Birth of Saint John the Baptist

 

There are few saints more loved in the art and imagination of the Eastern Orthodox Church than John the Baptist. Wherever Clare and I have walked in the Greek islands and on the mainland, and in Cyprus, churches dedicated to St. John seem to have sprung up. So it is worth pausing for a moment and asking “why this devotion to John the Baptist” which is displayed not only in the number of church dedications, but in the traditional arrangement of the iconostasis, the icon screen in front of the altar, where the arrangement of icons places John the Baptist on the lefthand of the figure of Jesus, as it were pointing to him. With what then is John pointing ? With nothing less than his whole life, from the beginning to the end, from miraculous birth to the death of a courageous martyr, witnessing to truth and justice against King Herod Agrippa. If you look at the icon of St. John heading our service sheet, you will see the typically hairy and ascetic saint has been equipped with a pair of wings. I often used to wonder about that, until and orthodox priest explained to me “ I will send my angelos before my face”
I will send my messenger before my face . John then is the appointed messenger sent to point out the way to Jesus both by his words summoning people to repentance, and by the testimony of his life and his death, and in his death he is what the Orthodox call “a passion-bearer” – one who in death identifies their calling with that of the Saviour and his passion. Through the testimony of John, “behold the lamb of God” – we may see Jesus and catch a glimpse of the calling of Jesus to suffer for us.
And yet, though Jesus spoke with reverence highly of John, yet he also said that the least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he is. Jesus brings about something completely new, new wine that cannot be stored in previous prophetic bottles.
And it seems that John in his austerity found it difficult when he heard about Jesus whom he looked to as the Messiah who was being revealed to Israel, eating and drinking with sinners. He sent messengers to find out what it was all about.
And so this brings me to the heart of what I want to share with you in this homily.
John preached the message of repentance with baptism for the remission of sins. Deliverance from the wrath of God which threatens to consume sinners.
Jesus preached the message of repentance as the joyful way of reconciliation with God.
It is this note of Joy with which Jesus transforms Johns’ message of repentance, the note of joy which can also transform you and me as we journey as citizens of God’s Kingdom, being changed as St. Paul reminds us from glory to glory as we look upon the face of Christ. I give three examples of this joy. There is the joy of the good thief, calling out on the cross, and the word of Jesus “Today you shall be with me in Paradise.”
There is the joy of the prodigal son in the parable, embraced by his father despite his sense of complete unworthiness.
And there is the call of Zacheus, when Jesus invites himself to Zacheus’ house for a meal. We not that there are no formal words of instruction calling upon Zacheus to repent as one of the most wretched of sinners; it is the word of invitation that does the work. It is so unexpected that it is overwhelming, and bowls Zacheus over so that he promises to make amends to all those whom he has over-charged or defrauded.
We find this joy of repentance – shared with the angels, for there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety nine just persons who need no repentance- we find it again and again in the life of Christians down the ages, called and re-made through the grace of Christ. I need only think of John Newton, the slave-trader, who has given us the hymn Amazing Grace. Or of John Bunyan who has given us his Pilgrim’s Progress. And countless others.
The Hebrew word for “repent” means to “turn” in other words to turn round, go in the opposite direction from the one that you have been following. This is beautifully expressed in the Shaker Song
“It is good to be simple, it is good to be free”
That is something I like to sing to myself, sometimes when I am out on a walk, and this morning I am going to conclude by
sharing this singing with you, for I don’t think the joy of repentance can be fully expressed without music to refresh the soul.
‘Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free,
‘Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be;
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
‘Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gained,
To bow and to bend we shan’t be ashamed;
to turn, turn, will be our delight.
Till by turning, turning we come round right.

The composer Aaron Copland used this beautiful melody in his composition Appalachian Spring. Music that refreshes the soul, even in the most difficult of times.
Thanks be to God.
shaker song, Apalachian Spring – Search
notice the lingering last note, that bears its own message of hope