the forerunner: least in the kingdom

although the japanese manufacturing giant toyo kogyo chose the name of the ancient persian god of light, "mazda," so far as i know john is the only christian saint honored by sharing a name with a car, although i have no idea whether when toyota named their suv "forerunner" they were aware that the name was already taken by one of the most important of saints of the church.

john the forerunner is so important that the church commemorates not only his death, by beheading, on the 29th of august, but his nativity, today, the 24th of june. only our lord and his mother the theotokos are similarly remembered.

his nativity occurs at the height of summer, when the days are the longest, when earthly splendour is at its greatest. this can be a trap for us. we easily forget the profound importance of jesus words, "among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than john the baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." (matthew 11:11) so we seek, not the kingdom of god, but the lesser good, and it is a good, of this world. we seek happiness in sunny days and toyotas.

even the book of common prayer's collect for the day lists the goods of this world, of the time of the law and the prophets (matthew 11:13, if you will, without speaking of the kingdom and the king to which john was pointing:

"make us so to follow his doctrine and holy life, that we may truly repent according to his preaching; and after his example constantly speak the truth, boldly rebuke vice, and patiently suffer for the truth's sake." these are good goals, but not the best goal. we are satisfied to settle for what the book of acts calls "only the baptism of john." (acts 18:25) we repent, looking for forgiveness of our sins, often (and in much of pop christianity only) because we want to escape the consequences of our mistakes--we want a get out of hell free card. but we never begin to truly live in the kingdom of god.

as great and faithful as john the forerunner is, and as excellent an example as he was, we are offered yet a better way. let us not be blinded by the brilliance of the sun at midsummer, but give thanks for john's witness and look forward to the even greater brilliance of the uncreated light which we see in christ jesus and which is available to enlighten "all men." (john 1:9) let us anticipate the next great feast of the year, the transfiguration, casting off the works of darkness that we might be true images of the light of christ.