Saint John the Baptist, Patron Saint of the Last Week of School
June is almost over, and I, for one, will not be sad to see it go. With end of school activities, dance recitals, bands concerts, outdoor soccer, and a yard so full of weeds that it ALMOST makes me miss the snow, our family’s days are so jam-packed that we couldn’t possibly add one more thing. Then it was suggested to me that I might write a little post about how our family will be celebrating the Feast of John the Baptist on the 24th of June. What?! In the midst of the chaos of the end of the school year, who has time to catch their breath, let alone celebrate June feast days?! Not this busy mom, who needed to enlist two extra drivers last night to get everyone to their activities, and sent her kids to school with “subs” for lunch, made out of balogna and stale hot dog buns because she hasn’t had time to get proper groceries or make a proper meal in a month. Definitely not this mom.
Except that once I got to thinking about it, why shouldn’t we find time to celebrate the feast of St. John the Baptist? And better yet, why shouldn’t this wilderness-wandering, hair-shirted, locust-eating, bold and wildly defiant man be the patron saint of the craziness and chaos of the final days of June? Here are some super simple ways to celebrate with the audacious St. John the Baptist, which you can even pull off during the last week of school:
Eat locusts and honey.
“Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair, and a leather girdle around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.” Matthew 3:4
If you’re feeling up to making a honey-glazed ham with all the fixings, go for it, but I think this feast day is the perfect excuse to take the night off from cooking and have peanut butter sandwiches for supper! If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, try googling a recipe for chocolate chip cricket cookies and whipping up a batch! Otherwise, buy a tub of gummy worms and spiders and call it close enough. (While your’re at it, you might treat yourself to a mead or honey wine at supper.)
Be a voice in the wilderness.
“For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’” Matthew 3: 3
With summer just a week away, hopefully you’ll soon have more time to relax and socialize. Invite another family to join you for mass and then brunch, to pray the rosary together and eat popsicles after, or simply just to come over to play.
Celebrate the gift of baptism.
“Then when out to him Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.” Matthew 3:6
There was a time when I knew the dates of all five of my children’s baptisms, and celebrated the day by lighting their baptismal candle and making their favourite meal. I’m not currently in the life stage of knowing where those baptismal candles actually are, or recalling the dates of my individual children’s baptisms, and I’ve forgiven myself for that. However, a simple way to celebrate the gift of baptism (that doesn’t involve digging out the baby books) is by going to the pool or splash pad, or simply running through the sprinkler. Share a sweet or funny story about your child’s baptism with them.
Go to Confession.
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 3:2
Do a family examination of conscience, and make a plan to go to confession together during the summer. Remember to celebrate afterwards with ice cream… or perhaps chocolate chip cricket cookies?!
And for all you busy parents and teachers limping to the finish line that is the end of June, we’re almost there. St. John the Baptist, pray for us!
Holly Gustafson lives with her husband, James, and their five children, in Regina, where they attend Christ the King Parish. Holly received her Masters in Linguistics at the University of Manitoba, and now pursues her love of language through art, writing, public speaking, and unsolicited grammatical advice. The best advice she ever received was from her spiritual friend, St. Faustina, who told her that when in doubt, “Always ask Love. It advises best.”
