A Fitting Arrangement on the Calendar

Some of us are well aware of the fact that June 24th is supposed to be the solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist.  The fact that it is one of our Sisters’ nameday might be responsible in part for the date sticking in my mind. 
 
This year, however, since it is the Friday after Corpus Christi, June 24th will be the solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. 
 
Whoever, in the Church, makes decisions about the liturgical calendar decided to move our celebration of John the Baptist’s birth to today, June 23rd. 
 
As I reflected a bit upon this, it occurred to me that this arrangement, actually, is quite appropriate on a deeper level. 
 
John the Baptist is sometimes referred to as the “forerunner” or “precursor.”  In the words of his father, Zechariah, he went “before the Lord to prepare His way.” 
 
I think it is beautifully fitting; this year John the Baptist’s great feast day immediately precedes our commemoration of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, for whom he so faithfully “ma[de] ready the way.”

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