PASSION OF ST. JOHN THE
BAPTIST-NO NUKE TEST DAY
Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and kept
him in custody.
Psalm
22, verse 26
I
will offer praise in the great assembly; my vows I will fulfill before those
who fear him.
This whole psalm is a lament unusual in structure
and in intensity of feeling. The psalmist’s present distress is contrasted with
God’s past mercy while enemies surround him. Yet, he wants to praise God while
in the midst of suffering, he crys out a universal chorus of praise. This Psalm
is important in the New Testament. Its opening words occur on the lips of the
crucified Jesus, and several other verses are quoted, or at least alluded to,
in the accounts of Jesus’ passion. I wonder if John the Baptist also prayed
this psalm to strengthen himself before his own passion. Remember warriors of
our Lord Jesus Christ, that we too shall be confronted with our own passions in
this life; when this happens; come to this psalm and sing it in your heart as
did John and Jesus before entering the fray. Then if the Lord carries us
through this battle let us “Offer praise in the great assembly” and thanksgiving
recounting to the other worshipers the favor received from God and invite them
to share in the sacrificial banquet.
The
International Day against Nuclear Tests seeks to raise awareness about the
negative effects of nuclear weapons and the need to achieve a
nuclear-weapon-free world. The day also serves to educate people everywhere
about the need to ban nuclear weapon tests in order to ensure world safety.
Since the first nuclear test in 1945, over 2,000 nuclear tests have been
carried out and led to accidents, such as the Chernobyl, Ukraine accident of
1986, ending in tragedy, long-term radiation poisoning and atmospheric damage. International
Day against Nuclear Tests was declared by the United Nations General
Assembly in December 2009. It is observed every year on the 29th of August, a
day that commemorates the 1991 closure of the Soviet Semipalatinsk site, the
world's largest nuclear testing facility, in the former Soviet Republic of
Kazakhstan.
International
Day against Nuclear Tests Facts & Quotes
·
The US, the Soviet Union and France
have carried out the most nuclear tests over the past 6 decades, with 1,032,
715 and 210 respectively.
·
The cost of the Manhattan Project,
where the first nuclear bomb was ever built, is estimated to have cost $20
Billion.
·
The total number of nuclear missiles
built from the year 1951 to the present is 67,500.
·
There are an estimated total of
16,400 nuclear weapons on Earth today.
·
So long as nuclear weapons continue to exist, so will the temptation to threaten others with overwhelming military force.– Daisaku Ikeda, Buddhist philosopher, educator, author and anti-nuclear activist.
Top Events
and Things to Do
·
Watch a movie or documentary about
nuclear disasters. Some suggestions are: The Day After (1983), Threads
(1984), Trinity and Beyond (1995), Fukushima Nuclear Disaster and
Seconds from Disaster: Meltdown at Chernobyl.
·
Attend the meeting held by the
president of the UN General Assembly by either going to the event in person or
watching the recorded webcast.
·
Read a book about nuclear issues in
the world today. Some suggestions are: Contesting the Future of Nuclear
Power (2011), In Mortal Hands (2009), and Nuclear or Not? Does
Nuclear Power Have a Place in a Sustainable Energy Future? (2007).
·
Spread awareness about the day by
using the hashtag #InternationalDayAgainstNuclearWeapons, #notonuclear
#againstnucleartests.
The
drunken oath of a king with a shallow sense of honor, a seductive dance and the
hateful heart of a queen combined to bring about the martyrdom of John the
Baptist. The greatest of prophets suffered the fate of so many Old Testament
prophets before him: rejection and martyrdom. The “voice crying in the desert”
did not hesitate to accuse the guilty, did not hesitate to speak the truth. But
why? What possesses a man that he would give up his very life? This great
religious reformer was sent by God to prepare the people for the Messiah. His
vocation was one of selfless giving. The only power that he claimed was the
Spirit of Yahweh. “I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one
who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his
sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew
3:11). Scripture tells us that many people followed John looking to him for
hope, perhaps in anticipation of some great messianic power. John never allowed
himself the false honor of receiving these people for his own glory. He knew
his calling was one of preparation. When the time came, he led his disciples to
Jesus: “The next day John was there again with two of his disciples, and as he
watched Jesus walk by, he said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God.’ The two disciples
heard what he said and followed Jesus” (John 1:35-37). It is John the
Baptist who has pointed the way to Christ. John’s life and death were a giving
over of self for God and other people. His simple style of life was one of
complete detachment from earthly possessions. His heart was centered on God and
the call that he heard from the Spirit of God speaking to his heart. Confident
of God’s grace, he had the courage to speak words of condemnation, repentance,
and salvation.
Reflection
Each
of us has a calling to which we must
listen. No one will ever repeat the mission of John, and yet all of us are
called to that very mission. It is the role of the Christian to witness to
Jesus. Whatever our position in this world, we are called to be disciples of
Christ. By our words and deeds, others should realize that we live in the joy
of knowing that Jesus is Lord. We do not have to depend upon our own limited
resources, but can draw strength from the vastness of Christ’s saving grace.
Daily Devotions/Prayers
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