Why is St. John's birthday celebrated instead of the day of his death, as of other saints?

Because St. john was sanctified in the womb of his mother and was, so to speak, born a great saint, while others only by a life-long contest and toil attained to the sanctity secured to them by their death.

The Introit of the Mass reads: The Lord hath called me by my name from my mother’s womb, and He hath made my mouth like a sharp sword: in the shadow of His hand He hath protected me, and hath made me as a chosen arrow. (Isai. xlix.) It is good to give praise to the Lord, and to sing to Thy name, O Most High. (Ps. xci.) Glory be to the Father, &c.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH. O God, who hast made this present day full of honor to us in the birth of blessed John: give unto Thy people the grace of spiritual joys, and direct the souls of all the faithful into the way of everlasting salvation. Thro' &c.

LESSON. (lsai. xlix. 1-3, 5-7.) Give ear, ye islands, and hearken, ye people from afar: the Lord hath called me from the womb, from the bowels of my mother he hath been mindful of my name. And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword: in the shadow of his hand he hath protected me, and hath made me as a chosen arrow: in his quiver he hath hidden me. And he said to me: Thou art my servant, Israel, for in thee will I glory. And now saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant: Behold, I have given thee to be the light of the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation even to the farthest part of the earth. Kings shall see, and princes shall rise up, and adore for the Lord’s sake, and for the Holy One of Israel, who hath chosen thee.

EXPLANATION. In his usual, sublime language the prophet here foretells Christ, whom God has made the head and ruler, for the light and salvation of all nations; but the greater part of these words apply also to St. John, as will be seen from his life.

GOSPEL. (Luke i. 57-68.) Elizabeth's full time of being delivered was come, and she brought forth a son. And her neighbors and kinsfolk heard that the Lord had showed His great mercy towards her, and they congratulated with her. And it came to pass that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they called him by his father’s name, Zachary. And his mother answering, said: Not so, but he shall be called John. And they said to her: There is none of thy kindred that is called by that name. And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. And demanding a writing table, he wrote, saying: John is his name. And they all wondered. And immediately his mouth was opened, and his tongue loosed; and he spoke, blessing God. And fear came upon all their neighbors: and all these things were noised abroad over all the hill-country of Judea: and all they that had heard them, laid them up in their heart, saying: What a one, think ye, shall this child be? For the hand of the Lord was with him. And Zachary his father was filled with the Holy Ghost, and he prophesied, saying: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, because he hath visited and wrought the redemption of His people.

INSTRUCTION. I. It was for Zachary and Elizabeth, who to their greatest sorrow lived childless to old age, an assurance of God's mercy that He should then present them with a child, and such a holy child. But they had sought to make themselves worthy of this grace by continual prayer, by submission to God's will, by the patient endurance of that which was, at that time, a disgrace, their unfruitfulness, while in the bringing up of this child they manifested their gratitude for his coming. -- Childless, married people ought to learn from this, that they may pray to God for children, but they should at the same time be resigned to the will of God. It is a favor to many that God gives them no children; for if they received the grace to have them, they would bring them up in an unchristian manner, and thereby risk their own salvation.

II. If God should hear the prayers of such, as He heard the prayers of Zachary and Elizabeth, they should not fail to thank God and to offer Him the child, promising to bring it up in the fear of the Lord.

III. Elizabeth's relations and friends rejoiced with her in her happiness, congratulating her upon it. -- If good is given to our fellow men, we also should rejoice, praise and thank God for it. Thus we participate in their happiness.

IV. The name John, which means Blessed of God, was given to the child by God Himself, and John strove to live always in accordance with his name. -- We receive from the Church in baptism some saint’s name, in order to incite us to imitate our patron in virtue. Let us see that we do not bear the name without advantage from it.

V. When Zachary would not believe the angel's announcement he became dumb, now that he believes his tongue is loosened. (Luke i. 18 -20.) -- When the sinner punished by God, returns and repents, God will either take the punishment from him, or will give him grace to bear it longer for the sake of making greater satisfaction.

VI. Zacharias praised God loudly and publicly for the grace He had given him. -- Woe to those who bury the graces they have received, in forgetfulness, and do not thank God for them. They will receive no more graces, for the hope of the unthankful shall melt away as the winter's ice. (Wisd. xvi. 29.)

St. John could not have any greater panegyrist than Christ himself who at one time calls him an angel, (Matt. xi. 10.) at another, one more than a prophet, (Luke vii. 28.) again, a burning and shining light, (John v. 35.) by which He sufficiently manifested the greatness of the saint. Indeed, John was one of the greatest saints, endowed with the most extraordinary gifts. An angel foretold his birth; God Himself named him, and sanctified him in the womb of his mother by Christ’s presence at the visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, so that he was secure from the world's corruption. God drew him in early youth to the desert, where he lived like an angel under His protection, preparing himself for his future ministry. He led there the most rigorous, penitential life; locusts and wild honey were his only food, a coarse camel's hair garment and a leathern belt around his waist his only covering, wild animals his companions, communion with God by prayer and meditation his entertainment. When he was thirty years of age, God commanded that like the voice of one crying in the wilderness, he should announce the Messiah whom he had baptized in the Jordan, and show to the world the Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world.

Then, with his exhortations to repentance, St. John as with a sharp sword penetrated men's hearts, seeking to prepare them to receive the Saviour. His exhortations to penance did not consist in mere words, but in an example of the most rigorous mortification, in which he is a light guiding men to salvation. Finally, when his zeal for the salvation of souls impelled him to tell King Herod to his face that it is not lawful to take one’s brother’s wife and live with her, he was cast into prison. When the daughter of this adulterous woman, Herodias, was once dancing before Herod, he was so well pleased with her that he promised to give her whatever she should ask. Instigated by her impious mother, she demanded the head of John the Baptist. John was beheaded and rewarded with a martyr’s crown for all the victories with which he, in whom God had so gloriously manifested Himself, had adorned his career; leaving to all the most beautiful example of innocence, penance, and a heroic zeal for the salvation of souls. And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent bear it away, says Christ. (Matt. xi. 12.)

We may be sinners or we may be innocent, and yet, like St. John if we would bring forth worthy fruits of penance and be not excluded from heaven, we must use violence.

What a one shall this child be? (Luke i. 66.)

Thus said the friends, neighbors and relations of the pious couple Zachary and Elizabeth, when they saw and heard the wonderful incidents which accompanied the birth of their son John. What a one shall this child be? so parents often say to each other, when they look upon their own little children, and see how even in early days certain propensities appear in them, causing great wonder. How often would parents be overwhelmed with pain and grief, if they could know in advance how these tender little ones whose good and remarkable qualities and whose extraordinary talents they admire, on whom their eyes rest with pleasure, whom every one praises, -- how these children would one day hasten to temporal and eternal ruin, preparing for their parents no joy, but many afflictions and much misery!

Whence does it come that so many parents are deceived in the expectations they entertained in regard to their children, that their advancing youth, notwithstanding all the education bestowed upon it, becomes more and more disorderly and impious? It is because parents so seldom observe that which is written of the young Tobias: From his infancy he (his father) taught him to fear God, and to abstain from all sin; (Tob. i. 10.) because they regard not the apostle’s admonition: And you fathers, bring up your children in the discipline and correction of the Lord; (Eph vi. 4.) because they forget that every child is like a young tree that must be carefully guarded, straightened, bound to a post, trimmed and protected against insects, wind and frost; because they remember no longer the wise man's counsel: Instruct thy children, and bow down their necks from their childhood, (Ecclus. vii. 25.) and, thou shalt beat thy child with a rod, and deliver his soul from hell; (Prov. xxiii. 14.) because they pay no attention to the words: The child that is left to his own will, bringeth his mother to shame, (Prov. xxix. I5.) and, he that loveth his son, frequently chastiseth him, that he may rejoice in his latter end, and not grope after the doors of his neighbors, (Ecclus. xxx. 1.) that is, for protection, consolation and help against the rebellious child. They do not bring the child early to Jesus, the divine Friend of children; they do not teach it to fear God and abhor sin above all things; they rejoice in the many talents of the child, but do not seek to direct them to God, their only end; they do not remove from the child all that which poisons and corrupts the innocent heart open to every impression; they neglect to make it pray in early childhood, to make it exercise the necessary Christian virtues, the love of God and their neighbor, humility, obedience, meekness, peacefulness and modesty; in a word, they educate their children for anything rather than for God, the Church and their country. God, the Church, and the country are not satisfied with an education in which attention is paid only to those things which will enable the child to do well in this world, or that will make a great show, and receive power, honor and praise. This false and pernicious education causes so many parents to complain of their grown children; causes God to punish them severely even here on earth, more terribly in the other world; causes the Church to lament, and good men to be filled with fear.

If education is to be a truly Christian one, so that parents may rejoice in their children here and in the next world, and a better generation grow up, education must be founded on religion, must commence and end with God. Parents should consider that their children are a precious trust, which God has confided to them, and of which He will demand a strict account on the Day of Judgment; they should remember that their children are created for heaven, are redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus, and sanctified by the Holy Ghost in baptism. In their earliest childhood, Christian parents should make their children acquainted with God, the Highest Good, keep them attentive to devout prayer, especially imprint upon their hearts the holy fear of God, lead them early to Jesus, often place His beautiful example before them, infuse His holy teachings into their hearts, instruct them in sincere veneration for the blessed Virgin Mary, daily recommending them to this beloved Mother. Being, as it were, the guardian angels of their children, parents should watch day and night over the innocence and purity of their hearts, remove them from association with bad children and degenerate grown persons, be attentive to watch all their steps, be vigilant concerning all their omissions and commissions, banish from their knowledge all bad example, improper words and songs, and bad books. If they truly love their children, they will not permit obstinacy, stubbornness, or disobedience in them, and should: withhold not correction from a child, (Prov. xxiii. 13.) make use of strict discipline united with affection, and sufler no ill manners to grow with them. They should bring their children early to the practice of Christian virtues, and teach them to mortify their evil inclinations; often exhort them, when they have arrived at the proper age, to receive the holy Sacraments; see that their children do not spend their youth in idleness, but thoroughly learn all that which is necessary for them to know, not superficially as half educated, half instructed persons, who can gossip about everything, but are at the same time shallow-minded; they should above all give their children a good example, cooperate with the priests and teachers, and thus strive to bring up good, pious, religious, virtuous children of God, members for the Church and citizens for the country.

Woe to the parents who do not educate their children for God and heaven! What fear and terror will come upon them on the Judgment Day, when God will demand pure and unharmed, the children He confided to them, when parents must acknowledge that through their fault their children have been excluded from heaven and are lost forever!