The Visit of the Magi, the Baptism of the Lord and the wedding at Cana are events that the liturgy has associated to Epiphany, the manifestation of the Lord to the world. At the beginning of Ordinary Time (Year C), we make present again the Baptism of the Lord where He accepted his mission as the Suffering Servant and where the Voice from heaven confirmed it. In the gospel account of Luke, Jesus receives the heavenly theophany (an “eye-ear theophanic event”) while he is at prayer. The Baptism of the Lord reminds us of our own baptism and our participation in the Divine Sonship. It also reminds us of the importance of prayer as we gain a deeper knowledge of what the Father wants of us.
Relevant Articles
Guide to the Reading of the Text
1. After making your sentence flow of Luke 3:15-22 and after identifying the parts that make up the narrative, try to do the following:
- Determine how Luke’s presentation of Jesus in vv. 21-22 complements the statements of the Baptist regarding the Christ who is Stronger than he in vv. 15-20.
- How does Luke separate the time of the Baptist from the time of Jesus?
- How does the Baptist describe the mission of the Christ? Is it totally hostile to sinners?
2. Compare Luke’s account of the baptism of Jesus to that of Mark (and – just for the sake of comparison – to that of Matthew). You may use the Gospels in Parallel from the University of Toronto. For additional materials you may consult this page on the Synoptic gospels. How does Luke emphasize the theophany that occurs while Jesus is praying?
Comparing the Readings
The liturgy of the Baptism of the Lord presents a sample of a kerygmatic speech (Acts 10, second reading) and a passage from the Servant Songs of Isaiah (Isaiah 42) along with the gospel account in Luke 3:15-22. Note that Peter’s proclamation about the Christ includes a reference to the work of John the Baptist (see this article for more). In Isaiah 42, the Servant of Yahweh which for Judaism was a mysterious figure becomes clear in the light of what we now know about Jesus in whom was revealed God’s forgiveness and saving power.
Suggestions for the Lesson
The Catechism of the Catholic Church gives us some hints on the relevance of the feast of the Baptism of the Lord
536 The baptism of Jesus is on his part the acceptance and inauguration of his mission as God’s suffering Servant. He allows himself to be numbered among sinners; he is already “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world”. Already he is anticipating the “baptism” of his bloody death. Already he is coming to “fulfill all righteousness”, that is, he is submitting himself entirely to his Father’s will: out of love he consents to this baptism of death for the remission of our sins. The Father’s voice responds to the Son’s acceptance, proclaiming his entire delight in his Son. The Spirit whom Jesus possessed in fullness from his conception comes to “rest on him”. Jesus will be the source of the Spirit for all mankind. At his baptism “the heavens were opened” – the heavens that Adam’s sin had closed – and the waters were sanctified by the descent of Jesus and the Spirit, a prelude to the new creation.
The paragraph points us to the theme of accepting our own vocation and mission as sharers in the three-fold office of Christ. The days catechesis or homily can therefore be on any of the following topics:
- Our baptism and participation in the Sonship of Jesus.
- Our vocation to holiness and our participation in the three-fold office of Christ as priest, prophet and king.
- Prayer and the deepening knowledge of our own vocation.
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