A HOMILY FOR THE NATIVITY OF THE HOLY PROPHET, FOREFUNNER, AND BAPTIST OF THE LORD, JOHN
About Our Three Births
Brothers and sisters,
Today we celebrate the Nativity of the Holy Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist of the Lord, the great John. The background to Saint John’s birth and the events connected with it are exquisitely related by the holy Evangelist Luke in his Gospel, perhaps the most beautiful book ever written. Since you have heard much of Saint Luke’s account just a few minutes ago, there is little point in my reviewing the same material. Nothing I can add could possibly render more vivid his wonderful narrative, so instead of repeating it or commenting on it, I will say a few words about the subject of birth itself.
The birth of a holy man into the world is a wondrous event, and more especially the birth of the holiest of all men, the great Baptist. However, even the birth of an ordinary person is a marvelous thing: a miracle proclaiming the Lord’s power and sovereignty. This is one of the reasons why, in almost all cultures, the anniversaries of every person’s birthday are celebrated with parties and gifts, or at least with congratulations. But how many of us have ever paused and considered that in the life of the Christian, three different days can be considered days of birth?
The first of these is the day of the Christian’s birth according to the flesh -- the day of birth we have already mentioned, one common to believer and unbeliever alike. The second is the day of his spiritual birth in the font, when he is initiated into the life of the Church of Christ through the divine Mystery of Baptism. On this day, he is granted the gift of the Holy Spirit: the key, as it were, to the Kingdom of heaven. This birthday is shared only by Orthodox Christians. The third day of birth is the day of the Christian’s death, when he is born into life beyond the grave, the life that lasts forever.
These three days are the most important of our life, the second being more important than the first, and the third than the second.
How many preparations precede the first birth, the birth of a child into this world! How many worries, how many decisions, how many things to be bought! And what joy in the family when the child finally comes forth from the mother’s womb!
As regards the second birth, spiritual birth in Holy Baptism, the preparations are generally fewer in number, although the event itself is greater. Still, there are preparations to be made. A godfather or godmother must be found, a neck cross bought, a baptismal robe sewn, and a baptismal meal arranged. Additionally, if the person to be baptized is an adult, he must be educated and prepared spiritually, repent for the sins of his lifetime to that point, and make a general Confession.
Finally, there is the third Baptism, the Baptism by physical death into eternal life. This is the only one of the three births that often occurs unexpectedly; yet, it is also the only one for which many people make few or no preparations. Instead, most try not to think about this birth, deliberately closing their eyes to it, as if by so doing they could make it go away. This is why, when it comes, as inevitably it must, so many meet it unprepared.
The saints of our Holy Orthodox Church, whose spiritual eyes were open to life beyond the grave as the eyes of no other men, without exception warn against the danger of meeting death unprepared. They remind us that the main reason the Lord grants most of us years, sometimes many years of life, is so that we have adequate time to prepare for death. They instruct us to focus the majority of our energy not on undertakings exclusively connected with the present life, but on those which will help us when we cross over to the next. Especially, they urge us to remember frequently that we shall die, and to bring to mind the hour of our death and what follows.
Dear Christians, if our parents rightly made preparations for our physical birth, and either they or we for our spiritual birth in Holy Baptism, then how much more should we begin soon, today, at this very hour and moment to make preparations for our birth into eternity? For death, the portal into eternity, with great frequency presents itself at an hour when we are not expecting it, and even when it does come when we have been expecting it, those who have put off preparations often find that when that time draws near, they have not the strength, understanding, or will-power to prepare as they should. Thus for one and the other, death tragically finds them unprepared. Yet, it is as He finds us at the hour of death that the Lord judges us.
If we wish to be prepared at that hour, then let us busy ourselves now with acquiring the talents the Lord requires we multiply while we still have time, particularly the talents of faith, hope, and love. And let us always keep our spiritual lamps trimmed and burning brightly with the grace of God like the Wise Virgins, so that when the day of our third birth arrives, it will be even more joyous -- more joyous by far -- than the days of our first and second. Amen.
