Mass for the Baptism of the Lord

Readings
for the

BAPTISM OF THE LORD

MASS

ENTRANCE ANTIPHON Mt 3: 16-17
Baptizato Domino, aperti sunt caeli, et sicut columba super eum Spiritus mansit, et vox Patris intonuit: Hic est Filius meus dilectus, in quo mihi bene complacui.
After the Lord was baptized, the heavens were opened,
and the Spirit descended upon him like a dove,
and the voice of the Father thundered:
This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.

GLORIA

COLLECT
Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, qui Christum, in Iordane flumine baptizatum, Spiritu Sancto super eum descendente, dilectum Filium tuum sollemniter declarasti, concede filiis adoptionis tuae, ex aqua et Spiritu Sancto renatis, ut in beneplacito tuo iugiter perseverent.
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,
one God, for ever and ever.

Or:

Deus, cuius Unigenitus in substantia nostrae carnis apparuit, praesta, quaesumus, ut, per eum, quem similem nobis foris agnovimus, intus reformari mereamur.
O God, whose Only Begotten Son
has appeared in our very flesh,
grant, we pray, that we may be inwardly transformed
through him whom we recognize as outwardly like ourselves.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

FIRST READING Isaiah 42:1-4,6-7
Thus says the LORD:
Here is my servant whom I uphold,
my chosen one with whom I am pleased,
upon whom I have put my spirit;
he shall bring forth justice to the nations,
not crying out, not shouting,
not making his voice heard in the street.
a bruised reed he shall not break,
and a smoldering wick he shall not quench,
until he establishes justice on the earth;
the coastlands will wait for his teaching.

I, the LORD, have called you for the victory of justice,
I have grasped you by the hand;
I formed you, and set you
as a covenant of the people,
a light for the nations,
to open the eyes of the blind,
to bring out prisoners from confinement,
and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM          29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10
Dominus benedicet populo suo in pace.

R. (11b) The Lord will bless his people with peace.
Give to the LORD, you sons of God,
give to the LORD glory and praise,
Give to the LORD the glory due his name;
adore the LORD in holy attire.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
The voice of the LORD is over the waters,
the LORD, over vast waters.
The voice of the LORD is mighty;
the voice of the LORD is majestic.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
The God of glory thunders,
and in his temple all say, “Glory!”
The LORD is enthroned above the flood;
the LORD is enthroned as king forever.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.

SECOND READING          Acts 10:34-38
Peter proceeded to speak to those gathered
in the house of Cornelius, saying:
“In truth, I see that God shows no partiality.
Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly
is acceptable to him.
You know the word that he sent to the Israelites
as he proclaimed peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all,
what has happened 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.”

ALLELUIA          See Mk 9:6
Caeli aperti sunt et vox Patris intonuit: «Hic est Filius meus dilectus; audite illum».
The heavens were opened and the voice of the Father thundered:
This is my beloved Son, listen to him.

GOSPEL          Matthew 3:13-17
Jesus came from Galilee
to John at the Jordan
to be baptized by him.
John tried to prevent him, saying,
"I need to be baptized by you,
and yet you are coming to me?"
Jesus said to him in reply,
"Allow it now,
for thus it is fitting for us
to fulfill all righteousness."
Then he allowed him.
After Jesus was baptized,
he came up from the water and behold,
the heavens were opened for him,
and he saw the Spirit of God
descending like a dove
and coming upon him.
And a voice came from the heavens, saying,
"This is my beloved Son,
with whom I am well pleased.

If this Feast is on a Sunday, the CREED is said.

PRAYER OVER THE OFFERINGS
Suscipe munera, Domine, in dilecti Filii tui revelatione delata, ut fidelium tuorum oblatio in eius sacrificium transeat, qui mundi voluit peccata miseratus abluere.
Accept, O Lord, the offerings
we have brought to honor the revealing of your beloved Son,
so that the oblation of your faithful
may be transformed into the sacrifice of him
who willed in his compassion
to wash away the sins of the world.
Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.

PREFACE FOR THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD
Qui miris signasti mysteriis novum in Iordane lavacrum, ut, per vocem de caelo delapsam, habitare Verbum tuum inter homines crederetur; et, per Spiritum in columbae specie descendentem, Christus Servus tuus oleo perungi laetitiae ac mitti ad evangelizandum pauperibus nosceretur.
It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God.

For in the waters of the Jordan
you revealed with signs and wonders a new Baptism,
so that through the voice that came down from heaven
we might come to believe in your Word dwelling among us,
and by the Spirit’s descending in the likeness of a dove
we might know that Christ your Servant
has been anointed with the oil of gladness
and sent to bring the good news to the poor.

And so, with the Powers of heaven,
we worship you constantly on earth,
and before your majesty
without end we acclaim:

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON Jn 1:32,34
Ecce de quo dicebat Ioannes: Ego vidi et testimonium perhibui, quia hic est Filius Dei.
Behold the One of whom John said:
I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Sacro munere satiati, clementiam tuam, Domine, suppliciter exoramus, ut, Unigenitum tuum fideliter audientes, filii tui vere nominemur et simus.
Nourished with these sacred gifts,
we humbly entreat your mercy, O Lord,
that, faithfully listening to your Only Begotten Son,
we may be your children in name and in truth.
Through Christ our Lord.

Year B

Or:

Deus, cuius Unigenitus in substantia nostrae carnis apparuit, praesta, quaesumus, ut, per eum, quem similem nobis foris agnovimus, intus reformari mereamur.
O God, whose Only Begotten Son
has appeared in our very flesh,
grant, we pray, that we may be inwardly transformed
through him whom we recognize as outwardly like ourselves.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

Click here for Alternate Readings for Year B

FIRST READING Isaiah 42:1-4,6-7
Thus says the LORD:
Here is my servant whom I uphold,
my chosen one with whom I am pleased,
upon whom I have put my spirit;
he shall bring forth justice to the nations,
not crying out, not shouting,
not making his voice heard in the street.
a bruised reed he shall not break,
and a smoldering wick he shall not quench,
until he establishes justice on the earth;
the coastlands will wait for his teaching.

It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee
and was baptized in the Jordan by John.
On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open
and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him.
And a voice came from the heavens,
“You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

If this Feast is on a Sunday, the CREED is said.

PRAYER OVER THE OFFERINGS
Suscipe munera, Domine, in dilecti Filii tui revelatione delata, ut fidelium tuorum oblatio in eius sacrificium transeat, qui mundi voluit peccata miseratus abluere.
Accept, O Lord, the offerings
we have brought to honor the revealing of your beloved Son,
so that the oblation of your faithful
may be transformed into the sacrifice of him
who willed in his compassion
to wash away the sins of the world.
Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.

PREFACE FOR THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD
Qui miris signasti mysteriis novum in Iordane lavacrum, ut, per vocem de caelo delapsam, habitare Verbum tuum inter homines crederetur; et, per Spiritum in columbae specie descendentem, Christus Servus tuus oleo perungi laetitiae ac mitti ad evangelizandum pauperibus nosceretur.
It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God.

For in the waters of the Jordan
you revealed with signs and wonders a new Baptism,
so that through the voice that came down from heaven
we might come to believe in your Word dwelling among us,
and by the Spirit’s descending in the likeness of a dove
we might know that Christ your Servant
has been anointed with the oil of gladness
and sent to bring the good news to the poor.

And so, with the Powers of heaven,
we worship you constantly on earth,
and before your majesty
without end we acclaim:

Year C

Or:

Deus, cuius Unigenitus in substantia nostrae carnis apparuit, praesta, quaesumus, ut, per eum, quem similem nobis foris agnovimus, intus reformari mereamur.
O God, whose Only Begotten Son
has appeared in our very flesh,
grant, we pray, that we may be inwardly transformed
through him whom we recognize as outwardly like ourselves.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

Click here for Alternate Readings for Year C

FIRST READING Isaiah 42:1-4,6-7
Thus says the LORD:
Here is my servant whom I uphold,
my chosen one with whom I am pleased,
upon whom I have put my spirit;
he shall bring forth justice to the nations,
not crying out, not shouting,
not making his voice heard in the street.
a bruised reed he shall not break,
and a smoldering wick he shall not quench,
until he establishes justice on the earth;
the coastlands will wait for his teaching.

After all the people had been baptized
and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying,
heaven was opened
and the Holy Spirit descended upon him
in bodily form like a dove.
And a voice came from heaven,
"You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."

If this Feast is on a Sunday, the CREED is said.

PRAYER OVER THE OFFERINGS
Suscipe munera, Domine, in dilecti Filii tui revelatione delata, ut fidelium tuorum oblatio in eius sacrificium transeat, qui mundi voluit peccata miseratus abluere.
Accept, O Lord, the offerings
we have brought to honor the revealing of your beloved Son,
so that the oblation of your faithful
may be transformed into the sacrifice of him
who willed in his compassion
to wash away the sins of the world.
Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.

PREFACE FOR THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD
Qui miris signasti mysteriis novum in Iordane lavacrum, ut, per vocem de caelo delapsam, habitare Verbum tuum inter homines crederetur; et, per Spiritum in columbae specie descendentem, Christus Servus tuus oleo perungi laetitiae ac mitti ad evangelizandum pauperibus nosceretur.
It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God.

For in the waters of the Jordan
you revealed with signs and wonders a new Baptism,
so that through the voice that came down from heaven
we might come to believe in your Word dwelling among us,
and by the Spirit’s descending in the likeness of a dove
we might know that Christ your Servant
has been anointed with the oil of gladness
and sent to bring the good news to the poor.

And so, with the Powers of heaven,
we worship you constantly on earth,
and before your majesty
without end we acclaim:

Alternate Readings for Year B:

FIRST READING          Isaiah 55:1-11
All you who are thirsty,
  come to the water!
You who have no money,
  come, receive grain and eat;
Come, without paying and without cost,
  drink wine and milk!

Why spend your money for what is not bread;
  your wages for what fails to satisfy?
Heed me, and you shall eat well,
  you shall delight in rich fare.
Come to me heedfully, listen,
  that you may have life.
I will renew with you the everlasting covenant,
  the benefits assured to David.
As I made him a witness to the peoples,
  a leader and commander of nations,
So shall you summon a nation you knew not,
  and nations that knew you not shall run to you,
Because of the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel,
  who has glorified you.
Seek the LORD while he may be found,
  call him while he is near.
Let the scoundrel forsake his way,
  and the wicked man his thoughts;
Let him turn to the LORD for mercy;
  to our God, who is generous in forgiving.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
  nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD.
As high as the heavens are above the earth,
  so high are my ways above your ways
  and my thoughts above your thoughts.
For just as from the heavens
  the rain and snow come down
And do not return there
  till they have watered the earth,
  making it fertile and fruitful,
Giving seed to him who sows
  and bread to him who eats,
So shall my word be
  that goes forth from my mouth;
It shall not return to me void,
  but shall do my will,
  achieving the end for which I sent it.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM          Isaiah 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6

R. (3) You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
God indeed is my savior;
I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
With joy you will draw water
at the fountain of salvation.
R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name;
among the nations make known his deeds,
proclaim how exalted is his name.
R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;
let this be known throughout all the earth.
Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
for great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel!
R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.

SECOND READING          I John 5:1-9
Beloved:
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten by God,
and everyone who loves the Father
loves also the one begotten by him.
In this way we know that we love the children of God
when we love God and obey his commandments.
For the love of God is this,
that we keep his commandments.
And his commandments are not burdensome,
for whoever is begotten by God conquers the world.
And the victory that conquers the world is our faith.
Who indeed is the victor over the world
but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

This is the one who came through water and blood, Jesus Christ,
not by water alone, but by water and blood.
The Spirit is the one who testifies,
and the Spirit is truth.
So there are three that testify,
the Spirit, the water, and the blood,
and the three are of one accord.
If we accept human testimony,
the testimony of God is surely greater.
Now the testimony of God is this,
that he has testified on behalf of his Son.

ALLELUIA See Jn 1:29
Vidit Ioannes Iesum venientem ad se, et ait: Ecce Agnus Dei, qui tollit peccatum mundi.
John saw Jesus approaching him, and said:
Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

Return to Year B

Alternate Readings for Year C:

FIRST READING          Isaiah 40:1-5,9-11
Comfort, give comfort to my people,
says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and proclaim to her that her service is at an end,
her guilt is expiated;
Indeed, she has received from the hand of the LORD
double for all her sins.
A voice cries out:
In the desert prepare the way of the LORD!
Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!
Every valley shall be filled in,
every mountain and hill shall be made low;
The rugged land shall be made a plain,
the rough country, a broad valley.
Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,
and all mankind shall see it together;
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
Go up onto a high mountain, Zion,
herald of glad tidings;
Cry out at the top of your voice, Jerusalem,
herald of good news!
Fear not to cry out
and say to the cities of Judah:
Here is your God!
Here comes with power the Lord GOD,
who rules by his strong arm;
Here is his reward with him,
his recompense before him.
Like a shepherd he feeds his flock;
in his arms he gathers the lambs,
Carrying them in his bosom,
and leading the ewes with care.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM          104:1b-2, 3-4, 24-25, 27-28, 29-30

R. (V.1) O bless the Lord, my soul.
Lord, my God, you are great indeed!
You are clothed with majesty and glory,
robed in light as with a cloak.
You spread out the heavens like a tent.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul.
You raised your palace upon the waters.
You make the clouds your chariot; you travel on the wings of the wind.
You make the winds your messengers;
flaming fire, your ministers.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul.
How varied are your works, Lord!
In wisdom you have wrought them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
Look at the sea, great and wide!
It teems with countless beings,
living things both large and small.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul.
All of these look to you
to give them food in due time.
When you give to them, they gather;
when you open your hand, they are well filled.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul.
When you hide your face, they are lost.
When you take away their breath, they perish and return to the dust from which they came.
When you send forth your breath, they are created,
and you renew the face of the earth.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul.

SECOND READING          Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7
Beloved:
The grace of God has appeared,
saving all and training us to reject godless ways
and worldly desires
and to live temperately, justly,
and devoutly in this age,
as we await the blessed hope,
the appearance of the glory of the great God
and of our savior Jesus Christ,
who gave himself for us to deliver us
from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself
a people as his own, eager to do what is good.
When the kindness and generous love of God our savior appeared,
not because of any righteous deeds we had done
but because of his mercy,
he saved us through the bath of rebirth
and renewal by the holy Spirit,
whom he richly poured out on us
through Jesus Christ our savior,
so that we might be justified by his grace
and become heirs in hope of eternal life.

ALLELUIA          See Lk 3:16
Venit fortior me, dixit Ioannes; ipse vos baptizabit Spiritu Sancto et igni.
John said: One mightier than I is coming;
he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

Return to Year C

The English translation of Psalm Responses, Alleluia Verses, Gospel Verses from Lectionary for Mass © 1969, 1981, 1997, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation (ICEL); the English translation of Antiphons, Invitatories, Responsories, Intercessions, Psalm 95, the Canticle of the Lamb, Psalm Prayers, Non-Biblical Readings from The Liturgy of the Hours © 1973, 1974, 1975, ICEL; excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 2010, ICEL. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

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