I Am Baptizing You With Water (BAPTISM OF THE LORD - C)

JANUARY 09, 2022, SUNDAY
FEAST OF THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD (White)
FEAST OF THE BLACK NAZARENE
CYCLE C - YEAR II
Lectionary: 21


Reading I
Is 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.


OR:


Is  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 people shall see it together;

            for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.


Go up on to 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 a 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
Ps 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10


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.


OR:


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


 


R. (1)  O bless the Lord, my soul.

O LORD, my God, you are great indeed!

     you are clothed with majesty and glory,

robed in light as with a cloak.

     You have spread out the heavens like a tent-cloth;

R. O bless the Lord, my soul.

You have constructed 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,

and flaming fire your ministers.

R. O bless the Lord, my soul.

How manifold are your works, O LORD!

     In wisdom you have wrought them all

the earth is full of your creatures;

     the sea also, great and wide,

in which are schools without number

     of living things both small and great.

R. O bless the Lord, my soul.

They look to you to give them food in due time.

     When you give it to them, they gather it;

when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.

R. O bless the Lord, my soul.

If you take away their breath, they perish and return to the dust.

     When you send forth your spirit, they are created,

and you renew the face of the earth.

R. O bless the Lord, my soul.


Reading II
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.”


OR: 


Ti 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 our great God

and 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
Cf. Mk 9:7

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

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

This is my beloved Son, listen to him.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.


OR:


Cf. Lk 3:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

John said: One mightier than I is coming;

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

R. Alleluia, alleluia.


Gospel
Lk 3:15-16, 21-22


The people were filled with expectation,

and all were asking in their hearts

whether John might be the Christ.

John answered them all, saying, 

“I am baptizing you with water,

but one mightier than I is coming.

I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.

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


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.”




GOSPEL REFLECTION:


God always speaks to Jesus in an intimate and joyful fashion. He says: ‘You are my beloved son, I am pleased with you. I love you deeply. Your whole being springs from me. I am your Father.’ Jesus answers, ‘Abba’, ‘beloved Father’. His whole life reveals trust. He hands himself over unconditionally to his Father.


To be baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire is to be baptized with the purifying fire of Divine Love.


PRAYER:


God, I ponder on this love that you have lavished also upon me, calling me your child. You are the tender and compassionate Mother of my life. You are the faithful Father, the Rock on which I stand. Your love is everlasting. Your faithfulness is eternal. 


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