Misfortune and Good Fortune

Memorial of St. John of Kanty

Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24; Luke 1:57-66

One of the unfortunate things about having the name John is that it is also a slang term in English for the toilet. Sir John Harrington, a poet and author, is said to have invented the first flushing toilet in Britain in the sixteenth century, and the name, uh…stuck. His godmother, Queen Elizabeth I, loved the invention.

Fortunately for me and millions of other Johns, that isn’t the whole story of our name. In Hebrew, Yochanan means something infinitely more positive: “God is gracious.”

God graciously gave Zechariah and Elizabeth a son when they thought it was impossible. God graciously made him the messenger who prepared the way for Jesus Christ. God graciously called him to baptize Jesus to begin his public ministry. In return, John graciously stepped aside from his Lord and said, “He must increase; I must decrease” (John 3:30).

In only one day we will celebrate the ultimate sign of God’s gracious love: the birth of his Son, Jesus. We give thanks for that wonderful gift.

Sometime this week, please take a moment and reflect: How has God been gracious to you in this year?  As we celebrate Christmas, may we remember the words of the psalm: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his mercy endures forever” (Psalm 107:1). –jc