Dominican Friars
Province of St. Albert the Great, USA

Know Before You Go

The Baptism of the Lord: Meaning, Scripture & Mission

Know Before You Go

In this episode, Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, OP explains the transition from the Christmas season into Ordinary Time—or more accurately, "Ordinal Time," where we begin to order our days and count the weeks of our faith journey.

Father Scott connects the dots between today’s powerful scripture readings. He explores the Second Reading from the Book of Acts, where Peter realizes God’s message is for all nations, not just the Jewish people. This connects deeply to the Prophet Isaiah’s description of the "Servant" who brings justice without violence, and ultimately to the Gospel account of Jesus’ baptism.

Why was a sinless Jesus baptized by John? What does the voice from Heaven tell us about Jesus' identity? And most importantly, what does this mean for us as we try to carry on His mission today? Watch to find out how these readings fit together to reveal the universal scope of God’s love.

Key Takeaways:
  Understanding "Ordinal Time" vs. "Ordinary Time."
  The theological significance of Jesus’ baptism.
  How the "Servant Song" of Isaiah predicts Jesus' non-violent ministry.
  Peter’s realization that salvation is for all nations (Gentiles included).

📖 Timeline:
  00:00 - Introduction & The End of the Christmas Season
  00:29 - What is "Ordinary" vs. "Ordinal" Time?
  01:30 - The Baptism of the Lord: Beginning the Ministry
  02:11 - The Second Reading (Acts): Peter & Cornelius
  03:33 - Connecting Acts to the Gospel: Jesus' Baptism
  04:14 - Why was a sinless Jesus baptized?
  05:03 - The First Reading (Isaiah): The Suffering Servant
  06:06 - Connecting Isaiah to Jesus’ Mission
  07:08 - Our Mission for the Liturgical Year

#BaptismOfTheLord #Catholic #SundayHomily #FrScottSteinkerchner #OrdinaryTime #ScriptureReflection #BibleStudy #Christianity #Isaiah #Gospel #LiturgicalYear #CatholicFeastDay

Dominican recording video

Know Before You Go is a ministry of the provincial office to help people prepare to hear the readings and preaching of the approaching Sunday's Mass. We welcome any feedback you have at know@opcentral.org . You can see them all below, or you can see other preaching by a particular person by clicking on his name.

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  •

    The Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Fr. Brian Walker, OP breaks open the readings for the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, pointing out how we can feel closer to God by partaking in the Eucharist through taking communion, participating in Eucharistic Adoration, visiting a chapel, or just sitting quietly with God. How do you communicate best with the Lord? How do you help others to feel close to God?

    Readings: Proverbs 9:1–6; Ephesians 5:15–20; John 6:51–58.
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    The Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Fr. Charlie Bouchard, OP breaks open the readings for the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time on the Eucharist as food for the journey. Whenever we partake of this sacrament, we connect ourselves to all those who hunger physically and spiritually.

    Readings: 1 Kings 19:4–8; Ephesians 4:30—5:2; John 6:41–51
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    The Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, OP and Fr. Michael Fones, OP break open the readings for the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Paul challenges us to give up our "futile" way of thinking, where we rely only on our own resources. Jesus challenges us to believe in him rather than some magic formula. Exodus challenges us to trust God to lead us into a better life.

    Readings: Exodus 16:2–4, 12–15; Ephesians 4:17, 20–24; John 6:24–35
  •

    The Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, OP breaks open the word for the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, pondering Paul's words that we should live a life worthy of the call of the One God who is over all and in all, acknowledging that if God is in us, then God is in our enemies and in all of creation. Thus, we must share the blessings we receive from God with others, even when we think them small, and God will make sure they enough for all.

    Readings: 2 Kings 4:42–44, Ephesians 4:1–6, John 6:1–15
  •

    The Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Fr. Charlie Bouchard, OP reflects on the idea of shepherds from the readings for the Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time. Our politicians are shepherds in a sense, but Jesus is our true Shepherd. Do we place the Gospel truth ahead of political truth?

    Readings: Jeremiah 23:1–6; Ephesians 2:13–18; Mark 6:30–34
  •

    The Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Br. Joe Trout breaks open the readings for the Fifteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time, tying the disparate readings together—Amos is not a professional prophet, just trying to do God's will; Jesus calls the apostles to trust him and follow his work; and Paul reminds us that it is God who lavishes grace upon us. Thus, we must ask ourselves: is this God working through me, or are these my own ideas that are getting in the way of God working through me?

    Readings: Amos 7:12–15, Ephesians 1:3–14, Mark 6:7–13
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    The Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Fr. Brendan Curran, OP breaks open the readings for the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, coming to us from the Shrine of St. Kateri Tekakwitha, a Mohawk saint who embodies the themes of the day—being a true prophet to the nations, seemingly weak and unimportant, and rejected by her own, but ultimately a powerful witness.

    Readings: Ezekiel 2:2-5, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, Mark 6:1-6
  •

    The Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Fr. Brian Walker, OP breaks open the readings for the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, pointing out that when disaster strikes and no one has control over circumstances, we call it "an act of God." In these times, we need to turn to God, and knowing that with God's help, we don't have to simply accept these wrongs; we can challenge them and perhaps, with God's help, do something about them.

    Based on Mark 5:21–43
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    The Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Fr. James Marchionda, OP breaks open the readings for the Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time, reminding us that God is always near, but always remains a mystery as well, because God, like suffering, is incomprehensible.

    Readings: Job 38:1, 8–11, 2 Corinthians 5:14–17, Mark 4:35–41
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    The Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Fr. Charlie Bouchard, OP breaks open the readings for the Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, breaking open the parable of the mustard seed. Though it is not the smallest of seeds, it can grow wherever it finds itself. Can we see those seeds growing within ourselves?

    Readings: Ezekiel 17:22–24, 2 Corinthians 5:6–10, Mark 4:26–34
  •

    The Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, OP breaks open the readings for the Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, pointing out how there is more going on under the surface than meets the eye. In the first reading Adam and Eve play the blame game over who is at fault for eating the forbidden fruit, showing that there was already tension under the surface in the Garden of Eden. In the second reading, Paul tells the Corinthians that he is strengthened in his faith because he is suffering for them. And in the Gospel of Mark, Jesus' family thinks that he is out of his mind, and so Jesus breaks from them and proclaims that his real family are those who do the will of God.
  •

    The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

    Br. Joe Trout, OP breaks open the readings for the Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (often still called "Corpus Christi"), revealing the many-layered themes that reveal God's complete plan of salvation for the world—creating us in the image of God to be God's presence in the world and then giving us the Eucharist so that we can live up to this call.

    Readings: Exodus 24:3–8, Hebrews 9:11–15, Mark 14:12–16, 22–26
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    The Most Holy Trinity

    Fr. Brendan Curran, OP breaks open the readings for Trinity Sunday. God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit points towards the abundance of God's presence as creator, redeemer, and sustainer.
  •

    Pentecost

    Fr. Brian Walker, OP breaks open the readings for the Feast of Pentecost, remembering the gifts of the Spirit that transformed the community on that first Pentecost, and challenging each of us to allow those gifts to transform us with the gifts we need to become more than we are right now.
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    The Ascension of the Lord

    Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, OP breaks open the readings for the Feast of the Ascension, contrasting how the disciples were told to wait for the Holy Spirit, but were also to go out and use those gifts to preach the Good News to the ends of the earth.
  •

    The Sixth Sunday of Easter

    Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, OP breaks open the readings for the Sixth Sunday of Easter, lifting up Jesus' comment: "This is my commandment: that you love one another as I have loved you." Trusting the love of God shown in Jesus and reflecting that love to others should be the center of our faith.

    Readings: Acts 10:25-26,​34-35,​44-48, 1 John 4:7-10, John 15:9-17
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    The Fifth Sunday of Easter

    Fr. Brendan Curran, OP breaks open the readings for the Fifth Sunday of Easter. Jesus tells us that he is the vine and we are the branches. We are bound to him and to one another, and if we stay so bound, we can produce much fruit. We are constantly threatened to give up and let ourselves be torn apart, but we need to stand against that.
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    The Fourth Sunday of Easter

    Fr. Brian Walker, OP breaks open the readings for the Fourth Sunday of Easter, Good Shepherd Sunday, reminding us that as Christians, we are all called to shepherd one another. Sometimes that can be unpleasant, or dirty, or smelly, but is is also rewarding and where we find our salvation.
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    The Third Sunday of Easter

    Br. Joe Trout, OP breaks open the readings for the Third Sunday of Easter, exploring how the Resurrection shows that it was God's plan all along to bring back to life his beloved children, and that Jesus is the way God accomplishes it.
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    Easter Sunday

    Happy Easter to You and Yours! Today, Br. Joe Trout, OP breaks open the readings for Easter Sunday, pointing out that with the Resurrection, we enter the End Times, and every time we open ourselves to God coming "from above" we bring more life into the world.
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    Palm Sunday

    Fr. Charlie Bouchard, OP breaks open the readings for this Palm Sunday, noticing how embodied all of the readings are. Jesus gave his body for our salvation. Can we give our bodies, just as they are, for the salvation and faith of others?
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    The Fifth Sunday of Lent

    Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, OP breaks open the readings for the Fifth Sunday of Lent, pointing out what is different in the "new covenant" that the prophet Jeremiah says God will place in our hearts. Through embracing suffering we will learn obedience to God, as Jesus did, and God will give us the grace to endure and overcome.
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    The Fourth Sunday of Lent

    Fr. Brendan Curran, OP shows the progression in the readings for this Sunday: the first reading shows the brokenness of our world; the second shows it's hope in the grace of God; and the Gospel presents the choice: Jesus came on the side of redemption, not condemnation–which side will we choose?
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