Facing execution, John the Baptist felt the need to look for some answers. “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” John’s question to Jesus was not posed merely to clarify a religious belief. The issue was much more personal: “Was all my life of sacrifice and toil worthwhile? Did I make the right choice to put you ahead of me? Do these sufferings have meaning, or did I fail in my mission?”
In the first part of today’s gospel passage, we see that John is imprisoned. Upon not receiving any news about exciting interventions from Jesus, the Baptist’s faith begins to waver. How did these perplexities come to him? The answer is quite simple.
The International Institute of Macau will commemorate on Saturday, September 24th, the quadricentennial of the Battle of Macau that took place on June 24th, 1622. Originally scheduled to be celebrated on June 24th, the feast day of Saint John the Baptist, the patron saint of the city, the ceremony was cancelled due to the worst-ever outbreak of Covid-19 recorded in Macau.
The International Institute of Macau and several other local organizations join forces to celebrate the quatercentenary of the ‘Battle of Macau’, which coincides with the feast of Saint John the Baptist – the city’s patron saint – on June 24th. The commemoration of the historical event will continue with lectures, conferences and a cultural soirée after the initial thanksgiving Mass at the Cathedral of the Nativity of Our Lady.