The Voice Crying Out in the Wilderness

During this Christmas season we are celebrating the imminent arrival on earth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and his birth to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Over 2,000 years ago that same arrival was anticipated in reality by the man who has become known in some quarters as the 'Precursor', the one who came just before the Christ. His given name was John, and he has become known to most in the world as 'John the Baptist'. He was born right around the first year A.D., and was a cousin of Jesus Christ, their respective mothers having been first cousins. John's mother was Elizabeth, and she was married to a priest named Zachary. They were said to be good people, "both just before God" as St. Luke later wrote. There is a great story about John's birth. Zachary and Elizabeth were elderly and without child, wanted one, and constantly prayed for a child. Zachary even utilized his priestly position for this purpose. One day an angel appeared to Zachary and told him that they would have a son, that they should name him John, and that the son would be "great before the Lord" as well as a number of other revelations concerning the son. Zachary did not believe, and for his disbelief after praying for this very outcome, he was struck dumb (unable to speak) until the birth of the child. Another great story linking the births of John and Jesus is that of the 'Assumption'. During the sixth month of her pregnancy, Elizabeth learned of Mary's own pregnancy and went to visit her. Upon being greeted by Mary, Elizabeth's baby 'leaped for joy in her womb'. It was during this visit that Elizabeth uttered the words that have become known to us as the 'Hail Mary' prayer. John was born approximately six months before Jesus' own birth. He was said to have "grown and been strengthened in spirit" before going into the desert wilderness for spiritual renewal and strengthening. He emerged from the desert just before Christ's own ministry and was said to look like a wild man, wearing clothing "of camel's hair, a leather girdle about his loins" and eating "locusts and wild honey". The strength of his personality, the sincerity of his delivery, and his message that "the kingdom of heaven is at hand" drew many people out to hear him and to be baptized by him in the Jordan River. When the religious leaders came out to see what the excitement was about he famously rebuked them by calling them "Ye brood of vipers!" Some thought that John might indeed by the Christ, but John set the matter straight and clarified his own role by saying "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Make straight the way of the Lord!'" and "I baptize you with water; but there is coming one mightier than I, whose shoes I am not fit to loose; he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire." Eventually Jesus came out to John in order to be baptized, and John said "It is I who should be baptized by you", but Christ made John perform the baptism and as Christ was raised from the water a voice came down from heaven saying "This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased." Jesus went on to begin his public ministry and gather his Apostles and disciples. John continued his baptism and preaching. At a point, John was taken into custody and held under arrest, the charges being long disputed. What is known is that Herod ultimately and finally had John beheaded. But in these days leading up to Christmas we should always remember the words of that great Precursor, the voice of one crying out in the desert: "Make straight the way of the Lord!" We again prepare to celebrate his original coming to us, knowing that not only is he with us to the end of the age, but also that some day he will physically come to us yet again.

The Assumption of Mary and Marie

This past Friday, August 15th, is celebrated each year as the Feast of the Assumption in the Catholic Church. 'The Assumption' represents 'the happy departure of Mary from this life', and 'the assumption of her body into Heaven'. The online New Advent encyclopedia further refers to it as "the principal feast of the Blessed Virgin." It is thus incredible to me, or maybe in retrospect not so much so, that this holy day coincides with the anniversary of my own mother's passing. My mom, Marie Therese Gilmore Veasey, passed away on August 15th, 1998, alone in her home on what was also a Friday in that year. I had the unpleasant, but perhaps fortunate, task of finding her. Unpleasant for obvious reasons. Fortunate in that I can't think of anyone that I would have rather walked in and found her that day. I was always close to my mom, and had lived with and helped take care of her throughout my twenties and into my thirties while she dealt with an often debilitating illness that had robbed her of much of her adult life. Still, my mom was able to enjoy the best things in life, both big and small. She was a huge church-goer at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church which was located directly across the street from her home in South Philly. She loved her mystery dramas on TV, such as 'Murder, She Wrote' and 'Matlock', and the woman was a nicotine and caffeine fiend. I don't know if I ever knew someone who both smoked and drank coffee as much as she did. She also was able to overcome her illness much of the time, especially in her last years, as medications got more advanced and effective. She was able to not only attend, but dance at the wedding of Deb and I three years before her passing. Though I was initially incredibly saddened by her passing, I realize now that she is with the Lord, and freed from the shackles of that earthly illness. She would have absolutely loved her great-grandchildren, Elysia and Reznor, and would have loved hanging out with us in our backyard on Larkspur Street, but she never got to experience any of that. Perhaps that is our loss more than hers, because she most assuredly is watching down on all of it from her place in Heaven. In that place, she has also most assuredly been in the presence of the Virgin Mother with whom she shares the anniversary of their earthly passing. Mary loved her son, Jesus Christ, without reservation. As a child, she scolded him when she needed to, as a young man she supported him no matter her reservations, and until the day he died and beyond that she had faith in him unconditionally. I never felt anything less from my own mom. When life left me at times beaten, bloodied, and scarred, my mom was always, always there with a warm smile and a genuine hug of encouragement. Mary died in the presence of all of Christ's apostles, and was laid in a tomb much like her son. But when that tomb was later opened, Mary's body was gone, and the apostles rightly concluded that the body had been taken up to Heaven. Mary was not only the mother of Jesus Christ, the very human direct link to God, but a mother to all of us. As with all of my blog stories, the title is a link to more information, and you can learn much more about Mary by clicking there. While it may seem to some as a sad day not worthy of celebration, I disagree, and feel that the anniversary of Mary, and my own mom Marie, leaving this earth is also the celebration of their arrival in Heaven. Now that is something to truly celebrate.