Let's
All be an instrument of Peace!
-
Everywhere
- In any condition
- At any time |
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THE
BAPTISM OF THE LORD
Reading: Mt
3:1-17; Mk 1:4-13; Lk
3:21-23
"You are my Son,
the Beloved"
Jesus was baptised when He was about thirty years old. With that he began
His public ministry. Though He was free from sin, He needed to be baptised
to embark on His public ministry. St. Luke wrote, "and Jesus grew
in wisdom and stature, and favour with God and men" (Lk 2:52). His
growth was gradual like anybody else's. The culmination point in His growth
as man was reached at His baptism where the Father openly declared, "You
are my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on you" (Mk1:11). So far,
He used to be known as the Carpenter of Nazareth. He was simply known
as a simple human person; but this affirmation by the Father would change
the whole life and ministry of Jesus once for all, in a very dramatic
way. He would never be the same Galilean to His onlookers any more.
It was only after this
affirmation by the Father that He set out to proclaim the Good News and
liberate captives from all kinds of bondages. As the Gospels tell us,
His different way of teaching would also been noted by His countrymen.
It was not the same way of teaching like the Pharisees and the Scribes.
[CONTINUES
ON PAGE 2]
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