Replace Vices with Virtues – Reflection on Luke 3:15-16, 21-22
Jesus’s baptism by St. John, the Holy Spirit descending after His prayer, and hearing He is from the Father’s and beloved Son are wondrous. Likewise, our Baptism of cleansing by water, anointing by oil, and the Holy Spirit awakening within us is the beginning of our own journey. Frequent prayer of the type as Jesus did is more challenging still. Allowing ourselves to become malleable in the master’s furnace and reshaped by his hammer to replace vices with virtues is the deeper meaning of what St. John includes in Baptism by fire.
The Baptism of Jesus, James Tissot, Brooklyn Museum
Additional Christmastide Reflections
Luke 3:15-16, 21-22
15 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, 16 John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
18 So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people. 19 But Herod the ruler, who had been rebuked by him because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and because of all the evil things that Herod had done, 20 added to them all by shutting up John in prison.
The Baptism of Jesus
21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”
Thank you for meditating on this daily Gospel reading and considering this Lectio Divina reflection on Luke 3:15-16, 21-22 – Replace Vices with Virtues.
Additional Thoughts
This site has written permission from New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) to use the Luke 3 Bible passage.
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Prayer for young families:
Lord, let the young families of our communities get to know your joy, peace, comfort, and love despite the world’s distractions.