The Mission of St John the Baptist

Today is the Feast of St John the Baptist.

Everyone knows he came to prepare the way for Christ. But what specific mission was given to him and also to his ancestor Elijah? And why is he therefore crucial to the battle against abortion, and against euthanasia too for that matter?

Ecclesiaticus 48:1-14 tells us the mission of Elijah is"To turn the hearts of fathers to their children" and Luke 1:17 says of St John the Baptist, "And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias; that he may turn the hearts of the fathers unto the children, and the incredulous to the wisdom of the just, to prepare unto the Lord a perfect people."

We often complain that Fathers are so frequently responsible for causing abortions. But today let us ask St John the Baptist to fulfil his mission in our time and turn the hearts of fathers to their children and let us thank God for those men whose hearts are already turned in love towards their children.

Clare McCullough