INTRODUCTION
God, + come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.
HYMN
As John fulfilled his sacred charge,
Christ Jesus, Author of the world,
immersed this day in Jordan’s tide,
by bathing, washed its waters clean.
Born from the Virgin Mother’s womb,
he did not need to be baptized,
yet by his washing, he desired,
to take away our guilt and sin.
The Father speaks, his voice proclaims:
This is my own beloved Son;
from heaven’s height on him descends,
in dove-like form, the Spirit blest.
Beneath the myst’ry of this Name,
salvation shines within the Church;
the Trinity abides with her,
one God through every time and place.
All glory be to you, O Christ;
the Father and the Spirit blest,
in splendor from the heights of heav’n,
reveal that you are Life and Truth. Amen.
Tune: BRESLAU, 8 8 8 8
Music: first appeared in As Hymnodus Sacer, Leipzig 1625, adapted by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, 1809-1847
or Mode I, melody 17; Liber Hymnarius, Solesmes, 1983*
Text: Implente munus debitum, ca. 10th c., © 2023 ICEL
PSALMODY
Ant.1 John was in the wilderness baptizing and proclaiming a baptism of penance for the forgiveness of sins.
Psalm 135
Praise for the wonderful things God does for us
He has called you out of darkness into his own wonderful light (see 1 Peter 2:9).
I
Praise the name of the Lord, *
praise him, servants of the Lord,
who stand in the house of the Lord *
in the courts of the house of our God.
Praise the Lord for the Lord is good. *
Sing a psalm to his name for he is loving.
For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself *
and Israel for his own possession.
For I know the Lord is great, *
that our Lord is high above all gods.
The Lord does whatever he wills, *
in heaven, on earth, in the seas.
He summons clouds from the ends of the earth;
makes lightning produce the rain; *
from his treasuries he sends forth the wind.
The first-born of the Egyptians he smote, *
of man and beasts alike.
Signs and wonders he worked
in the midst of your land, O Egypt, *
against Pharaoh and all his servants.
Nations in their greatness he struck *
and kings in their splendor he slew.
Sihon, king of the Amorites,
Og, the king of Bashan, *
and all the kingdoms of Canaan.
He let Israel inherit their land; *
on his people their land he bestowed.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. John was in the wilderness baptizing and proclaiming a baptism of penance for the forgiveness of sins.
Ant. 2 I baptize you with water, but the one who is coming will baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
II
Lord, your name stands for ever, *
unforgotten from age to age,
for the Lord does justice for his people; *
the Lord takes pity on his servants.
Pagans idols are silver and gold, *
the work of human hands.
They have mouths but they cannot speak; *
they have eyes but they cannot see.
They have ears but they cannot hear; *
there is never a breath on their lips.
Their makers will come to be like them *
and so will all who trust in them!
Sons of Israel, bless the Lord! *
Sons of Aaron, bless the Lord!
Sons of Levi, bless the Lord! *
You who fear him, bless the Lord!
From Zion may the Lord be blessed, *
he who dwells in Jerusalem!
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Psalm Prayer
Father, your name and your memory last forever. We stand to pray in your house and praise you with psalms of joy. We ask you in your kindness to have mercy on us in our lowliness.
Ant. I baptize you with water, but the one who is coming will baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
Ant. 3 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he came out of the water, and the heavens opened before him.
Canticle: See 1 Timothy 3:16
The mystery and glory of Christ
℟. Praise the Lord, all you nations.
Christ manifested in the flesh, *
Christ justified in the Spirit.
℟. Praise the Lord, all you nations.
Christ contemplated by the angels, *
Christ proclaimed by the pagans.
℟. Praise the Lord, all you nations.
Christ who is believed in the world, *
Christ exalted in glory.
℟. Praise the Lord, all you nations.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
℟.Praise the Lord, all you nations.
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
℟. Praise the Lord, all you nations.
Ant. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he came out of the water, and the heavens opened before him.
READING
Acts 10:37-38
I take it you know what has been reported all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
RESPONSORY
O Lord our God, hear the cry of your people.
— O Lord our God, hear the cry of your people.
Open for them the spring of living water.
— Hear the cry of your people.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
— O Lord our God, hear the cry of your people.
GOSPEL CANTICLE
Ant. Our Savior came to be baptized, so that through the cleansing waters of baptism he might restore the old man to new life, heal our sinful nature, and clothe us with unfailing holiness.
Canticle of Mary
Luke 1:46-55
The soul rejoices in the Lord
My + soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, †
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior *
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed: †
the Almighty has done great things for me, *
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him *
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm, *
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, *
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things, *
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel *
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers, *
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Our Savior came to be baptized, so that through the cleansing waters of baptism he might restore the old man to new life, heal our sinful nature, and clothe us with unfailing holiness.
INTERCESSIONS
Our Redeemer desired to be baptized in the Jordan by John; let us make our petition to him:
Lord send forth your Spirit upon us.
Christ, Servant of God, the Father acknowledged you as his own Son with whom he was pleased,
— send forth your Spirit upon us.
Lord send forth your Spirit upon us.
Christ, Chosen One of God, you did not break the crushed reed or extinguish the wavering flame,
— have mercy on all who are seeking you in good faith.
Lord send forth your Spirit upon us.
Christ, Son of God, the Father called you to be a light to the nations in the new covenant,
— open the eyes of the blind by the waters of baptism.
Lord send forth your Spirit upon us.
Christ, Savior of mankind, the Father anointed you with the Holy Spirit for the ministry of salvation,
— lead all mankind to see you and to believe in you, that they may have eternal life.
Lord send forth your Spirit upon us.
Christ, our hope, you lead those in darkness to the light of salvation,
— receive our departed brothers and sisters into your kingdom.
Lord send forth your Spirit upon us.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
(Gathering our prayer and praises into one, let us offer the prayer Christ himself taught us:)
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Almighty, eternal God,
when the Spirit descended upon Jesus
at his baptism in the Jordan,
you revealed him as your own beloved Son.
Keep us, your children born of water and the Spirit,
faithful to our calling.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.
Or:
Almighty ever-living God,
who, when Christ had been baptized in the River Jordan
and as the Holy Spirit descended upon him,
solemnly declared him your beloved Son,
grant that your children by adoption,
reborn of water and the Holy Spirit,
may always be well pleasing to you.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.
DISMISSAL
If a priest or deacon presides, he dismisses the people:
The Lord be with you.
— And with your spirit.
May almighty God bless you,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
— Amen.
Another form of the blessing may be used, as at Mass.
Then he adds:
Go in peace.
— Thanks be to God.
In the absence of a priest or deacon and in individual recitation, Evening Prayer concludes:
May the Lord + bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
— Amen.
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