St. John the Baptist’s Secret to Fulfilling God’s Will

About this sermon

Why did God permit St. John the Baptist to die so young? Could he not have accomplished much more for the Kingdom of Heaven? God sees life differently than we do. St. John had fulfilled the mission entrusted to him. He filled his life completely with God’s will, accomplished everything he was called to do, and was received into heavenly glory. This Byzantine Catholic homily asks how we can fulfill God’s will as faithfully as St. John did. We may read thousands of spiritual books and acquire tremendous knowledge, but one practical skill remains essential: learning to live fully in the present moment. The past cannot be changed. Every deed, thought, and moment becomes either a treasure offered to Heaven or a burden requiring God’s mercy. Excessive anxiety about the future also prevents us from receiving and sanctifying the moment before us. St. John lived with radical simplicity. He withdrew into the wilderness, wore camel hair, practiced asceticism, and removed distractions. That simplicity enabled him to remain attentive and hear the voice of God. If we desire the same attentiveness, we must simplify our lives, create silence, and sometimes surrender things we enjoy to make more room for God. We need not despair over the past; we can place it within the ocean of divine mercy. Nor should we surrender the present to anxiety about tomorrow. The secret of a good and holy life is to fill the present moment deliberately with work consistent with God’s will. We may not know His entire plan, but by faithfully doing His will now, we will ultimately fulfill our mission. St. John the Baptist, pray for us! 00:00 Why did God allow St. John to die young? 00:32 How much more could he have accomplished? 00:40 God sees life differently 00:48 A life completely filled with God’s will 01:03 How should we fulfill God’s will? 01:12 Spiritual books and Christian knowledge 01:28 The one practical skill we still need 01:37 Learning to live in the present moment 01:46 What is the present? 02:03 “Now” immediately becomes the past 02:21 The past cannot be changed 02:36 Treasure for Heaven or a burden 02:42 God’s mercy heals the past 02:59 Why the present moment matters 03:07 Future dreams can become distractions 03:22 St. John lived completely in the present 03:30 The simplicity of his wilderness life 03:42 Asceticism as practical faith 03:49 Becoming attentive to God’s voice 03:58 Our call to imitate St. John 04:05 Simplify your life 04:13 Creating silence and room for God 04:22 Cutting away things we enjoy 04:38 Entrusting the past to divine mercy 04:46 Do not surrender today to anxiety 05:03 Live this moment intentionally 05:11 The secret of a good and holy life 05:27 Filling the present with God’s will 05:35 How to fulfill God’s plan 05:44 St. John listened to God #StJohnTheBaptist #CatholicFaith #ChristianLiving #Holiness #LivingInThePresent For more please visit https://www.youtube.com/@st.johnchrysostombyzantine2197 & say 3 Hail Marys for the priest 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 ✝️ SUPPORT THE MISSION 🙏 Donate https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ 📬 Free Catholic Newsletter https://sensusfidelium.com/newsletter/ 📰 Read on Substack https://sensusfidelium.substack.com/ ──────────────────── 📺 WATCH & READ 📺 Sensus Fidelium App https://sensusfidelium.tv/ 📚 Sensus Fidelium Press https://sensusfideliumpress.com/ 👕 Official Merchandise https://sensusfidelium.com/merchandise/ ──────────────────── 🤝 PARTNER WITH US 📣 Advertise on Sensus Fidelium https://sensusfidelium.com/advertise-with-sensus-fidelium/ 🎤 Invite Steve Cunningham to Speak https://sensusfidelium.com/speaking/ ⛪ Parish Formation & Consultation https://sensusfidelium.com/for-parishes/ ──────────────────── 🌎 CATHOLIC COMMUNITY ✝️ Trusted Catholic Businesses https://sensusfidelium.com/catholic-businesses/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴