Today is the Feast of the one whom the Lord called the greatest man ever born of woman.
Here is his entry in the 2005 Martyrologium Romanum:
Sollemnitas Nativitatis sancti Ioannis Baptistae, Praecursoris Domini, qui iam in utero matris, Spiritu Sancto repletae, exsultavit gaudio ad humanae salutis adventum cuiusque ipsa nativitas Dominum Christum prophetavit; et tanta gratia refulsit in eo, ut ipse Dominus de illo diceret neminem maiorem inter natos mulierum Ioanne Baptista.
I’ll let you readers provide your own perfect versions.
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Not slavishly literal, but my Latin has gone a bit rusty since I left my alma mater:
The Solemnity of the Nativity of St John the Baptist, the Predecessor of the Lord, who already in the womb of his mother, filled with the Holy Spirit, rejoiced at the coming of the salvation of the human race; his birth itself foretold the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. And the grace of God shone forth in him so brightly that the Lord himself said about him that among those born from a woman no man was greater than John the Baptist.
In Christo
Peter
Happy Name Day, Father!
Not to be nitpicky on your feast day, Father, but shouldn’t the text you quoted end “… Ioanne Baptist_a_”? (It’s an ablative of comparison, “than John the Baptist”.)
Of course today is also traditionally Midsummer Day in England. I once saw a set of Shakespeare’s plays translated into Spanish; at the time I couldn’t figure out why “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” was rendered as, “Suen~o de una noche de San Juan” (“Dream of a St. John’s Night”).
Buon onomastico, Padre!
Carl Oslon at IgnatiusInsightScoop: “It is clear, then, that John the Baptist’s mission was essential: …”.
Happy Name Day, Fr. Z. You’ve been in our prayers, hope your circumstances have improved.
Happy Name Day, Father Z! Still a-prayin’!
Happy Name Day, Fr. Z!
Some of our Eastern brethren either don’t eat, or eat round objects on this day or on the Feast of the Baptist’s beheading.
Yes, the Lord called St John the Baptist the “greatest born of woman,” yet the rest of the verse is often forgotten: “yet the least in the kingdom of heaven [i.e. those born of the Holy Spirit] are greater than he.”
Ditto on the “Happy Name Day,” Father – and I also continue to pray! I pray that on this, your Name Day, your pursuer may leave you forever, in Jesus’ Name, Amen!
@ Dr. Eric
It’s only on Aug 29th, the Beheading of St. John the Baptist, that some Byzantine Christians (both Catholic and Orthodox) observe the custom of not eating from round plates, not using knives, or not eating food that is round in shape.
ditto on your nameday Father!!
Speaking of visions and St John the Baptist, last night we attended a vision of beauty for the Mass of the Nativity of St John the Baptist.
In Charles Town West Virginia, there is now a little monastery situated in an old Catholic church that offers daily the Tridentine Mass. The group, founded by then-bishop Burke, is the Cannons Regular of the New Jerusalem. Amidst the swirling incense, tall candles, and thickly embroidered vestments, the Mass was solemnly chanted in that peaceful way that only monks can achieve.
Anybody who can visit them, please do! They officially moved in on Palm Sunday this year. They are located at 219 South George Street, Charles Town, WV.