The Proclamation of John the Baptist

Today's Reflections

The Proclamation of John the Baptist 

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Lk 3:15-16, 21-22

¹⁵Now the people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Messiah. ¹⁶John answered them all, saying, “I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire.”

²¹After all the people had been baptized and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened  ²²and the holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

Reflection:

The holy Spirit descended upon him. The baptism of Jesus by John signals the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. This beginning is marked by the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus. The ministry of Jesus is a Spirit-filled and Spirit-led ministry. Luke repeatedly indicates this in chapters 3 and 4 of his gospel.

Jesus’ ministry is also carried out with the acknowledgment by the Father that Jesus is his beloved Son in whom he is well pleased. This brief sentence is filled with Old Testament allusions: Jesus is God’s beloved Son, just as Isaac was the beloved son of Abraham. There is a hint here that Jesus is destined to be sacrificed, just as God asked Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son, Isaac. “Son of God” refers to Jesus as the Davidic messiah, but “with you I am well pleased” indicates that Jesus is the Suffering Servant of Yahweh.

Jesus is presented thus to us by Luke so that we may recognize Jesus for who he is and imitate him. Like Jesus, we received the Holy Spirit when we were baptized—not by John’s baptism, but the baptism of Jesus—and were made sons and daughters of God. But do we live in such a way that the Father is pleased with us as he was always pleased with Jesus? Through baptism the Holy Spirit consecrated us for mission—the saving mission of Christ. We have been empowered by the Holy Spirit through baptism for the apostolate. We received the Holy Spirit not only that we may become sons and daughters of God but that we may help others become sons and daughters of God with us.

We share in Jesus’ work of salvation.

Are we ready to be offered in sacrifice

or to sacrifice ourselves together with him?