Questions are being raised surprisingly during church homilies these days, whether it is right and Christian to commercialise the celebrations of the birth day of Prophet John the Baptist, with pool-side celebrations, rain dances, copel competitions and parades, etc, as they bear no relevance to Christian faith or the ascetic life of the prophet. Undoubtedly, the celebrations of today mark a strong departure from the traditional practice of jumping in the well, to signify the leaping of John the Baptist in the womb of his mother Elizabeth during the visit of mother Mary to the house of Elizabeth. Incidentally, the practice of jumping in the well is still prevalent in parts of Mumbai like Vasai which were earlier under strong Portugese influence. However, the birth of John the Baptist is a joyous occasion and a great feast of the church that needs to be celebrated on a grand scale. It doesn't matter how it is celebrated, as long as it is secular in character, with no distortions of the Christian faith.
