Liturgy Alive Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

Greeting

Today Jesus was baptized in the Jordan;
the Father recognized him as his beloved Son;
the Holy Spirit prepared him
for his mission of service.
May the Lord’s Spirit of sonship and service
be always with you. 
R/ And also with you.

Introduction by the Celebrant

Today, on the feast of the Lord’s baptism, Jesus, though he was without sin, made himself one with sinners, with outcasts, with the poor in any way, to bring them God’s forgiveness and life. He accepted that difficult mission. At our baptism we have become one with him. Do we too, like him, accept our mission to be good servants of God and people, even when this is a difficult task? After all, we are Jesus’ disciples.

Penitential Act

We too are God’s beloved sons and daughters
since the time we were baptized.
Have we answered God’s love?
Let us ask the Lord to forgive us.
(pause)
Lord Jesus, servant of God,
you taught us how to serve.
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, beloved Son of the Father,
through you we became his daughters and sons:
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you made yourself one
with all sinners and with the weak:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Have mercy on us, Lord,
and take all our sins away.
Make us live as people loved by God
and lead us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.

Opening Prayer

Let us pray that with Jesus
we may be faithful servants of God and people
(pause)
God our Father,
with Jesus you call us to be
your beloved sons and daughters
and with him you give us the mission
to become humble and dedicated servants.
Grant that we may not break
those crushed by sin and sorrow.
Help us to serve always the cause of right,
to be eyes to the blind
and a voice for the downtrodden.
May we please you in all we do.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord. R/ Amen.

Liturgy of the Word

First Reading Introduction: Here Is My Beloved Servant;   My Spirit Rests On Him
       The prophet announces that God’s Spirit will guide his faithful servant to bring justice and compassionate, respectful love to the world. This prophecy is fulfilled in Jesus. His mission is also ours.

General Intercessions

Today let us pray to our Father in heaven, who sent his Son among us as a servant to set us free and to make us new. Let us say to him: R/ Lord, hear your people.
– For the Church and its leaders, that they and we may not seek compromises with wealth and power but serve and help the poor, let us pray: R/ Lord, hear your people.
– For all those who do not know Christ or who are estranged from the Church, that the way we live Christ’s gospel may reveal to them the love of the Lord, let us pray: R/ Lord, hear your people.
– For us Christians and for all people, that the Holy Spirit may guide us to respect all who are little and defenseless; that we may not crush them but give them justice, let us pray: R/ Lord, hear your people.
– For all those who are baptized, that they may follow Christ and that, like him, they may learn to serve rather than to be served, let us pray: R/ Lord, hear your people.
– For us and all our Christian communities, that the eucharist may strengthen in us the gifts of the Holy Spirit and make us ever more faithful to our vocation as God’s beloved children, let us pray: R/ Lord, hear your people.
Lord our God, you have called us to become new when we were baptized. Forgive us our cowardice and keep renewing us through your Spirit, that we may have the courage to go with Christ all the way, for he is your Son and our Lord for ever. R/ Amen.

Prayer over the Gifts

Our God and Father,
these gifts of bread and wine
will become your beloved son Jesus
on whom your favor rests.
Strengthen us with his body and blood
and let his Holy Spirit renew us
as people who live without compromise
the message of justice and love
and the very life of your Son.
In this way, may we truly be
your beloved sons and daughters
on whom your favor rests,
now and for ever. R/ Amen.

Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer

Let us give wholehearted thanks to the Father for having made us in baptism his beloved sons and daughters together with Jesus our Lord.

Invitation to the Lord's Prayer

Baptized in the Holy Spirit
and children of the Father
through Jesus, his beloved Son,
we pray with all trust Jesus’ own prayer. R/ Our Father...

Deliver Us

Deliver us, Lord, from every evil
and grant us your peace in our day.
Revive in us the grace of baptism
and guide us by your Holy Spirit,
that we may be loyal to our mission
of living the life of Jesus in this world,
as we wait in joyful hope
for the coming in glory
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. R/ For the kingdom...

Invitation to Communion

This is Jesus our Lord,
the beloved Son of the Father,
on whom God’s favor rests.
Happy are we to be invited
to share his table
and to live his life. R/ Lord, I am not worthy...

Prayer after Communion

Our God and Father,
you have opened heaven to us
to strengthen us with the Bread of life
and to fill us with the Holy Spirit.
Make us new and call us away
from our certainties and attachments.
Send us out to go forward without fear
on the road of justice and peace,
that we may be your beloved children
together with your faithful Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.

Blessing

At his baptism in the Jordan
Jesus was invested with his mission
of bringing God’s liberating love to people.
The Spirit guided him to carry out that mission
in uncompromising faithfulness.
At our baptism with water and the Spirit,
we have received the mission
to live like Jesus,
to go about doing good as he did,
to be faithful and just to God and to people.
May the God in whose name we have been baptized
protect, guide and bless you for this task:
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.

Let us go in the name of the Lord. R/ Thanks be to God.