Fr Frank writes:
My Dear Friends,
Our Lady’s cousin, Elizabeth, was married to a priest of the Jerusalem Temple named Zechariah. Both had hoped for a child, but grew old. When Zechariah was in the Temple, an angel appeared and promised that Elizabeth, despite her age, would bear his son. The angel added that their son would prepare people for the coming of the Lord. After his birth, many wanted the boy to be called after his father, but Elizabeth called him John, and Zechariah agreed.
To prepare people for the coming of Jesus, the Messiah, John went into the desert, living on locusts and wild honey. This alarming figure wore clothing made of camel hair with a leather belt. He attracted a great number of followers and many Jews came to him, confessed their sins and were baptized in the River Jordan. Jesus himself came from Galilee to be baptized by John, who objected at first saying that it ought to be the other way round.
John was both a typical figure and original. His was a troubled age which produced many vagrant preachers with wild imaginings; he himself had a special urgency and a special offer, insisting on the imminence of the advent of the Messiah and introducing the idea of baptism by water as a step on the road to salvation.
In the Orthodox Church John is very aptly called the Forerunner.
We congratulate and pray for all our First Holy Communion children in Frinton & Walton who have just celebrated their First Holy Communion Mass. May God continue to bless you all.
May our loving God bless you, and may SS Peter & Paul and St John the Baptist pray for you,
Frank ofs
Sunday Smile:
From a church newsletter:
Due to the minister’s illness our weekly healing service has been cancelled until further notice.