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Good morning.
Nowadays Canon Coslett Quinn is remembered in Ireland mainly because of his biblical translations from Greek into Irish and ancient Celtic hymns translated into English, but my memories are of his lectures in Hellenistic Greek at Trinity College Dublin which, while they were often the butt of undergraduate mischief and immaturity were incredibly lucid leaving behind unforgettable images such as the one he gave of John the Baptis whom Christians remember on this day.
John the Baptist, the voice in the wilderness, the lone wolf living in austerity in the bleakest of terrains yet attracting vast crowds by his sheer integrity and charisma.
John the Baptist, who warned the soldiers to be content with their wages. In other words not to supplement them with protection rackets, who warned the tax collectors who had purchased that particular franchise not to abuse their monopoly - who was willing to speak out against evil in high places including those who had the power to destroy him – and who eventually did so.
John whose isolation took another form in the dark pit that was his prison John who never sought to draw attention to himself as an individual, but always pointed beyond himself, to a higher being, a more worthy leader and a life that does not fade and die.
Lord, we thank you for leaders of courage and integrity who in every age and generation point beyond themselves to values which are eternal and to a way of life which despite all of the opposition of this world in the end will never die. 
Amen.