Mama Monday #84

 Matthew 3:13-17, The Message

^13-14 Jesus then appeared, arriving at the Jordan River from Galilee. He wanted John to baptize him. John objected, “I’m the one who needs to be baptized, not you!”

¹⁵ But Jesus insisted. “Do it. God’s work, putting things right all these centuries, is coming together right now in this baptism.” So John did it.

^16-17 The moment Jesus came up out of the baptismal waters, the skies opened up and he saw God’s Spirit—it looked like a dove—descending and landing on him. And along with the Spirit, a voice: “This is my Son, chosen and marked by my love, delight of my life.”

 

Lectio Reflections on Matthew 3:13-17

It’s only the third chapter

of Matthew

still early in the story,

but the stage is already being set.

 

Jesus steps into the Jordan,

into the water,

into the hands of his friend John.

And here

God reveals what has been true

all along.

The skies break open.

The Spirit comes down

like a dove.

A voice is heard:

This is my Son.

Chosen.

Marked by my love.

The delight of my life.

In the very next chapter

Jesus is driven into the desert—

no food,

no community,

face-to-face with the devil.

But first-

there was the river.

First came the words:

beloved Son

well-pleased

and delighted in.

They echoed in his ears

as he began the work

that would cost him everything.

So what’s the invitation here-

reading this at the beginning of Epiphany,

at the start of a new year?

To remember

who we are.

And whose we are.

To let these words

become our anchor,

to draw strength

for our wilderness times.

Whatever lies ahead,

let us listen for this voice-

that we, too,

are beloved.

And this—

this is always

the place to begin.