THE FEAST OF ST JOHN OF KANTY, PRIEST.

THE FEAST OF ST JOHN OF KANTY, PRIEST. 

"Now the time came for Elizabeth to be delivered, and she gave birth to a son. 

 And her neighbors and kinsfolk heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. 

 And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child;

 and they would have named him Zechariah after his father, 

 but his mother said, "Not so; he shall be called John." 

 And they said to her, "None of your kindred is called by this name."  

And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he would have him called.

  And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, 

"His name is John."

 And they all marveled.

  And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. 

 And fear came on all their neighbors.

 And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea;  and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying,

 "What then will this child be?" For the hand of the Lord was with him." (Luke 1: 57 - 66).

Tuesday 23rd December 2025 of the 4th Week of Advent is the feast of St John Kanty. Priest. (1390 - 1473). Polish.

St John Kanty was a priest, philosopher, physicist and theologian. 

What is striking about the life of St John Kanty is that this brilliant and highly educated man spent his entire priestly vocation in the ivory tower. 

Yet, he had the heart of a pastor of flocks.

 He seized every opportunity to help his needy students and the poor he encountered.

The narrative of the birth and naming of John the Baptist 

 indicates that John the Baptist is a significant person in salvation history.

 Let us sketch a profile of St John the Baptist:

#1 His name is John: "God is gracious."

#2.  He was sanctified in his mother's womb. He kicked his mother hard in the womb with excitement when Mary visited Elizabeth.

#3. John was chosen by the Father to be forerunner of Jesus Christ and to prepare His way.

#4. John baptized Jesus in the River Jordan.

#5. His humility is supreme. He said: "He [Jesus] must increase. I must decrease." And he allowed his disciples to switch allegiance and follow Jesus.

#6. John gave his life for Jesus. He was the first great martyr for Jesus.

"[John's] birth brought great rejoicing;

even in the womb he leapt for joy

at the coming of human salvation.

He alone of all the prophets

pointed out the Lamb of redemption.

And to make holy the flowing waters,

he baptized the very author of Baptism

and was privileged to bear him supreme witness

by the shedding of his blood."  (From the Preface of the Mass of the Feast.)

Jesus paid St John the Baptist one of His greatest compliments:

"For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."  (Luke 7: 28 KJB).

John the Baptist is the Voice. He is not the Word. John the Baptist might say:

I am just a servant of the Word. "He must increase. I must decrease"

O Lord Jesus Christ, may all Your servants decrease so that You increase in us.

As we near the Solemnity of Christmas, we thank God for the life and work of St John the Baptist. We remember too St John Kanty our saint of the day who continue to inspire us by his teaching and exemplary life.

Happy Advent!

Honor the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary every day in December. 

 "Mary was conceived without original sin. This grace and privilege are fitting in view of the birth and death of her Son Jesus Christ, who is the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. 

"O God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, did prepare a worthy dwelling place for Your Son, we beseech You that, as by the foreseen death of this, Your Son, You did preserve Her from all stain, so too You would permit us, purified through Her 

THE 31 DAY NOVENA TO THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Link is below:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2024/12/31-day-novena-to-immaculate-conception.html?m=1