St. John the Baptist: Forerunner of the Lord
Quick answer
St. John the Baptist was the son of Zachary and Elizabeth, a relative of Jesus, and the last of the prophets. He preached repentance by the Jordan, baptized Jesus, and pointed Him out as the Lamb of God. He was beheaded by Herod Antipas for condemning his unlawful marriage. The Church celebrates his birth on June 24 and his martyrdom on August 29.
Key takeaways
- The angel Gabriel announced his birth to his father Zachary in the Temple (Luke 1).
- He leapt in his mother's womb when Mary, carrying Jesus, visited Elizabeth.
- He baptized Jesus in the Jordan and called Him "the Lamb of God."
- He is one of the few saints whose birth the Church celebrates, along with Jesus and Mary.
Every Advent, St. John the Baptist steps forward with the same message: prepare the way of the Lord. He is the bridge between the Old Testament and the New.
A Miraculous Birth
John’s parents, the priest Zachary and his wife Elizabeth, were old and had no children. While Zachary served in the Temple, the angel Gabriel told him that Elizabeth would bear a son, who would be filled with the Holy Spirit and turn many hearts to God. Zachary doubted and was struck mute until the child was born (Luke 1:5-25).
When Mary, newly pregnant with Jesus, visited Elizabeth, the baby leapt in his mother’s womb (Luke 1:41). At John’s circumcision, Zachary wrote, “John is his name,” and his speech returned. He burst into the canticle prayed every morning in the Liturgy of the Hours, the Benedictus.
The Voice in the Wilderness
John grew up and lived in the desert, wearing camel’s hair and eating locusts and wild honey. He preached by the Jordan River, calling people to repent and be baptized. Soldiers, tax collectors and ordinary people came to him, and he told each to live justly.
He was clear that he was not the Messiah. “There cometh after me one mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and loose” (Mark 1:7).
The Lamb of God
When Jesus came to be baptized, John tried to refuse, but Jesus insisted. As He came up from the water, the Spirit descended like a dove and the Father’s voice was heard (Matthew 3:13-17). The next day John pointed to Him and said, “Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). We repeat his words at every Mass before Holy Communion.
Martyrdom
John told King Herod Antipas that it was not lawful for him to have his brother’s wife, Herodias. Herod imprisoned him. At a banquet, Herodias’s daughter danced, and Herod rashly promised her anything. At her mother’s urging she asked for John’s head, and Herod had him beheaded (Mark 6:17-29).
Jesus said of him that among those born of women there was none greater (Matthew 11:11). John’s own motto was humility: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).
A Prayer to St. John the Baptist (Original Prayer)
St. John the Baptist, you prepared the way for Jesus. Help me to turn from sin and make room for Him. Give me your courage to speak the truth, and your humility to point always to Christ. Amen.
Continue Reading
Read about the Magnificat, Mary’s song at the Visitation, St. Anne, or the Holy Innocents.
Frequently asked questions
When is the feast of St. John the Baptist?
His birth is celebrated on June 24, a solemnity, and his martyrdom on August 29.
Why is he called the Baptist?
Because he baptized people in the Jordan River as a sign of repentance, preparing them for the coming of the Messiah.
How was John the Baptist related to Jesus?
His mother Elizabeth was a relative of Mary (Luke 1:36), so John and Jesus were kinsmen.
Sources
- Gospel of Luke 1 and 3; Matthew 3, 11 and 14; John 1:19-36 (Douay-Rheims)
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, nos. 523, 717–720
- Roman Missal, Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist
