There’s a lot of family dynamics going on in the story of the birth of John the Baptist, and the subsequent days that follow his birth. A child is born from a mother who was far beyond child-bearing years, so, if that were to happen today, it would be nothing new. God beat them to it 2000 years ago.

The mother who gave birth to the child brings her son to the Temple for circumcision, obeying the Jewish law, and then she overrules all her relatives who want to name the child after his father, and refuse the child the name God prepared for him from the world’s foundation. Guess who wins? The mother, as always: “He will be called John.” (Put that in your pipe and smoke it!) There’s no room for discussion in the statement of Elizabeth. It’s a declarative statement if I ever heard one. Over her dead body will that child be called by another name.

This is one mother, who just ended 9 months of pregnancy at an age way beyond the female body’s capacity for carrying a child, this is a mother who wasn’t giving in to human tradition at the expense of what God wanted for her child’s name. John the Baptist is much easier to say than Zechariah the Baptist.

And then there’s the family dynamic of this poor father, Zechariah, who had his mouth permanently closed by the angel because he laughed at God’s plan of his wife becoming pregnant. It was an understandable laugh, don’t you think? His wife was far beyond child-bearing years; he wanted to hang out at the Temple more than he wanted to be at home this late in life; they didn’t even sleep in the same room; and, he’s at an age when he would expect to be a grandfather, or great-grandfather, rather than a father. But he laughed at God, for whom nothing is impossible. So the angel made him speechless, like some wives would like their husbands to be. So, when all came to pass, and they ask Zechariah what the name of his child should be, he looks over at his wife Elizabeth, who’s giving him a stern look, and he thinks, “I better write down, ‘John is his name.’” Another happy father learns his lesson.

There’s a lot of family dynamics going on here regarding the birth of John. This is what children do; they cause parents and others to alter family dynamics so that all will be in sync with God’s plan for that child, beginning with their name. This is the holy, solemn responsibility of parents; to help setup their child’s life so that their child will grow to have a healthy understanding of what God’s plan is for their son or daughter.

A parent’s responsibility goes well beyond setting up their children in life for an occupation in the labor force, as important as that is. It’s very important for parents to lead and guide daughters and sons to a profession of influence, or financial comfortability, or “Whatever makes them happy.” And those words, if I was a parent, would scare me to the point of not being part of my vocabulary. Because “whatever makes them happy” will sometimes “not make them happy.” What is God’s plan for their life? That’s where happiness is discovered, because God has a plan for their life.

Imagine if John said to his mother Elizabeth and father Zechariah at the age of 15, “Mom, dad, I want to be a tax collector. I saw this guy named Levi, aka Matthew, sitting at his tax table, and he wants me take over the table when he retires. Or, if the Messiah comes along and calls him personally. I had no idea what he was talking about.” “That’s a great idea, son. We just want you to be happy.” You know what just floated down the drain, never to be retrieved? The words “Crying out in the wilderness; preparing the way of the Lord.” God, try someone else. Try another old couple.

The birth of John the Baptist is a most holy day in the Church, and why we’ve celebrated this day since the 4^th century, because we have parents here who are fully in sync with God’s plan. They are deeply prayerful. Even though the father had to be shut down for a brief time, we celebrate his child who carries out to perfection God’s plan for his life. Like his second cousin Jesus, John grew in wisdom and grace as he aged. With some issues? I’m sure. But he stayed on the path.

Wisdom, I continue to learn, is far greater than intelligence. I’m old enough now to know that too many people gifted intellectually have said things that are not so intelligent. I’ve never heard a person with great wisdom do that. Our drive in life based on intelligence alone will strive for influence, financial security, and “Whatever makes them happy.”

The gift of wisdom, which we should pray for, leads a person to understanding and accepting what God’s plan is for their life. This is what possesses Elizabeth and Zechariah; wisdom and the Spirit of God. And it’s with those two holy elements that they lead their son away from the tax table, and toward God’s plan for him; preparing the way of the Lord.

First the unexpected conception; then the incredible birth; then getting his name right; and then leading him on a path that, in this case, leads to being the Precursor of the Messiah. Every child and adult are called to follow John and prepare the way of the Lord in this world, wherever the family dynamics happen to be. It’s where true happiness is realized, being united to the will of our Savior.