Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. I:
Ordinary: 667
Proper of Seasons: 625
Psalms and canticle as in Evening Prayer I of Epiphany: 547

Christian Prayer:
Ordinary: 694
Proper of Seasons: 237
Psalms and canticle as in Evening Prayer I of Epiphany: 207

Evening Prayer I for the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

God, come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 John was in the wilderness baptizing and proclaiming a baptism of penance for the forgiveness of sins.

Psalm 135
I

Praise the name of the Lord,
praise him, servants of the Lord,
who stand in the house of the Lord
in the courts of the house of our God.

Praise the Lord for the Lord is good.
Sing a psalm to his name for he is loving.
For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself
and Israel for his own possession.

For I know the Lord is great,
that our Lord is high above all gods.
The Lord does whatever he wills,
in heaven, on earth, in the seas.

He summons clouds from the ends of the earth;
makes lightning produce the rain;
from his treasuries he sends forth the wind.

The first-born of the Egyptians he smote,
of man and beast alike.
Signs and wonders he worked
in the midst of your land, O Egypt,
against Pharaoh and all his servants.

Nations in their greatness he struck
and kings in their splendor he slew.
Sihon, king of the Amorites,
Og, the king of Bashan,
and all the kingdoms of Canaan.
He let Israel inherit their land;
on his people their land he bestowed.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. John was in the wilderness baptizing and proclaiming a baptism of penance for the forgiveness of sins.

Ant. 2 I baptize you with water, but the one who is coming will baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

II

Lord, your name stands for ever,
unforgotten from age to age:
for the Lord does justice for his people;
the Lord takes pity on his servants.

Pagan idols are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
They have mouths but they cannot speak;
they have eyes but they cannot see.

They have ears but they cannot hear;
there is never a breath on their lips.
Their makers will become like them
and so will all who trust in them!

Sons of Israel, bless the Lord!
Sons of Aaron, bless the Lord!
Sons of Levi, bless the Lord!
You who fear him, bless the Lord!

From Zion may the Lord be blessed,
he who dwells in Jerusalem!

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. I baptize you with water, but the one who is coming will baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

Ant. 3 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he came out of the water, and the heavens opened before him.

Canticle — See 1 Timothy 3:16
The mystery and glory of Christ

— Praise the Lord, all you nations.

Christ manifested in the flesh,
Christ justified in the Spirit.
— Praise the Lord, all you nations.

Christ contemplated by the angels,
Christ proclaimed by the pagans.
— Praise the Lord, all you nations.

Christ who is believed in the world,
Christ exalted in glory.
— Praise the Lord, all you nations.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he came out of the water, and the heavens opened before him.

READING Acts 10:37-38

I take it you know what has been reported all over Judea about Jesus of Nazareth, beginning in Galilee with the baptism John preached; of the way God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good works and healing all who were in the grip of the devil, and God was with him.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)
A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

RESPONSORY

O Lord our God, hear the cry of your people.
— O Lord our God, hear the cry of your people.

Open for them the spring of living water.
— Hear the cry of your people.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— O Lord our God, hear the cry of your people.

CANTICLE OF MARY

Ant. Our Savior came to be baptized, so that through the cleansing waters of baptism he might restore the old man to new life, heal our sinful nature, and clothe us with unfailing holiness.

Luke 1:46-55
The soul rejoices in the Lord

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Our Savior came to be baptized, so that through the cleansing waters of baptism he might restore the old man to new life, heal our sinful nature, and clothe us with unfailing holiness.

INTERCESSIONS

Our Redeemer desired to be baptized in the Jordan by John; let us make our petition to him:
Lord, send forth your Spirit upon us.

Christ, Servant of God, the Father acknowledged you as his own Son with whom he was pleased,
— send forth your Spirit upon us.
Lord, send forth your Spirit upon us.

Christ, Chosen One of God, you did not break the crushed reed or extinguish the wavering flame,
— have mercy on all who are seeking you in good faith.
Lord, send forth your Spirit upon us.

Christ, Son of God, the Father called you to be a light to the nations in the new covenant,
— open the eyes of the blind by the waters of baptism.
Lord, send forth your Spirit upon us.

Christ, Savior of mankind, the Father anointed you with the Holy Spirit for the ministry of salvation,
— lead all mankind to see you and to believe in you, that they may have eternal life.
Lord, send forth your Spirit upon us.

Christ, our hope, you lead those in darkness to the light of salvation,
— receive our departed brothers and sisters into your kingdom.
Lord, send forth your Spirit upon us.

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

Concluding Prayer

Almighty ever-living God,
who, when Christ had been baptized in the River Jordan
and as the Holy Spirit descended upon him,
solemnly declared him your beloved Son,
grant that your children by adoption,
reborn of water and the Holy Spirit,
may always be well pleasing to you.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.
— Amen.