FEAST OF THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD (when Baptism is not celebrated)

PRIEST: Today the Christmas Season draws to a close as we celebrate that holy day when Jesus sanctified the waters of baptism by his own humble baptism in the Jordan River at the hands of his servant and prophet, John. Jesus committed himself to be forever the sign of the Father’s Love, His Word of Liberating Truth, and the Servant of His Kingdom. Today, we call to mind our own baptism, and we say ‘yes’ once more to being the same Love, speaking the same Truth and serving the same Kingdom.  And we welcome that Holy Water that affirms and strengthens the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that is ours by baptism.

                                                          [the blessing of water]

Loving Father, you sent Your Beloved Son to make Your Word dwell among us. And you washed Him in Jordan’s water, and filled Him with Your Spirit of Love so that His Word would bring freedom, and His touch healing. Bless + this water, and sanctify + this community, that filled with the same Spirit, we may live the Baptism we have embraced and serve the Kingdom we proclaim.

READER:     Knowing that we are sinners, but confident in the forgiveness
Baptism has brought us, we commit ourselves afresh
                          to the journey of holiness as disciples of Christ Jesus…

                                                             WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO CHRIST

Aware of our many failures, but ready to begin again,
we commit ourselves again to proclaim the Word that is Christ,
                          by our lips and by our lives…

                                                             WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO CHRIST

Acknowledging our lack of courage and our many compromises,
                          we nevertheless commit ourselves in the Holy Spirit
                          to build the Kingdom of the Beatitudes in our society,
                          and to serve the needs of all our sisters and brothers in the world…

                                                             WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO CHRIST

                                               [water is sprinkled as we sing Taizé Kyrie]

PRIEST:     May our loving Father forgive our sins,
                       send us the freedom of Christ and the love of the Holy Spirit;
                       and as we celebrate Jesus’ Baptism and our own by this Eucharist,
                       may He rekindle within us the Spirit’s fire and life everlasting…

                                                              AMEN!

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