Reworking my relationship with John the Baptist

Since I was on holiday in Ireland, I prorogued picking my next Saint for the month until now, and, this time, I drew a familiar face: John the Baptist.

I knew this saint from before my conversion (unlike poor Blessed Scammacca who I’d never heard of before drawing him from Jen’s generator), and he’s already helped me out once.  When I was on College Jeopardy, one of the categories in the first round was “New Testament Places” and I deliberately avoided the column, figuring I knew nothing about the topic.

When we finally started drawing those clues, though, I did manage to be first to the buzzer on “The book of Mark recounts how believers, including Jesus, were baptized in the Jordan River by this man.”  (Ok, maybe not the most challenging question).

My family had come to watch the taping, and were probably giggling a little in the audience since, somehow, John the Baptist had entered my household vernacular. I don’t remember whether my brother or I was the one to start it, but, somehow, when my mom would ask us what we wanted for dinner, we would wind up stalling for time by saying “Bring me… bring me the head of John the Baptist!”

It’s probably time to have a slightly less ridiculous set of connections to this prophet.  I think drawing him will somehow result in me reading Oscar Wilde’s Salome this month, but any other advice for how to learn from this month’s saint?

One question that seems interesting to me is inspired by this passage from Matthew 16:13-17

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”  And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven.

If Jesus could be mistaken for John returned (or even if people just hoped it might be true) it seems like there’s something to learn about both men by focusing on the roles they played and the way people related to them was different and similar.  I just don’t have much of an idea about how to think about that question productively.  Anyone know any good writings from the Church Fathers?

You can check out other Saint of the Month posts here.