John the Baptist is regarded as one of the most important characters of the Old Testament although he only appears in the New. He forms, as it were, a bridge between the two. The circumstances of his birth indicate that he was chosen by God in a special way for a special work. He is the child of elderly parents not unlike other pivotal characters in the history of Israel. The reading from Jeremiah indicates that, like the prophet, he was called for a special mission, in fact, a unique and privileged mission - namely to announce the coming of the long-awaited Messiah. The words of the second reading apply beautifully to him - as they do to us: "You did not see Jesus the Christ [John died before the completion of Jesus' mission], yet you love him, and still without seeing him, you are already filled with joy so glorious that it cannot be described." We too have been called before we were even conceived and our mission is the same as John's: to make people aware of the presence of Jesus the Lord in the heart of our world.