The Baptism of the Lord!

‘Behold my servant, in whom my soul delights.’

Thus says the Lord:

Behold 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 aloud or lift up his voice,

or make it heard in the street;

a bruised reed he will not break,

and a faintly burning wick he will not quench;

he will faithfully bring forth justice.

He will not grow faint or be discouraged

till he has established justice in the earth;

and the coastlands wait for his law.

‘I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness;

I will take you by the hand and keep you;

I will give you as a covenant for the people,

a light for 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 Lord will bless his people with peace.

Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly powers,

ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name;

bow down before the Lord, majestic in holiness. 

The Lord will bless his people with peace.

The voice of the Lord upon 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. 

The Lord will bless his people with peace.

The God of glory thunders;

in his temple they all cry, ‘Glory!’

The Lord sits enthroned above the flood;

the Lord sits as king for ever. 

The Lord will bless his people with peace.

‘God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit.’

In those days: Peter opened his mouth and said: ‘Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ — he is Lord of all — you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.’

Alleluia, Alleluia.

The heavens were opened and the voice of the Father thundered:

‘This is my beloved Son; listen to him’.

Alleluia.

‘When Jesus was baptised he saw the Spirit of God coming to rest on him.’

At that time: Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptised by him. John would have prevented him, saying, ‘I need to be baptised by you, and do you come to me?’ But Jesus answered him, ‘Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness.’ Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptised, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.’