Saint John the Baptist, born to the elderly and devout Elizabeth and Zechariah, was a miracle child, foretold to prepare the way for the Messiah. As the cousin of Jesus, his life was deeply intertwined with the Holy Family, with his mother Elizabeth sharing a sacred bond with Mary during their miraculous pregnancies. Guided by divine purpose, John’s bold mission complemented the quiet humility of Mary and Joseph, pointing always to Christ, his kinsman and Savior, whose path he paved with unwavering zeal.
Below is from Catholic 365. Please follow the link to their website to finish the prayer. This will only start you on the final prayer. Thank you for praying the novena with me.
FYI… You may have noticed the nightly prayers @3 am at the beginning. I happened to notice that Saint John the Baptist’s feast day was this month, and he was mentioned as being in Jordan. So, I decided to post this novena in his honor.
Prayers to Saint John the Baptist – An Overlooked but Powerful and Necessary Intercessor
“I am well aware of the benefits of consecrating myself and all of the work I do to build up the Church to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus but this Advent I learned how important it is to invite Saint John the Baptist to be a part of this as well. As a matter of fact, it seems to be necessary because God, Himself, has set it up this way.
St. John the Baptist is often called the “Precursor,” recalling his role in “preparing the way for the Lord.”
While he certainly did exactly that during his lifetime, he continues to help prepare the hearts of all to come to know Christ more intimately.
I learned about this from a meditation from the Magnificat Magazine on Thursday, December 19. I have included it below (see To Prepare A People Fit for the Lord). After the meditation, I have included three prayers for you to choose from to pray for yourself, your family and/or your ministry in the Church. As for myself, from this point on, in addition to Jesus and Mary I will ask for the intercession of Saint John the Baptist also for everything that I do to build up the Church in myself and in others.
TO PREPARE A PEOPLE FIT FOR THE LORD
We find displayed in John the Baptist’s life characteristics that ought to attach to all whose work is to prepare the way of the Lord. He was not simply making ready for Christ’s coming in history, his is preparing the way of the Lord whenever the Lord comes to men. He went before him even before birth; he went before him in his public life. And the Fathers of the Church tell us that he will come before him on the Last Day, that he will announce the Lord at his last coming, to judge the living and the dead. He is the herald of every one of Christ’s comings…“
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