The Baptism of the Lord
A small text later in the Gospel of Luke offers us a key to understanding today’s gospel. During his public ministry, Jesus says: ‘Up to the time of John it was the Law and the Prophets; since then the Kingdom of God has been preached’ (Luke 16:16). Jesus' baptism marks the turning point. Today’s gospel recounts a story of crossing the threshold from the old order into the new order. John clearly states that despite some people’s expectations, he is not the Messiah—his is not the one who will usher in the new order. John points beyond his own time to a future when God’s Spirit will be given at baptism, and he highlights that the first of such baptisms belongs to Jesus himself. Immediately after Jesus’ somewhat anonymous immersion alongside that of ‘all the people’, the Spirit does indeed come to Jesus, and the affirming voice from heaven announces Christ’s sonship. God has come among us indeed.
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is aware of the consequences of submitting to the baptism proclaimed by John. Filled with the Holy Spirit, he goes into the desert, where he wrestles with all that he will be forced to forego in fulfilling his role as God’s beloved Son. His resolve is firm, and he announces his mission in the synagogue at Nazareth. You could read the next chapters of Luke, which trace this resolution.
What will the consequences of baptism be for you? How will your life change? What will you be sent to do?
Source: https://summit.melbournecatholic.org/exploring-the-word/2024/baptism-of-the-lord-year-c/; image: https://liturgyhelp.com