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 May Our Lives Bear Witness to the 'True Light',
Jesus Christ, Our Lord 

 ‘Where did the summer go?’ is one of those common comments we make as the month of September creeps onto the landscape.

This past Monday, August 29th, was the Feast Day for The Beheading of John the Baptist.
Here at St. John the Baptist Church, Duncan, we give thanks regularly for our Patron Saint.

One of the characteristics of St. John the Baptist is that he did not creep onto the landscape. His announcements to the world caused many to stop and respond. Those responses were both positive and negative.

John comes preaching of a new era. He is among those first to proclaim the significance of the Lord’s birth, preaching, and death. We can only imagine the scene as John came forward to indicate how the One, we now know as our Lord, would change the world.

Significant to John’s birth, preaching, and baptizing, is the reflection of his witness to the coming birth, preaching, and baptism, of Christ. In addition, John’s suffering was a precursor to the saving actions of Christ.

The One in whom we profess faith with the “Apostles’ Creed,” we acknowledge with praise, his birth, preaching, and baptism. This is the basis of our faith.

John’s life is a testimony to the quality and strength of the life to which we are called in our ministry. In my witness to parish life as priest in the Church, the quality and strength of parishes has sustained, and encouraged, me in my faith in Christ, and in the ‘true church’ – the people, not the buildings.

Though John was locked away in the darkness of prison, his bearing witness to the true Light continued to bring life to many. Our commemoration of the ‘Saints’— those many Christians who have gone before us — encourages each one of us to be the Light in the world.

As the scriptures recommend: do not to hide it under a bushel basket.

I truly believe that, just as our ancestors did not see their witness as a burden, we, too, must not see our work for the Kingdom of God as a burden.

In John 8. 31-32 we read:

‘Then Jesus said to the community who had believed in him,
“If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples;
and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

These are words made famous by many through the generations.

May we all receive the unfading crown of glory.

Blessings to all this week,
Archdeacon Brian+