Dig Deeper into Sunday’s Gospel: Read Luke 3:15–16,21–22

I am continually amazed by the life of Scripture, which offers a meaningful message one day and inspires a completely different insight the next. This Sunday's gospel is one such passage. It is a familiar story that we recently read during Advent. I am particularly drawn to verses 21 and 22 in Luke's third chapter, as they contain a message that my heart needs—and perhaps yours does, too.

After all the people had been baptized and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased." (Luke 3:21–22)

This gospel passage, particularly these verses, serves as a reminder during Ordinary Time of the extraordinary nature of our Lord. Once the lights are taken down, the tree is discarded, and the gifts are put away from the Christmas season, it becomes all too easy to forget what we were just celebrating, who we were just celebrating, and the choices He willingly made for us.

This week’s gospel reminds us that He, who was without sin and needed no cleansing or purification—the one John was preparing the people for—willingly entered the Jordan River, just as every sinner had done before Him. Jesus—“God with us”—chose to enter humanity and dwell within our fragile and broken bodies because He desired to be with us, to share in our suffering, our pain, and even in our death.

In response to Jesus’ acceptance of Baptism, the heavens opened, and the voice of God the Father proclaimed His delight in His Son. And in fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy, the Spirit of the Lord came to rest on Him (Isaiah 11:2).

At this moment, Jesus received confirmation not only of His identity but also of His purpose and mission. Through His Baptism, He became one with us. And, through our own, we become one with Him, “sacramentally assimilated”[1] to Him, a branch grafted onto His family tree, belonging to Him, chosen by Him (Romans 11:17, Ephesians 1:4), and loved by Him. 

My friend, we are beloved daughters of God, and He is well pleased with us. 

Like Jesus, through our Baptism, we too have received confirmation of our identity, purpose, and mission. He invites us to embrace a new life, a transformed life—one lived as a beloved daughter, living as one loved. With the anointing of the Holy Spirit, we are empowered with strength to resist temptations from the enemy, just as Jesus overcame them in the desert. We gain the courage to boldly share the gospel amidst a culture of disbelief and doubt, following His example in Capernaum. And we are called to make disciples, just as He did on the shores of Galilee. 

So, let me ask you—are you living this transformed life as a beloved daughter? Are you living loved?

It’s not easy, especially given our broken world. I’ve lived far too long with an orphan’s heart, clinging and grasping for love. We were not created to be orphans. My friend, each of us is so beloved by Him. The proof of this is found in His very existence here, His choice to live with us, be baptized like us, suffer like us, and die like us. Living into our belovedness—as loved and chosen daughters—brings our Lord true glory and delight.

Living loved, as beloved, means tuning out the cacophony of voices that tells us otherwise, that shouts how worthless, unwanted, or overlooked we are, voices that drive us to prove ourselves through perfection and achievement. Rather, living loved tunes us into the still, quiet, honest voice of the Father, “express[ing] the core and truth of our existence.”[2] 

Living loved enables us to embrace our truest identity, one that is enduring, one that we cannot lose or be disqualified from. This identity inspires us toward leading a transformed life, one in which we desire to become more like our beloved Lord, encouraging us to love and serve others in ways that glorify Him and make Him known. 

Instead of grasping for love as orphans, we stand confident as daughters, allowing the Holy Spirit within us to move—unclenching our hands, untangling our hearts, and opening our eyes. In freedom, we begin to see others through the eyes of the Father, viewing them as He does, offering them blessings and affirming that they, too, are God's handiwork, His delight, and His beloved.

With ordinary time now upon us, let us live extraordinarily loved, declaring His truth over our lives and those around us. Let us honor His choice to be “God with us” and remember all He accomplished to claim us as His own beloved daughters. 

Live loved, my friend. He is well pleased with you.

Your sister in Christ,
Jeannine

Food for thought or journaling… 

How would your life change if you lived from a place of truly embracing being called beloved by our Lord? What behaviors would increase or decrease? What thoughts would increase or decrease? What is one practical way that you can live loved this week?

Almighty Father, You so loved the world that You sent Your only Son here to save me so that I might never perish and instead be with You for all eternity. You marked me as one belonging to You. You have chosen me. You call me beloved. You call me daughter. Lord, open my heart to fully receive this truth. I desire to live a transformed life that You have called me to, a life loved. I claim these truths in Your Son’s most holy and precious name. Amen. 

P.S. Encounter the God who loves you and discover your belovedness in a Walking with Purpose virtual Bible study group. BONUS, you get community, fellowship, AND Scripture, all from the comfort of your couch!

[1] Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2nd edition (Vatican: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2012), #537.
[2] Henri Nouwen, Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World (New York: Crossroad Publishing Company, 1992), 34.