Led in the Spirit - Go and Make Disciples
Led in the Spirit (¶65-69)
65. One day Jesus left Galilee and went to the River Jordan where
he saw his kinsman, John the Baptist, calling people to repentance and
renewal. He stepped forth from the crowd and approached John for
baptism. John hesitated, recognizing the uniqueness of Jesus. When Jesus
insisted, John plunged him into the water. At that point, people heard a
voice from the clouds; John saw the Spirit come upon Jesus who was
being revealed at this moment by God as the "Chosen One."42
66. The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert43 and,
after a while, into a ministry that began with Jesus' addressing simple
fishermen and small groups of people in his homeland. The Spirit led
Jesus on a journey through Palestine to Jerusalem where his message came
to challenge the whole world.
67. Jesus was led by the Spirit of God to a life of preaching and
service, to the giving of himself in sacrifice. Jesus Christ sends that
same Spirit upon everyone who is baptized in his name. For we have all
gone down into the water of Christ and have all been anointed to bring
Good News and to be true disciples.44 We have all received his Spirit. This is not a Spirit of timidity or fear, but a bold Spirit of life, truth, joy, and grace.
68. We, bishops and Catholic people, are all led by this same
Spirit who would stir up the faithful in our land to bring about a new
and powerful evangelization. With Jesus, we undertake this journey,
knowing that he is with us and his Spirit can never fail.
69. Jesus came to set this fire upon the earth, until all is
ablaze in the love of God. We pray this fire will come upon us as
disciples as we, led by the Spirit, carry out Christ's great commission
to go and make disciples of all the nations.
Notes