A friend and I like to say that we’re connected through John the Baptist’s births. I was born the day John was born into the world and he was born the day John was born into eternal life.
In St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, he reminds the people of Corinth that even at the height of human wisdom, God’s “foolishness” is still wiser. Not to say that God is foolish, but that God’s wisdom is well beyond any wisdom a human being could possess.
This is why, based on human wisdom alone, the crucified Christ doesn’t make any sense. How could a man being tortured to death on a cross bring new life? How does a lowly son of a carpenter erect a mighty kingdom?
Sometimes in our ministries we do a similar thing. How am I supposed to help this person? How do we get people to Mass? Today we celebrate the Passion of John the Baptist. A man who acted not because his actions would give eternal life, but because he knew who could. John understood the only way to see God’s Kingdom was to see him revealed in his son. May we follow the lead of John the Baptist and always point to the Lord.
Happy birthday, Kainoa!
Makana Aiona is the diocesan coordinator for Young Adult Ministry.
