We rarely think of Jesus as a beginner, just as we rarely think of Jesus needing help. But in today’s feast we celebrate those two things: Jesus makes a big beginning to his ministry, and he receives help in the power of the Holy Spirit.
All the Gospels agree that John the Baptist was very important in the life of Jesus. It is the towering, fearless of John that stands between the hidden life of Jesus and his public ministry. Before Jesus goes to John, he is known by the local people simply as the son of a carpenter, who stays in the small town of Nazareth. After his time with John, Jesus becomes widely known as a wandering preacher with a unique prophetic mission. Clearly, something happened to Jesus while he was with John. He underwent a change that gave his life a new direction.
While he is with John, Jesus makes his big beginning. As Peter says in the second reading, ‘’Jesus of Nazareth…. Began in Galilee, after John had been preaching baptism.’’ John was a very important turning point in the life of Jesus- so important that Jesus says of him later: ‘’of all the children born of women, there is no one greater than John’’ (Luke 7:28). And in the fourth Gospel we are told that the first disciples of Jesus are ex-disciples of John.
In fact, John was so important that some people in the first century thought that he was the Messiah – as Luke tells us in today’s Gospel. One of the reasons they thought that was because like many people Jesus went to John to be baptized. Perhaps that is why Luke has the baptism in prison before he tells the story of Jesus’ baptism: to assure his readers of the supremacy of Jesus!
In today’s Gospel we heard how after his baptism Jesus is at prayer. The opening of the heavens is a signal for the descent of the Spirit. You can see the Old Testament backdrop for this scene in Isaiah when he writes: “Look down from heaven, look down…. Do not let your compassion go unmoved, for you are our father…. Oh, that you would tear the heavens open and come down ….” (63:15-19)
Now Luke celebrates the time when God no longer holds back but rends the heavens to signal the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. Jesus is anointed for his prophetic mission by the Holy Spirit, the great enabler, the one who helps people to achieve God’s plan. So, Jesus is not alone when he makes his great beginning. He begins his journey in the power of the Holy Spirit and in the love of the Father. He starts out on a difficult road that will eventually lead to an appointment with death.
As we celebrate Jesus great public beginning, we look at our own beginnings. And if some of them look a bit shabby now or half-hearted, we take consolation from the Gospel challenge to begin again. There probably won’t be any doves or voices from heaven, but as Gospel people we make our beginnings like Jesus. We are not alone. We make them in the power of the Spirit and in the love of the Father. So let us take courage to face our own road.