The Birth of St. John the Baptist Explained | "He Must Increase, I Must Decrease"

About this sermon

Why does the Catholic Church celebrate the birth of St. John the Baptist? Unlike nearly every other saint, the Church celebrates the Nativity of St. John the Baptist because he was sanctified in his mother's womb and born free from original sin. His entire mission was to prepare the way for Jesus Christ and teach us the path of humility, penance, and self-denial. In this traditional Catholic sermon, discover: • Why only three birthdays are celebrated in the Church's liturgical calendar • How St. John the Baptist was sanctified before birth • Why the Jews believed John might be the Messiah • The meaning of "He must increase, but I must decrease" • The symbolism of the summer and winter solstice • The importance of humility and mortification in the spiritual life • Practical ways Catholics can imitate St. John the Baptist today Drawing from Sacred Scripture and the teachings of the Church Fathers—including St. Ambrose, St. Gregory the Great, St. John Chrysostom, St. Bede, and St. Hilary—this sermon reveals how St. John's life points entirely to Christ. As St. John reminds us: "He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:30) May this feast inspire us to deny ourselves, grow in humility, and allow Christ to reign more perfectly within our souls. 00:00 Introduction 00:16 Why Only Three Birthdays Are Celebrated 00:57 St. John Sanctified in the Womb 02:04 John's Mission to Announce Christ 02:47 Why Many Thought John Was the Messiah 04:40 Christ Praises St. John the Baptist 06:00 "I Am Not the Christ" 07:00 The Voice Crying in the Wilderness 08:21 John's Disciples Must Follow Christ 09:42 "He Must Increase, I Must Decrease" 10:14 The Summer Solstice and Divine Providence 11:13 Becoming More Like Christ 11:50 Mortification Explained 13:10 Exterior and Interior Mortification 14:09 True Humility According to the Saints 15:25 Finding Interior Peace 16:17 Uprooting Pride and Self-Love 16:55 Support Sensus Fidelium Please say an Ave for the repose of the Priest's soul. 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 Support Catholic Businesses here - https://sensusfidelium.com/catholic-businesses/ Sensus Fidelium Press - https://sensusfideliumpress.com/ Sensus Fidelium Apps - https://sensusfidelium.tv/ Support Sensus Fidelium - https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 Sensus Fidelium is your go to for sermons on the catholic church, faith, growing in holiness, study of the scriptures, anything and everything you need to be set on fire for the Lord and His Church. #Catholic #StJohnTheBaptist #TraditionalCatholic #CensusFidelium #Humility #Penance #Mortification #CatholicFaith #ChurchFathers #JesusChrist #CatholicTeaching #Saints #ChristianLife #LatinMass #Gospel