|

Presider’s Page for 11 January (Baptism of the Lord)

Opening Comment
Today we celebrate the feast of the Baptism of the Lord: his baptism marked the end of Jesus’ quiet years in Nazereth and the start of his public ministry.

Alternative Opening Prayer (from 1998 ICEL Missal)
God of salvation,
in the river Jordan you bathed your Son Jesus in glory
and revealed him as your obedient servant.
In spirit and in power
rend the heavens and come down to us.
Strengthen us to acknowledge your Christ,
that we who are reborn in his likeness
may walk with him the path of obedience.
Grant this through Jesus Christ, your Word made flesh,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
in the splendour of eternal light, God for ever and ever.

Introduction to the Scripture Readings
Isaiah 55:1-11 — Isaiah gives out God’s free invitation: all are welcome to come to the water and be baptised. 1 John 5:1-9 — Jesus saved us by water and by blood: the Spirit is a witness to this. Mark 1:7-11— The events celebrated in today’s feast are described. Mark’s brief account was the first to be written.

BIDDING PRAYERS

Introduction (by the Presider) The Lord is our strength, our saviour: so we bring forward our prayers with confidence.

  1. For all the baptised, that we may grow in appreciation of the joys and challenges of Christian living (pause for silent prayer). Lord, hear us.
  2. For the children christened in our community in the past year, that they may grow to maturity under the guidance of their parents and godparents (pause for silent prayer). Lord, hear us.
  3. For adults preparing to be baptised this year, that their devotion may breathe new life into their comunities (pause for silent prayer). Lord, hear us.
  4. For the Christians who will be confirmed in 2015, that the Spirit who descended at the baptism of Jesus may fill them (pause for silent prayer). Lord, hear us.
  5. For believers who have grown distant from their faith, that in this New Year they may make a new start (pause for silent prayer). Lord, hear us.
  6. For the community of which we are part, that we may grow in faith and in support of one another (pause for silent prayer). Lord, hear us.

The Presider prays for the dead: For our friends and relatives who have gone before us in faith (especially N and N). We remember also the children who have died around the time of birth: that all we have lost may pass from death to life (pause for silent prayer). Lord, hear us.

Conclusion (by the Presider) O God, our strength, our Saviour: we praise your mighty deeds and ask your help, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

SONGS AT MASS (Suggestions)  ‘Here I am Lord’; ‘Servant Song’; ‘Christ be Our Light’.

Similar Posts

Presider’s Page for 1 January 2021 (New Year’s Day)

Editor's Choice, Liturgy, Presider's Page
0 Comments

Happy New Year! On this first day of the Year of Our Lord 2021, we acclaim Mary as Mother of God and ask her to mind us and those we love during this new year. We pray that the world may be freed from COVID-19 through a global programme of vaccination. And as this is also World Peace Day, we pray for peace.

Sixth Sunday of Easter — Bidding Prayers

Liturgy, Presider's Page
0 Comments

Next Sunday the Church in Ireland will celebrate the Ascension of Jesus (other countries hold to the tradition of keeping ‘Ascansion Thursday’, as Catholics in Ireland once did). As the Easter season moves to its second climax at Pentecost, we take heed of the Lord’s final words to his disciples and look forward to the fresh coming of the Holy Spirit, renewing the hearts of believers.

Presider’s Page for 8 March (Second Sunday of Lent)

Editor's Choice, Liturgy, Presider's Page
0 Comments

Now that we are ten days into the season of Lent, our goal is clarified in today’s liturgy. The Gospel of the Transfiguration reminds us that we are destined for glory. Like the disciples, we keep this glimpse of glory in our hearts in the dark days ahead. Resurection will follow, as surely as day follows night.

Join the Discussion

Keep the following in mind when writing a comment

  • Your comment must include your full name, and email. (email will not be published). You may be contacted by email, and it is possible you might be requested to supply your postal address to verify your identity.
  • Be respectful. Do not attack the writer. Take on the idea, not the messenger. Comments containing vulgarities, personalised insults, slanders or accusations shall be deleted.
  • Keep to the point. Deliberate digressions don't aid the discussion.
  • Including multiple links or coding in your comment will increase the chances of it being automati cally marked as spam.
  • Posts that are merely links to other sites or lengthy quotes may not be published.
  • Brevity. Like homilies keep you comments as short as possible; continued repetitions of a point over various threads will not be published.
  • The decision to publish or not publish a comment is made by the site editor. It will not be possible to reply individually to those whose comments are not published.