Epiphany 5

Here's another epiphany I experienced yesterday.
The Baptism of Jesus is another of our Epiphany celebrations.  Starting at least as early 2nd century, it is a much earlier feast than the Visit of the Magi, which wasn't celebrated until the 4th century. 
Quite different from Mark and Matthew, Luke describes the baptism in just two verses, 3: 21-22.  Curiously he eliminates John the Baptist from the scene.  In verse 20 Luke describes the Baptist shut up in prison.  (To get the Baptist into the story, this Sunday's Gospel backs up a few verses and starts with 3:15-16.)
By noting where one Gospel writer differs from the others, we can get an idea of the themes he wants to emphasize in his Gospel.  Throughout his Gospel Luke stresses the importance of prayer, especially prayer as the context for divine revelation.  Here Luke has nothing about Jesus coming up out of the water.  He describes this event as a prayer experience, "It was when all the people were being baptized, and when Jesus was being baptized and was praying, that heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in the physical shape of a dove." 
The act of the baptism fades into the background so that the spotlight is on Jesus' praying and on the Holy Spirit coming down on him.  It is in his prayer that Jesus hears a voice from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."
Luke holds Jesus up to us as a model of prayer.  In our own contemplation we become aware of the Holy Spirit filling us and we hear God whispering to us, "You are my child.  I love you.  I am pleased with you."