The Baptism of the Lord

Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11 (JB)

A reading from the prophet Isaiah

The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it.

‘Console my people, console them,’

says your God.

‘Speak to the heart of Jerusalem

and call to her

that her time of service is ended,

that her sin is atoned for,

that she has received from the hand of the Lord

double punishment for all her crimes.’

A voice cries, ‘Prepare in the wilderness

a way for the Lord.

Make a straight highway for our God

across the desert.

Let every valley be filled in,

every mountain and hill be laid low,

let every cliff become a plain,

and the ridges a valley;

then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed

and all mankind shall see it;

for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’

Go up on a high mountain,

joyful messenger to Zion.

Shout with a loud voice,

joyful messenger to Jerusalem.

Shout without fear,

say to the towns of Judah,

‘Here is your God.’

Here is the Lord coming with power,

his arm subduing all things to him.

The prize of his victory is with him,

his trophies all go before him.

He is like a shepherd feeding his flock,

gathering lambs in his arms,

holding them against his breast

and leading to their rest the mother ewes.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7 (JB)

A reading from the prophet Isaiah

Here is my servant, my chosen one in whom I am well pleased.

Thus says the Lord:

Here is my servant whom I uphold,

my chosen one in whom my soul delights.

I have endowed him with my spirit

that he may bring true justice to the nations.

He does not cry out or shout aloud,

or make his voice heard in the streets.

He does not break the crushed reed,

nor quench the wavering flame.

Faithfully he brings true justice;

he will neither waver, nor be crushed

until true justice is established on earth,

for the islands are awaiting his law.

I, the Lord, have called you to serve the cause of right;

I have taken you by the hand and formed you;

I have appointed you as covenant of the people

and light of the nations,

to open the eyes of the blind,

to free captives from prison,

and those who live in darkness from the dungeon.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11 (NRSV)

A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah

Comfort, O comfort my people,

says your God.

Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,

and cry to her

that she has served her term,

that her penalty is paid,

that she has received from the Lord’s hand

double for all her sins.

A voice cries out:

“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,

make straight in the desert a highway for our Cod.

Every valley shall be lifted up,

and every mountain and hill be made low;

the uneven ground shall become level,

and the rough places a plain.

Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,

and all people shall see it together,

for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

Get you up to a high mountain,

O Zion, herald of good tidings;

lift up your voice with strength,

O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings,

lift it up, do not fear;

say to the cities of Judah,

“Here is your God!”

See, the Lord God comes with might,

and his arm rules for him;

his reward is with him,

and his recompense before him.

He will feed his flock like a shepherd;

he will gather the lambs in his arms,

and carry them in his bosom,

and gently lead the mother sheep.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7 (NRSV)

A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah

Thus says the Lord:

“Here is my servant, whom I uphold,

my chosen, in whom my soul delights;

I have put my spirit upon him;

he will bring forth justice to the nations.

He will not cry or lift up his voice,

or make it heard in the street;

a bruised reed he will not break,

and a dimly burning wick he will not quench;

he will faithfully bring forth justice.

He will not grow faint or be crushed

until he has established justice in the earth;

and the coastlands wait for his teaching.

“I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness,

I have taken you by the hand and kept you;

I have given you as a covenant to the people,

a light to the nations,

to open the eyes that are blind,

to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,

from the prison those who sit in darkness.”

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 24-25, 27-30 (JB)

R. Oh, bless the Lord, my soul!

Lord God, how great you are,

clothed in majesty and glory,

wrapped in light as in a robe!

You stretch our the heavens like a tent. R.

Above the rains you build your dwelling.

You make the clouds your chariot,

you walk on the wings of the wind,

you make the winds your messengers

and flashing fire your servants. R.

How many are your works, O Lord!

In wisdom you have made them all.

The earth is full of your riches.

There is the sea, vast and wide,

with its moving swarms past counting,

living things great and small. R.

All of these look to you

to give them their food in due season.

You give it, they gather it up:

you open your hand, they have their fill. R.

You take back your spirit, they die,

returning to the dust from which they came.

You send forth your spirit, they are created;

and you renew the face of the earth. R.

Ps 28:1-4, 9-10 (JB)

R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.

O give the Lord you sons of God,

give the Lord glory and power;

give the Lord the glory of his name.

Adore the Lord in his holy court. R.

The Lord’s voice resounding on the waters,

the Lord on the immensity of waters;

the voice of the Lord, full of power,

the voice of the Lord, full of splendour. R.

The God of glory thunders.

In his temple they all cry: ‘Glory!’

The Lord sat enthroned over the flood;

the Lord sits as king for ever. R.

Acts 10:34-38 (JB)

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles

God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power.

Peter addressed Cornelius and his household: ‘The truth I have now come to realise’ he said ‘is that God does not have favourites, but that anybody of any nationality who fears God and does what is right is acceptable to him.

‘It is true, God sent his word to the people of Israel, and it was to them that the good news of peace was brought by Jesus Christ – but Jesus Christ is Lord of all men. You must have heard about the recent happenings in Judaea; about Jesus of Nazareth and how he began in Galilee, after John had been preaching baptism. God had anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and because God was with him, Jesus went about doing good and curing all who had fallen into the power of the devil.’

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7 (JB)

A reading from the letter of St Paul to Titus

He saved us through the water of rebirth and renewal in the Holy Spirit.

God’s grace has been revealed, and it has made salvation possible for the whole human race and taught us that what we have to do is to give up everything that does not lead to God, and all our worldly ambitions; we must be self restrained and live good and religious lives here in this present world, while we are waiting in hope for the blessing which will come with the Appearing of the glory of our great God and saviour Christ Jesus. He sacrificed himself for us in order to set us free from all wickedness and to purify a people so that it could be his very own and would have no ambition except to do good.

When the kindness and love of God our saviour for mankind were revealed, it was not because he was concerned with any righteous actions we might have done ourselves; it was for no reason except his own compassion that he saved us, by means of the cleansing water of rebirth and by renewing us with the Holy Spirit which he has so generously poured over us through Jesus Christ our saviour. He did this so that we should be justified by his grace, to become heirs looking forward to inheriting eternal life.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Acts 10:34-38 (NRSV)

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles

Peter began to speak to those assembled

in the house of Cornelius.

“I truly understand that God shows no partiality,

but in every nation anyone who fears him

and does what is right is acceptable to him.

You know the message he sent to the people of Israel,

preaching peace by Jesus Christ-he is Lord of all.

That message spread throughout Judea,

beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced:

how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth

with the Holy Spirit and with power;

how he went about doing good

and healing all who were oppressed by the devil,

for God was with him.”

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7 (NRSV)

A reading from the letter of Paul to Titus

The grace of God has appeared bringing salvation to all,

training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions,

and in the present age to live lives

that are self-controlled, upright, and godly,

while we wait for the blessed hope

and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

He it is who gave himself for us

that he might redeem us from all iniquity

and purity for himself a people of his own

who are zealous for good deeds.

For when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Saviour appeared,

he saved us,

not because of any works of righteousness that we had done,

but according to his mercy,

through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

This Spirit he poured out on us richly

through Jesus Christ our Saviour,

so that, having been justified by his grace,

we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

cf Luke 3:16 (JB)

Alleluia, alleluia!

John said: He who is to come is mightier than I;

he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

Alleluia!

Luke 3:16 (NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia!

John said: He who is to come is mightier than I;

he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

Alleluia!

Luke 3:15-16, 21-22 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke

When Jesus had been baptised and had been praying, the heavens were opened and the Holy Spirit came upon him.

A feeling of expectancy had grown among the people, who were beginning to think that John might be the Christ, so John declared before them all, ‘I baptise you with water, but someone is coming, someone who is more powerful than I am, and I am not fit to undo the strap of his sandals; he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire.’

Now when all the people had been baptised and while Jesus after his own baptism was at prayer, heaven opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily shape, like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on you.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 3:15-16: 21-22 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to Luke

The word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.

He went into all the region around the Jordan,

proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

As the people were filled with expectation,

and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John,

whether he might be the Messiah,

John answered all of them by saying,

“I baptize you with water;

but one who is more powerful than I is coming;

I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals.

He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

Now when all the people were baptized,

and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying,

the 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 Son, the Beloved;

with you I am well pleased.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.