people, and transcending the laws of natural understanding, miraculously through these chosen ones, prepares the whole world for understanding the Good News of His Only-Begotten Son.
Born Elizabeth's son, he became a worthy successor to the pious life of his parents. Living in the desert, in prayer and fasting, without material benefits, - John was exalted spiritually and became a famous preacher and a reprover of untruth. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, which will correct all the ways for the Lord who follows him, - so called the Forerunner the prophet Isaiah, in his prophecy of his appearance (Isaiah 40, 3). St. John the Baptist is by right considered the greatest of the people who have attained holiness, because he is often depicted on the icons standing to the right of Christ.
For us, the people of the 21st century, today's event, more than two thousand years old, is more important than ever. In our life we are used to want everything at once. And often we think that it is only necessary to ask God for something, and He will embody our, often selfish, desire into reality. At the same time, we do not even try to live as required by the commandments of Christ. Is it any wonder that our prayer remains unanswered?
The parents of St. John the Baptist led a pious life, prayed and for many years suffered reproaches of society, remaining without a sign of Divine attention. And God heard their entreaties, but according to His will and design, it was not yet time to fulfill the request. But, when this time came, He rewarded the holy parents of the Forerunner a hundred times more.
Their example is very instructive for all of us. Not without reason, in prayer Our Father, we say to the Lord: Thy will be done. Life under God's law and the hope of the fulfillment of His will never remain without reward from God - this is the useful lesson that each of us should embody in our lives. Of course, this is a very difficult path, but it prepares us for that state when we can see the face of the Heavenly Father and His glory (Mt.18, 10).
