Hi again, everyone. Welcome back to Daily Gospel Exegesis. Our goal here is to unpack the gospel

by doing a verse-by-verse exegesis of the text. So we're helping you understand the literal sense

of the text. Today we're going to look at Mark chapter 1 verses 7 to 11. This is the gospel reading

from today's mass. So here's the reading. In the course of his preaching, John the Baptist

said, someone is following me, someone who is more powerful than I am, and I am not fit to kneel down and undo the strap of his sandals.

I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.

It was at this time that Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized in the

Jordan by John. No sooner had he come up out of the water, then he saw the heavens torn apart

and the spirit like a dove descending on him. And a voice came from heaven.

You are my son, the beloved.

My favour rests on you.

So that's our text we want to look at today.

This is Mark's version of the baptism.

Let's set a bit of a context here first.

So we're right at the beginning of the Gospel of Mark.

We're in chapter 1. And this whole first section, right up to verse 14, it's considered to be the prologue to the gospel. Jesus doesn't start to do any ministry yet. We're just introducing Jesus.

And in particular, we're highlighting the role of John the Baptist in beginning Jesus ministry.

So just prior to this, John the Baptist in beginning Jesus' ministry.

So just prior to this, John the Baptist has been introduced.

Mark has told his readers that John the Baptist has been out in the wilderness preaching.

And now we're going to hear what he has to say.

So verse 7, in the course of his preaching, or more literally he preached, saying, so the text here implies that John

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