Gospel (Lk 1,57-66.80) - For Elizabeth the time of childbirth came and she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy in her, and they rejoiced with her. Eight days later they came to circumcise the child and wanted to name him after his father, Zechariah. But her mother intervened: "No, his name will be Giovanni." They said to her, "There is no one of your relatives who is called by this name." Then they asked her father with nods what he wanted him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote: "John is his name." Everyone was amazed. Immediately her mouth and her tongue were opened, and she spoke, blessing God. Fear filled all their neighbors, and all these things were talked about throughout the hill country of Judea. All those who heard them kept them in their hearts, saying: "What will this child be?" And truly the hand of the Lord was with him. The child grew and became stronger in spirit. He lived in desert regions until the day of his manifestation to Israel.

The commentary on the Gospel by Monsignor Vincenzo Paglia

The Church celebrates the birth of John the Baptist today. It is a very ancient festival. Together with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, John the Baptist is the only other saint whose birth day the Church also remembers. And this is because the life of the two - since their birth - is linked directly and explicitly to Jesus: Mary and John were born for Jesus, one to be his mother and the other to prepare the way for him. The evangelist Luke narrates his birth in a parallel way to that of Jesus. The Lord's gaze also rested on him. The birth of this child changed life for the two elderly parents, just as all hope seemed to have vanished due to Elizabeth's sterility. That son is certainly a gift from God for the two elderly parents who thus see their life crowned by the generation. And, through this son, they both become participants in God's great plan for the world. John - the fruit of the angel's word also in his name - is the prophet that God sent to prepare the way for the Savior and indicate him to the men of his time. The example of the Baptist helps Christians to turn their eyes towards Jesus, the Messiah sent by God to save us from the slavery of sin. What happened for the Baptist is true for each of us: we are the fruit of God's love and no one is born by chance. We are all a gift from God to become disciples of Jesus and prepare the hearts of men to welcome him as the Savior of the world.