Monday Prayer: John the Baptizer

Holy Parent of All-

On this his feast day, we give you thanks for John the Baptizer. We praise your hand for his zeal and fervor, for his conviction and temerity, for his courage and his faithful action.

We are moved at his boldness in proclaiming Your kingdom.
We resonate with his hesitation at baptizing his cousin, Jesus- his Savior and our Lord.
We lament his death- too soon- at the hands of Herod and Herod's wife.
We thrill at his call to prepare, in the wilderness, the way of the Lord.

We want to be like him.

But then we don't.

Well, we'd like the same conviction, the same strength, the same courage, the same tangible experience of both Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

We would prefer not to die like him, not to be uncomfortable in diet or clothing, to speak truth to power  but without being terrified of what it will mean for our future.

Can we have one set of requests without the other?

No?

Reflection

Lord, make us like John the Baptizer and quickly, before we can change our minds.

Amen.