Filled with the Spirit, Homily for the Third Sunday, Ordinary Times

Today’s Gospel reading is a combination of two passages from the Gospel of St. Luke. First we hear the opening lines of the Gospel, where the Evangelist communicates the purpose of his writing. He intends to compile a trustworthy narrative of the events concerning Jesus, that have been ‘fulfilled’– he says – and he is going to relate these events according to their transmission through eye-witnesses. That’s the first part of today’s Gospel reading. Then, our lectionary skips the initial chapters of St. Luke’s Gospel about Jesus’ birth, his childhood and his baptism, and passes on to the fourth chapter to relate the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry.