In continuation of my series of interviews of pro-life warriors, I wanted to welcome a guest of a different variety today.
In the past, I have interviewed wonderful, pro-life soldiers for Christ who are currently doing God’s work of saving babies from the perils of abortion. Today, I want to direct your attention to a past hero of the pro-life movement.
I want to interview St. John the Baptist. Perhaps you were unaware of his pro-life credentials, so I hope we can uncover them for you in this fun, fictitious interview. I hope you enjoy it!
ProLife365.com (Kevin Kukla): Saint John, so nice of you to join us today for an interview. I am honored to speak to you!
Saint John: Oh, no trouble at all, thanks for having me, Kevin.
ProLife365.com: Remarkably, your birth was foretold by an angel to your father (Lk 1:11-13). Then you would jump when our Lord, Jesus and His mother, Mary came to visit you and your mother for the first time, while you were still in your mother’s womb (Lk 1:41). Pretty awesome, if you ask me.
Saint John: God laid out a plan for salvation. We all are to play a role in it. My job was to be the prophet to point out the Messiah (Is 40:3; Jn 1:29) and to call people to repentance (Matt 3:2,6-12; Lk 3:7-18).
Your role is to be a prophet to others as well. Maybe not with signs and wonders, but still you’re needed to save lives and to save souls.
ProLife365.com: As Christians are well aware, having read about you in the gospels, you were no stranger to persecution. Your beliefs and your preaching ultimately led to your being murdered. Tell us, to what do you attribute your zeal for the faith?
Saint John: Oh, God has been good to me, Kevin. His favor has been abundant and I am thankful to Him for that. He deserves all the credit. He gave me a special gift of grace, which I did not deserve (Lk 1:15,41).
ProLife365.com: You were too young to understand what was happening at the time, but now that you look back on it, what do you make of your parents fleeing their homeland of Judah? King Herod had innocent male infants murdered, trying to kill the Savior, Jesus (Matt 2:16). You barely escaped!
Saint John: Yes, what a tragedy. The loss of the Holy Innocents pains me to this day. These baby boys were martyred out of hatred for the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ.
You’re right, I am blessed that my parents were able to escape the area to spare my life.
Religious persecution remains a great injustice. People have the right to worship the one, true God. I wish Herod’s attempt to end Jesus’ life was the last event of such persecution, but we both know that was not the case.
ProLife365.com: Indeed, regrettably not. If only we would all give God his due, as He deserves.
Now, we both can agree a just society has forms of pure entertainment to allow for recreation and fellowship. However, our culture remains rampant in sexual lewdness as a source of entertaining. You were ultimately victimized by such a scene, weren’t you, Saint John?
Saint John: Yes, I suppose so, Kevin. Herodias’ daughter did an impure dance before a new King Herod that pleased him greatly (Matt 14:6).
As a reward, he promised to give her anything she desired. Well, she turned to her mother for counsel on what to choose. As God’s will would have it, her mother asked for my head on a platter!
Ha! I guess they had some strange eating habits… No, no, I know she wanted me dead, and so the King, keeping his promise, had me beheaded (Matt 14:10-11).
ProLife365.com: Wow, what courage to die for the Lord like that. Thanks for your witness, Saint John! Now, remind our audience why she wanted you dead. I think this will resonate with my readers at ProLife365.com.
Saint John: Yes, Kevin. King Herod had become ensnared in an illicit marriage. Thus, I saw it my duty, as a prophet or mouthpiece for our Lord, to call him out on it (Matt 14:4).
See? And you 21st-Century Christians aren’t the only ones battling such immoralities.
Well, Herodias, Herod’s lover, and his brother’s wife, no less, took exception to being labeled an adulterer. She had Herod imprison me (Matt 14:3). Then, when the opportunity arose, she had me put to death.
I think it did not clear her conscience as well as she had hoped. Poor woman. God have mercy on her.
ProLife365.com: Thanks for your witness for the dignity of marriage, Saint John! I am struck by your humility and better understand now why Jesus spoke so glowingly of you, His cousin (Lk 7:28). Any closing remarks for us today?
Saint John: Thank you again for the opportunity to visit with you, Kevin. Please, everyone remember to practice penance (Matt 3:2). And everyone remember, just like me, Christ must increase, and you must decrease (John 3:30). Be assured of my prayers for you, the Church Militant, in the pro-life movement.
God bless you!
YOUR TURN
So, did you enjoy that one? Were you aware of Saint John’s pro-life credentials?
Please, share your thoughts below about this wonderful saint of the pro-life movement!
