Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-24
WILL CELEBRATE
ST. JOHNS FEAST
Is the Only Saint, Except the Virgin,
Whose Anniversary Is Observed
on Nativity Instead Of
Death

Bishop Conaty preached an eloquent
sermon yesterday morning at the Ca
thedral of st. Vibiana on THE Life and
Work of st. John the Baptist" The
feast of st. John will be celebrated to-
day in the Catholic churches. Bishop
Conaty said in part:
Tomorrow we celebrate the feast of
the Nativity OF st. John the Baptist,
the feast of one of the great saints OF
God. st. Johns is one of the two
whose feasts are celebrated for their
nativity. The blessed mother of GOD
and st. John the Baptist alone OF all
the saints, are honored on the day of
their birth. All others are honored on
the day of their death. Lives lived IN
God brings the. character of saint.
"St. Johns was a life of calling to a
great mission, of devotion to that mis-
sion and of martyrdom in the fulfill
ment of the mission.
Brethren, the gospel tells us that
Elizabeth and Mary were cousins
Mary journeyed across the mountains
of Judea to visit Elizabeth and the
mother Of God, and she, whose son was
to be the great missionary preparing
the way for the Redeemer, rejoiced.
"The story of John the Baptist brings
to us his greatness. Anything thaI
came in relationship with the redemp.
ton, any one who exercised any OF
those functions, won greatness. GOD
called John to be a prophet and a her
aid. He was the one called to awaken
all Judea. He was preacher OF tenn
nerance modification and penance'
John the Baptist stayed in the desert
spending his days in prayer ana Iast-
ING in preparation, in body and SOUL for
the great work that was to AWAKEN
Judea. to the coming of Christ. The
voice in the wilderness rang out, Pre-
pare Ye the Way of the Lord!
John Sees Vision
zone day at the river Jordan came to
him one to be baptized by him, one
whom he recognized, but he fulhlled MS
mission. AS he baptized he heard a
voice and saw the vision-lt was tlie
Lamb of God that had come a hulnple
advocate at the hands Of John IN con-
frmation TO the law. g
"St John spoke against the sins OF
his day He was sent to preacn pen,
ance not merely to the shepherus anu
those who came to him in the WIDER
ness hut to kings on their thrones, .On-
less you repent you shal! pe los''
pare we the way for the Loro'
"There was on the throne a son Oh
the Herod. who had massacred the IN
nocents the day after the first CHRIST
mas. John came to preach 10 hliIl'
telling him that he was offending the
Great Cod. The king knew John anu
vas afraid, vet his vile passions do1nl-
mated him and he put John IN prison;
'You all know the story now the
mother and daughter contrlVed TO tehe
the life of John and how in the Wlckeu-
ness of the dancer the king was So Ie't
ried awav that he promised anything
lust as many man has since.
John Becomes Martyr
"1t was a moment of trial for the
king when the head of John was askeu,
For he feared the people, but he mad
s,,-orn the oath of the king and John
was beheaded by the hatred OIL
woman who had been publicly scorneo
and John the Baptist became lllai
tyr. ,..,ou 70 d,tv
through the life of John that aPPedtS
80 1,irfue NO greater man than John
the Baptist was ever born'' "ere 'i'e
words of Christ. ,..,,
"IJe came to his great missionary
work free from all the contaglon ana
attachnents of life with the one mis-
sion to preach penance, MS nlssloii
sealed in love. John is one OF the sreal
models of temperance and devotion. HIS
life in the wilderness was one of ap-
stinence, modification and penance. he
nracticed what he preached.
How many are there who are sealed
in the blood of Christ who should hear
the cry of John? DO penance or you
perish The duty of preaching the gos-
pel of Christ is for us all.
"What are we doing for Christ in this
world of sin? DO we stand on the com
mandments or are we one with the
world of sin. There are Herods ana
Herodias in the world today. Herou
was nagan. But those Of today will
have more to answer for at the judg-
ment day than the Herods and the
TIerodias, Those to whom much IS
given. much is expected"