Glory to Jesus Christ. I'm Mother Natalia, a Byzantine Catholic nun from Christ the bridegroom

monastery and this is Pines with Aquinas. I'd like to talk to you today about what's called

the Feast of Theophony. So we celebrate this in the east on

January 6th and it's the celebration of the baptism of the Lord in the Jordan by

John. And I'd like to share actually a reflection that I had about Theophony, probably a year ago,

two years ago, something like that.

Anyways, I know I've shared this reflection on Pines with a year ago, two years ago, something like that.

Anyways, I know I've shared this reflection

on Pines with Aquinas before,

as well as in my own podcast,

but the reflection has expanded since then.

So I'm really excited to share with you how that's

been expanded. So in both in both Matthew and Mark's account well and Luke's account in the baptism. So you're familiar with this story

probably. Jesus is at the Jordan and the Father's voice proclaims over him.

This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.

And then we hear that right after the baptism, Jesus is led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit. And in Matthew's account it says he's

led up by the Spirit and I think it says something similar in Luke in in Mark

it says the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness so it's even

more emphatic but I think it's important to mention that Jesus has not started his public ministry at this point.

And the reason I think that's important to mention is because it's here at the baptism that he hears these words

This is my beloved son and he hears this before starting his mission

He's he's been living out his mission, his mission from God for the entirety of his life, right? But it's before the baptism he hasn't started

...