∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

The following presentation is made possible 

By the generosity of the viewers 

Of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls in Chicago. 

Good morning, and welcome to Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. 

Today we celebrate the baptism of the lord. 

My name is dan riley. 

I am joined by Tom McNamara and Joyce McQuiggin, 

And our celebrant is Father Jason Malave. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ On Jordan’s bank the baptists cry, ∫ 

∫ Announces that the lord is nigh. ∫ 

∫ Awake and harken, ∫ 

∫ For he brings glad tidings of the king of kings. ∫ 

My sisters and brothers, we mark our prayer as people of faith, 

In the name of the father and the son and the Holy Spirit. 

Amen. 

The grace and peace of our lord Jesus Christ, 

The love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you. 

-And with your spirit. 

We gather to celebrate, in this Christmas season, 

We gather to celebrate Jesus’ own baptism. 

As we celebrate Jesus’ baptism, we remember our own baptism. 

Let us call to mind those times that we’ve loved, 

And remember those times we failed to love. 

You heal those who are suffering and sick. 

Lord, have mercy. 

-Lord, have mercy. 

You comfort the downtrodden. 

Christ, have mercy. 

-Christ, have mercy. 

You welcome us into the gates of paradise to be with you forever. 

Lord, have mercy. 

-Lord, have mercy. 

May almighty God have mercy on us, 

Forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. 

-Amen. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Glory to God in the highest ∫ 

∫ And on earth peace to people of good will. ∫ 

∫ Glory to God in the highest ∫ 

∫ And on earth peace to people of good will. ∫ 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

Let us gather our prayers. 

Let us pray. 

Almighty ever living God, who when Jesus 

Had been baptized in the river jordan, 

And as the Holy Spirit descended upon him, 

Solemnly declared Jesus 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 your son, 

Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, 

One God, forever and ever. 

-Amen. 

A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah. 

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 teachings. 

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. 

The word of the lord. 

-Thanks be to God. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ The lord will bless his people with peace. ∫ 

∫ The lord will bless his people with peace. ∫ 

∫ A scribe to the lord you heavenly powers. ∫ 

∫ A scribe to the lord glory and strength. ∫ 

∫ A scribe to the lord the glory of his name. ∫ 

∫ Bow down before the lord majestic in holiness. ∫ 

∫ The lord will bless his people with peace. ∫ 

A reading from the acts of the apostles. 

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 

Who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” 

The word of the lord. 

-Thanks be to God. 

∫ ∫ [Piano music] ∫ ∫ 

∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫ 

∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫ 

∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫ 

∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫ 

∫ The heavens were opened ∫ 

∫ And the voice of the father thundered. ∫ 

∫ This is my beloved son. Listen to him. ∫ 

∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫ 

∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫ 

My sisters and brothers in faith, the lord be with you. 

-And with your spirit. 

A reading from the holy gospel according to St. Luke. 

-Glory to you, o lord. 

May the word of God be always on our minds, 

On our lips, and in our hearts. 

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’m 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 Jesus in bodily form like a dove. 

And a voice came from heaven. 

“You are my beloved son. With you I am well pleased.” 

The gospel of the lord. 

-Praise to you, lord, Jesus Christ. 

 

As we celebrate Jesus’ baptism, I’d like to go backwards for a second 

And just remember John the Baptist, 

Who was born into the world 

By his mother Elizabeth and Zachariah, 

Who were, as the scripture says, advanced in years. 

They were probably my age, in their 50s, I imagine, 

But they were advanced in years. 

No one thought Elizabeth would ever have a child. 

They’d probably been married for decades at this point, 

But sure enough, one day in God’s plan, 

By mystery and miracle, they became pregnant. 

Elizabeth was going to have a baby. 

She gave birth to her son john, who became the baptist. 

I remember in scripture also that beautiful moment 

When Mary pregnant went to go see Elizabeth pregnant, 

And the two women had this great meeting. 

Remember what happened in Elizabeth’s womb? 

John jumped in her womb because he knew 

That his cousin Jesus was there in the womb of his aunt Mary. 

I’d like to remember John the Baptist 

As we celebrate Jesus’ baptism. 

John, who, as scripture says, heard the word of God 

In Luke’s gospel and then went forth to proclaim a new baptism 

For repentance of sin by water. 

And sure enough, off john goes into the desert. 

In the series, the Netflix series, 

Or the beautiful streaming series called ‘the chosen,’ 

People refer to him as ‘crazy john.’ 

Crazy john was out in the desert baptizing people 

With water for the repentance of their sins. 

But sure enough, as Jesus begins his ministry, 

He too is baptized. 

Does he need to be baptized? Probably not. 

But he’s baptized as a way of calling all of us 

Into our baptism, not just for repentance, 

But also for new life. 

That we might be baptized not only with water, 

But baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire, 

Called not only those forgiven from sin, 

But also called those who are sons and daughters of God, 

Brothers and sisters to Jesus, 

Those given the gift of everlasting life. 

And so Jesus was baptized in a beautiful setting 

With the skies opening and the spirit coming down upon Jesus, 

And the beautiful words, 

“This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased,” 

Being heard by all present, Jesus is baptized. 

As we celebrate this feast day today, 

I invite us to remember that we too were baptized. 

For some of us many years ago, we were baptized. 

And I wonder, as we celebrate our own, 

As we celebrate Jesus’ baptism, if we could remember 

Our own baptism in water and the Holy Spirit and fire 

That happened when we were children, 

And think about how we’re being called 

To continue to live into those baptismal promises. 

What is our love that Jesus asks us to live out? 

How is that love being lived out? 

How is that forgiveness being lived out? 

How is that hope for everlasting life being lived out? 

How is that compassion being lived out? 

We were baptized, not only forgiven, 

But also given the pledge of everlasting life, 

Also being called children of God. 

How do we then live that out with our brothers and sisters? 

As we continue in this Christmas season, 

Let us remember the great gift that God gave us, his son Jesus, 

And live out our baptismal promises 

As we celebrate Jesus’ baptism by his cousin john. 

That was once and for all. Our baptism was once and for all. 

Let us live that into this world. 

 

Let’s pray the apostles’ creed together: 

I believe in God, the father almighty, 

Creator of heaven and earth. 

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our lord. 

He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit 

And born of the Virgin Mary. 

He suffered under Pontius Pilate, 

Was crucified, died, and was buried. 

He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. 

He ascended into heaven 

And is seated at the right hand of the father. 

He will come again to judge the living and the dead. 

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, 

The communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, 

The resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. 

-Amen. 

We offer now our prayers and petitions 

Before our generous and loving God. 

Our response to each prayer will be, “lord, hear our prayer.” 

For our church leaders and those they baptize, 

May the Holy Spirit guide them 

As they give witness to our lord. 

We pray to the lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

For those who have been called home to God, 

May the promises of eternal life with Christ, 

Received at baptism, 

Bring comfort and peace to their loved ones. 

We pray to the lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

For the children of Mercy Home, 

As they strive to accomplish their goals in this new year, 

May they be blessed with courage and hope. 

We pray to the lord. 

Lord, hear our prayer. 

For those whose hearts have turned away from their faith, 

May they be inspired to search 

For the lord’s presence in their lives. 

We pray to the lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

Compassionate and generous God, 

Hear the prayers of your faithful people. 

Those spoken today, 

In the viewers of our friends at home, hear all of our prayers. 

In your mercy and love, grant these prayers. 

We ask this through Christ our lord. 

-Amen. 

∫ [Soft piano music] ∫ 

Blessed are you, lord God of all creation. 

For through your goodness we have received the bread we offer you. 

Fruit of the earth, work of human hands, 

It will become for us the bread of life. 

∫ [Soft piano music continues] ∫ 

Blessed are you, lord God of all creation. 

For through your goodness we have received the wine we offer you. 

Fruit of the vine, work of human hands, 

It will become our spiritual drink. 

∫ [Soft piano music continues] ∫ 

Sisters and brothers, pray that my sacrifice, in fact, your sacrifice, 

May be acceptable to God, the almighty father. 

-May the lord accept the sacrifice at your hands, 

For the praise and glory of his name, 

For our good and the good of all his holy church. 

Accept, o lord, the offerings we have brought 

To honor the revealing of your beloved son Jesus, 

So that the oblation of your faithful 

May be transformed into the sacrifice of him 

Who willed in his compassion to wash away the sins of the world, 

Who lives and reigns forever and ever. 

-Amen. 

The lord be with you. 

-And with your spirit. 

Lift up your hearts. 

-We lift them up to the lord. 

Friends, let us give thanks to the lord our God. 

-It is right and just. 

It is truly right and just, our duty, our salvation, 

Always and everywhere, to give you thanks, 

Lord, holy father, almighty and eternal God. 

For in the waters of the Jordan River, 

You reveal with signs and wonders a new baptism. 

So that through the voice that came down from heaven, 

We might come to believe in your word dwelling among us. 

And by the spirits descending in the likeness of a dove, 

We might know that Jesus, your servant, 

Has been anointed with the oil of gladness 

And sent to bring the good news to the poor. 

And so, with the powers of heaven, 

We worship you constantly on earth, 

And before your majesty, without end, we acclaim. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Holy, holy, holy, lord God of hosts, ∫ 

∫ Heaven and earth are full of your glory. ∫ 

∫ Hosanna in the highest, ∫ 

∫ Blessed is he who comes in the name of the lord. ∫ 

∫ Hosanna in the highest. ∫ 

You are indeed holy, o lord, the font of all holiness. 

Make holy therefore these gifts, we pray, 

By sending down your spirit upon them like the dewfall, 

So that they may become for us 

The body and blood of our lord, Jesus Christ. 

At the time he was betrayed and entered willingly into his passion, 

Jesus took bread and giving thanks broke it. 

He gave it to his disciples saying, 

“Take this, take this all of you and eat of it, 

For this is my body which will be given up for you.” 

In a similar way, when supper was ended, 

He took the chalice, and once more giving thanks, 

He gave it to his disciples saying, 

“Take this all of you and drink from it, 

For this is the chalice of my blood, 

The blood of the new and eternal covenant, 

Which will be poured out for you and for many 

For the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me.” 

Friends, the mystery of faith. 

∫ When we eat this bread and drink this cup, ∫ 

∫ We proclaim your death, o lord, until you come again. ∫ 

Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial 

Of Jesus’ death and resurrection, 

We offer you, lord, the bread of life 

And the chalice of salvation, giving thanks that you 

Have held us worthy to be in your presence 

And minister to you. 

Humbly, we pray, that partaking of the body and blood of Christ, 

We may be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit. 

And remember, lord, your church spread throughout the world. 

Bring her to the fullness of charity 

Together with Francis, our pope, Blase… our archbishop and all the clergy. 

Remember especially, 

Our sisters and brothers 

Who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection 

And all who have died in your mercy, 

Welcome them into the light of your face. 

And finally, have mercy on us all, we pray, 

That with the blessed Virgin Mary, 

Mother of God, our lady of mercy, 

With the blessed apostles and all the saints 

Who have pleased you throughout the ages, 

We may merit to be co-heirs to eternal life. 

And may praise and glorify you through your son, Jesus Christ. 

Through him and with him and in him, 

O God, almighty father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, 

All glory and honor is yours forever and ever. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Amen, amen, amen. ∫ 

At the savior’s command and formed by divine teaching, 

We friends have the courage to pray together: 

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. 

Deliver us, lord, we pray, from every evil. 

Graciously grant peace in our days, 

That by the help of your mercy, 

We may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, 

As we await the blessed hope and the coming of our savior, 

Jesus Christ. 

For the kingdom, the power, 

And the glory are yours, now and forever. 

Lord Jesus, who said to your apostles, 

“Peace I leave you, my peace I give you.” 

Look not on our sins, but rather on the faith of your church. 

Graciously grant her peace and unity 

In accordance with your will, 

Who live and reign forever and ever. 

-Amen. 

Friends, the peace of the lord be with you always. 

-And with your spirit. 

Let us offer each other a sign of peace. 

And to all of our friends watching from home, 

It’s good to pray with you. 

Please know of our prayers for you, 

Our prayers for peace for you and your family. 

Peace be with you and your whole family in this Christmas season. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Lamb of God, ∫ 

∫ You take away the sins of the world: ∫ 

∫ Have mercy on us. ∫ 

∫ Lamb of God, ∫ 

∫ You take away the sins of the world: ∫ 

∫ Have mercy on us. ∫ 

∫ Lamb of God, ∫ 

∫ You take away the sins of the world: ∫ 

∫ Grant us peace. ∫ 

Sisters and brothers, followers of Jesus, 

Behold Jesus, behold the lamb of God, 

Behold him who takes away the sins of the world. 

Blessed are those called to the supper of the lamb. 

-Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, 

But only say the word and my soul shall be healed. 

May the body and blood of Christ keep us all safe for everlasting life. 

-Amen. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

For those of you at home, please turn to page 6 

In your tv mass guide and join in singing our communion song, 

“Broken for the broken.” 

∫ Broken for the broken, poured out for the poor: ∫ 

∫ BLESSED FEAST OF God’s CREATION, ∫ 

∫ Given for us all. ∫ 

∫ Broken for the broken, shared for humankind, ∫ 

∫ We proclaim your death, o lord: ∫ 

∫ God’s SACRIFICE AND SIGN. ∫ 

∫ For the hungry ones, ∫ 

∫ For the thirsty ones, ∫ 

∫ For the lonely ones, ∫ 

∫ You call us to serve, to be Christ for each other, ∫ 

∫ Broken for the world. ∫ 

∫ Broken for the broken, poured out for the poor: ∫ 

∫ BLESSED FEAST OF God’s CREATION, ∫ 

∫ Given for us all. ∫ 

∫ Broken for the broken, shared for humankind, ∫ 

∫ We proclaim your death, o lord: ∫ 

∫ God’s SACRIFICE AND SIGN. ∫ 

And let us friends, gather together our prayers. 

Nourished with these sacred gifts, 

We humbly entreat your mercy, o lord, 

That faithfully listening to your only begotten son, Jesus, 

We may be your children in name and in truth. 

Through Christ our lord. 

-Amen. 

Please join me in praying for all the Boys and Girls of Mercy Home. 

We have the courage to pray together: 

Our lady of mercy, we pray 

That you will guide, protect, and bless all Boys and Girls 

Who this day have a home called mercy. 

May they find the father’s mercy as we offer them our hearts 

In the name of your son, Jesus Christ. 

May they see God’s mercy in action 

Through our love, prayers, and sacrifices. 

Friends, the fifth time, the lord be with you. 

-And with your spirit. 

Friends, may almighty God bless you always, 

The father, and the son, and the Holy Spirit. 

Amen. 

Our mass has ended. Go in peace. 

Thanks be to God. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

Hello, my friends. As you know, as I know, 

This tv ministry at Mercy Home is so important. 

It allows us to gather wherever you may be 

To participate in the prayer of the church. 

It allows us to pray for one another and how important it is. 

It allows you and me to pray for the children 

Here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. 

We’re nourished by our presence together 

And by the celebration of the eucharist. 

I just want to take this opportunity to thank you 

So very much for the ways in which you support 

This mass here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. 

Please consider doing that going forward as well. 

May God bless you and your family and your friends 

For all you do for the tv mass at Mercy Home and for our children. 

The music for the broadcast of ‘Sunday Mass at Mercy Home’ 

Is generously provided by G-I-A Publications Incorporated 

And its World Library Publications Division. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

The following presentation is made possible 

By the generosity of the viewers 

Of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls in Chicago. 

Good morning, and welcome to Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. 

Today we celebrate the baptism of the lord. 

My name is dan riley. 

I am joined by Tom McNamara and Joyce McQuiggin, 

And our celebrant is Father Jason Malave. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ On Jordan’s bank the baptists cry, ∫ 

∫ Announces that the lord is nigh. ∫ 

∫ Awake and harken, ∫ 

∫ For he brings glad tidings of the king of kings. ∫ 

My sisters and brothers, we mark our prayer as people of faith, 

In the name of the father and the son and the Holy Spirit. 

Amen. 

The grace and peace of our lord Jesus Christ, 

The love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you. 

-And with your spirit. 

We gather to celebrate, in this Christmas season, 

We gather to celebrate Jesus’ own baptism. 

As we celebrate Jesus’ baptism, we remember our own baptism. 

Let us call to mind those times that we’ve loved, 

And remember those times we failed to love. 

You heal those who are suffering and sick. 

Lord, have mercy. 

-Lord, have mercy. 

You comfort the downtrodden. 

Christ, have mercy. 

-Christ, have mercy. 

You welcome us into the gates of paradise to be with you forever. 

Lord, have mercy. 

-Lord, have mercy. 

May almighty God have mercy on us, 

Forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. 

-Amen. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Glory to God in the highest ∫ 

∫ And on earth peace to people of good will. ∫ 

∫ Glory to God in the highest ∫ 

∫ And on earth peace to people of good will. ∫ 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

Let us gather our prayers. 

Let us pray. 

Almighty ever living God, who when Jesus 

Had been baptized in the river jordan, 

And as the Holy Spirit descended upon him, 

Solemnly declared Jesus 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 your son, 

Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, 

One God, forever and ever. 

-Amen. 

A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah. 

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 teachings. 

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. 

The word of the lord. 

-Thanks be to God. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ The lord will bless his people with peace. ∫ 

∫ The lord will bless his people with peace. ∫ 

∫ A scribe to the lord you heavenly powers. ∫ 

∫ A scribe to the lord glory and strength. ∫ 

∫ A scribe to the lord the glory of his name. ∫ 

∫ Bow down before the lord majestic in holiness. ∫ 

∫ The lord will bless his people with peace. ∫ 

A reading from the acts of the apostles. 

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 

Who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” 

The word of the lord. 

-Thanks be to God. 

∫ ∫ [Piano music] ∫ ∫ 

∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫ 

∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫ 

∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫ 

∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫ 

∫ The heavens were opened ∫ 

∫ And the voice of the father thundered. ∫ 

∫ This is my beloved son. Listen to him. ∫ 

∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫ 

∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫ 

My sisters and brothers in faith, the lord be with you. 

-And with your spirit. 

A reading from the holy gospel according to St. Luke. 

-Glory to you, o lord. 

May the word of God be always on our minds, 

On our lips, and in our hearts. 

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’m 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 Jesus in bodily form like a dove. 

And a voice came from heaven. 

“You are my beloved son. With you I am well pleased.” 

The gospel of the lord. 

-Praise to you, lord, Jesus Christ. 

 

As we celebrate Jesus’ baptism, I’d like to go backwards for a second 

And just remember John the Baptist, 

Who was born into the world 

By his mother Elizabeth and Zachariah, 

Who were, as the scripture says, advanced in years. 

They were probably my age, in their 50s, I imagine, 

But they were advanced in years. 

No one thought Elizabeth would ever have a child. 

They’d probably been married for decades at this point, 

But sure enough, one day in God’s plan, 

By mystery and miracle, they became pregnant. 

Elizabeth was going to have a baby. 

She gave birth to her son john, who became the baptist. 

I remember in scripture also that beautiful moment 

When Mary pregnant went to go see Elizabeth pregnant, 

And the two women had this great meeting. 

Remember what happened in Elizabeth’s womb? 

John jumped in her womb because he knew 

That his cousin Jesus was there in the womb of his aunt Mary. 

I’d like to remember John the Baptist 

As we celebrate Jesus’ baptism. 

John, who, as scripture says, heard the word of God 

In Luke’s gospel and then went forth to proclaim a new baptism 

For repentance of sin by water. 

And sure enough, off john goes into the desert. 

In the series, the Netflix series, 

Or the beautiful streaming series called ‘the chosen,’ 

People refer to him as ‘crazy john.’ 

Crazy john was out in the desert baptizing people 

With water for the repentance of their sins. 

But sure enough, as Jesus begins his ministry, 

He too is baptized. 

Does he need to be baptized? Probably not. 

But he’s baptized as a way of calling all of us 

Into our baptism, not just for repentance, 

But also for new life. 

That we might be baptized not only with water, 

But baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire, 

Called not only those forgiven from sin, 

But also called those who are sons and daughters of God, 

Brothers and sisters to Jesus, 

Those given the gift of everlasting life. 

And so Jesus was baptized in a beautiful setting 

With the skies opening and the spirit coming down upon Jesus, 

And the beautiful words, 

“This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased,” 

Being heard by all present, Jesus is baptized. 

As we celebrate this feast day today, 

I invite us to remember that we too were baptized. 

For some of us many years ago, we were baptized. 

And I wonder, as we celebrate our own, 

As we celebrate Jesus’ baptism, if we could remember 

Our own baptism in water and the Holy Spirit and fire 

That happened when we were children, 

And think about how we’re being called 

To continue to live into those baptismal promises. 

What is our love that Jesus asks us to live out? 

How is that love being lived out? 

How is that forgiveness being lived out? 

How is that hope for everlasting life being lived out? 

How is that compassion being lived out? 

We were baptized, not only forgiven, 

But also given the pledge of everlasting life, 

Also being called children of God. 

How do we then live that out with our brothers and sisters? 

As we continue in this Christmas season, 

Let us remember the great gift that God gave us, his son Jesus, 

And live out our baptismal promises 

As we celebrate Jesus’ baptism by his cousin john. 

That was once and for all. Our baptism was once and for all. 

Let us live that into this world. 

 

Let’s pray the apostles’ creed together: 

I believe in God, the father almighty, 

Creator of heaven and earth. 

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our lord. 

He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit 

And born of the Virgin Mary. 

He suffered under Pontius Pilate, 

Was crucified, died, and was buried. 

He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. 

He ascended into heaven 

And is seated at the right hand of the father. 

He will come again to judge the living and the dead. 

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, 

The communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, 

The resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. 

-Amen. 

We offer now our prayers and petitions 

Before our generous and loving God. 

Our response to each prayer will be, “lord, hear our prayer.” 

For our church leaders and those they baptize, 

May the Holy Spirit guide them 

As they give witness to our lord. 

We pray to the lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

For those who have been called home to God, 

May the promises of eternal life with Christ, 

Received at baptism, 

Bring comfort and peace to their loved ones. 

We pray to the lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

For the children of Mercy Home, 

As they strive to accomplish their goals in this new year, 

May they be blessed with courage and hope. 

We pray to the lord. 

Lord, hear our prayer. 

For those whose hearts have turned away from their faith, 

May they be inspired to search 

For the lord’s presence in their lives. 

We pray to the lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

Compassionate and generous God, 

Hear the prayers of your faithful people. 

Those spoken today, 

In the viewers of our friends at home, hear all of our prayers. 

In your mercy and love, grant these prayers. 

We ask this through Christ our lord. 

-Amen. 

∫ [Soft piano music] ∫ 

Blessed are you, lord God of all creation. 

For through your goodness we have received the bread we offer you. 

Fruit of the earth, work of human hands, 

It will become for us the bread of life. 

∫ [Soft piano music continues] ∫ 

Blessed are you, lord God of all creation. 

For through your goodness we have received the wine we offer you. 

Fruit of the vine, work of human hands, 

It will become our spiritual drink. 

∫ [Soft piano music continues] ∫ 

Sisters and brothers, pray that my sacrifice, in fact, your sacrifice, 

May be acceptable to God, the almighty father. 

-May the lord accept the sacrifice at your hands, 

For the praise and glory of his name, 

For our good and the good of all his holy church. 

Accept, o lord, the offerings we have brought 

To honor the revealing of your beloved son Jesus, 

So that the oblation of your faithful 

May be transformed into the sacrifice of him 

Who willed in his compassion to wash away the sins of the world, 

Who lives and reigns forever and ever. 

-Amen. 

The lord be with you. 

-And with your spirit. 

Lift up your hearts. 

-We lift them up to the lord. 

Friends, let us give thanks to the lord our God. 

-It is right and just. 

It is truly right and just, our duty, our salvation, 

Always and everywhere, to give you thanks, 

Lord, holy father, almighty and eternal God. 

For in the waters of the Jordan River, 

You reveal with signs and wonders a new baptism. 

So that through the voice that came down from heaven, 

We might come to believe in your word dwelling among us. 

And by the spirits descending in the likeness of a dove, 

We might know that Jesus, your servant, 

Has been anointed with the oil of gladness 

And sent to bring the good news to the poor. 

And so, with the powers of heaven, 

We worship you constantly on earth, 

And before your majesty, without end, we acclaim. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Holy, holy, holy, lord God of hosts, ∫ 

∫ Heaven and earth are full of your glory. ∫ 

∫ Hosanna in the highest, ∫ 

∫ Blessed is he who comes in the name of the lord. ∫ 

∫ Hosanna in the highest. ∫ 

You are indeed holy, o lord, the font of all holiness. 

Make holy therefore these gifts, we pray, 

By sending down your spirit upon them like the dewfall, 

So that they may become for us 

The body and blood of our lord, Jesus Christ. 

At the time he was betrayed and entered willingly into his passion, 

Jesus took bread and giving thanks broke it. 

He gave it to his disciples saying, 

“Take this, take this all of you and eat of it, 

For this is my body which will be given up for you.” 

In a similar way, when supper was ended, 

He took the chalice, and once more giving thanks, 

He gave it to his disciples saying, 

“Take this all of you and drink from it, 

For this is the chalice of my blood, 

The blood of the new and eternal covenant, 

Which will be poured out for you and for many 

For the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me.” 

Friends, the mystery of faith. 

∫ When we eat this bread and drink this cup, ∫ 

∫ We proclaim your death, o lord, until you come again. ∫ 

Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial 

Of Jesus’ death and resurrection, 

We offer you, lord, the bread of life 

And the chalice of salvation, giving thanks that you 

Have held us worthy to be in your presence 

And minister to you. 

Humbly, we pray, that partaking of the body and blood of Christ, 

We may be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit. 

And remember, lord, your church spread throughout the world. 

Bring her to the fullness of charity 

Together with Francis, our pope, Blase… our archbishop and all the clergy. 

Remember especially, 

Our sisters and brothers 

Who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection 

And all who have died in your mercy, 

Welcome them into the light of your face. 

And finally, have mercy on us all, we pray, 

That with the blessed Virgin Mary, 

Mother of God, our lady of mercy, 

With the blessed apostles and all the saints 

Who have pleased you throughout the ages, 

We may merit to be co-heirs to eternal life. 

And may praise and glorify you through your son, Jesus Christ. 

Through him and with him and in him, 

O God, almighty father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, 

All glory and honor is yours forever and ever. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Amen, amen, amen. ∫ 

At the savior’s command and formed by divine teaching, 

We friends have the courage to pray together: 

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. 

Deliver us, lord, we pray, from every evil. 

Graciously grant peace in our days, 

That by the help of your mercy, 

We may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, 

As we await the blessed hope and the coming of our savior, 

Jesus Christ. 

For the kingdom, the power, 

And the glory are yours, now and forever. 

Lord Jesus, who said to your apostles, 

“Peace I leave you, my peace I give you.” 

Look not on our sins, but rather on the faith of your church. 

Graciously grant her peace and unity 

In accordance with your will, 

Who live and reign forever and ever. 

-Amen. 

Friends, the peace of the lord be with you always. 

-And with your spirit. 

Let us offer each other a sign of peace. 

And to all of our friends watching from home, 

It’s good to pray with you. 

Please know of our prayers for you, 

Our prayers for peace for you and your family. 

Peace be with you and your whole family in this Christmas season. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Lamb of God, ∫ 

∫ You take away the sins of the world: ∫ 

∫ Have mercy on us. ∫ 

∫ Lamb of God, ∫ 

∫ You take away the sins of the world: ∫ 

∫ Have mercy on us. ∫ 

∫ Lamb of God, ∫ 

∫ You take away the sins of the world: ∫ 

∫ Grant us peace. ∫ 

Sisters and brothers, followers of Jesus, 

Behold Jesus, behold the lamb of God, 

Behold him who takes away the sins of the world. 

Blessed are those called to the supper of the lamb. 

-Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, 

But only say the word and my soul shall be healed. 

May the body and blood of Christ keep us all safe for everlasting life. 

-Amen. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

For those of you at home, please turn to page 6 

In your tv mass guide and join in singing our communion song, 

“Broken for the broken.” 

∫ Broken for the broken, poured out for the poor: ∫ 

∫ BLESSED FEAST OF God’s CREATION, ∫ 

∫ Given for us all. ∫ 

∫ Broken for the broken, shared for humankind, ∫ 

∫ We proclaim your death, o lord: ∫ 

∫ God’s SACRIFICE AND SIGN. ∫ 

∫ For the hungry ones, ∫ 

∫ For the thirsty ones, ∫ 

∫ For the lonely ones, ∫ 

∫ You call us to serve, to be Christ for each other, ∫ 

∫ Broken for the world. ∫ 

∫ Broken for the broken, poured out for the poor: ∫ 

∫ BLESSED FEAST OF God’s CREATION, ∫ 

∫ Given for us all. ∫ 

∫ Broken for the broken, shared for humankind, ∫ 

∫ We proclaim your death, o lord: ∫ 

∫ God’s SACRIFICE AND SIGN. ∫ 

And let us friends, gather together our prayers. 

Nourished with these sacred gifts, 

We humbly entreat your mercy, o lord, 

That faithfully listening to your only begotten son, Jesus, 

We may be your children in name and in truth. 

Through Christ our lord. 

-Amen. 

Please join me in praying for all the Boys and Girls of Mercy Home. 

We have the courage to pray together: 

Our lady of mercy, we pray 

That you will guide, protect, and bless all Boys and Girls 

Who this day have a home called mercy. 

May they find the father’s mercy as we offer them our hearts 

In the name of your son, Jesus Christ. 

May they see God’s mercy in action 

Through our love, prayers, and sacrifices. 

Friends, the fifth time, the lord be with you. 

-And with your spirit. 

Friends, may almighty God bless you always, 

The father, and the son, and the Holy Spirit. 

Amen. 

Our mass has ended. Go in peace. 

Thanks be to God. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

Hello, my friends. As you know, as I know, 

This tv ministry at Mercy Home is so important. 

It allows us to gather wherever you may be 

To participate in the prayer of the church. 

It allows us to pray for one another and how important it is. 

It allows you and me to pray for the children 

Here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. 

We’re nourished by our presence together 

And by the celebration of the eucharist. 

I just want to take this opportunity to thank you 

So very much for the ways in which you support 

This mass here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. 

Please consider doing that going forward as well. 

May God bless you and your family and your friends 

For all you do for the tv mass at Mercy Home and for our children. 

The music for the broadcast of ‘Sunday Mass at Mercy Home’ 

Is generously provided by G-I-A Publications Incorporated 

And its World Library Publications Division. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

The following presentation is made possible 

By the generosity of the viewers 

Of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls in Chicago. 

Good morning, and welcome to Sunday Mass at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. 

Today we celebrate the baptism of the lord. 

My name is dan riley. 

I am joined by Tom McNamara and Joyce McQuiggin, 

And our celebrant is Father Jason Malave. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ On Jordan’s bank the baptists cry, ∫ 

∫ Announces that the lord is nigh. ∫ 

∫ Awake and harken, ∫ 

∫ For he brings glad tidings of the king of kings. ∫ 

My sisters and brothers, we mark our prayer as people of faith, 

In the name of the father and the son and the Holy Spirit. 

Amen. 

The grace and peace of our lord Jesus Christ, 

The love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you. 

-And with your spirit. 

We gather to celebrate, in this Christmas season, 

We gather to celebrate Jesus’ own baptism. 

As we celebrate Jesus’ baptism, we remember our own baptism. 

Let us call to mind those times that we’ve loved, 

And remember those times we failed to love. 

You heal those who are suffering and sick. 

Lord, have mercy. 

-Lord, have mercy. 

You comfort the downtrodden. 

Christ, have mercy. 

-Christ, have mercy. 

You welcome us into the gates of paradise to be with you forever. 

Lord, have mercy. 

-Lord, have mercy. 

May almighty God have mercy on us, 

Forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. 

-Amen. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Glory to God in the highest ∫ 

∫ And on earth peace to people of good will. ∫ 

∫ Glory to God in the highest ∫ 

∫ And on earth peace to people of good will. ∫ 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

Let us gather our prayers. 

Let us pray. 

Almighty ever living God, who when Jesus 

Had been baptized in the river jordan, 

And as the Holy Spirit descended upon him, 

Solemnly declared Jesus 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 your son, 

Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, 

One God, forever and ever. 

-Amen. 

A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah. 

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 teachings. 

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. 

The word of the lord. 

-Thanks be to God. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ The lord will bless his people with peace. ∫ 

∫ The lord will bless his people with peace. ∫ 

∫ A scribe to the lord you heavenly powers. ∫ 

∫ A scribe to the lord glory and strength. ∫ 

∫ A scribe to the lord the glory of his name. ∫ 

∫ Bow down before the lord majestic in holiness. ∫ 

∫ The lord will bless his people with peace. ∫ 

A reading from the acts of the apostles. 

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 

Who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” 

The word of the lord. 

-Thanks be to God. 

∫ ∫ [Piano music] ∫ ∫ 

∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫ 

∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫ 

∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫ 

∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫ 

∫ The heavens were opened ∫ 

∫ And the voice of the father thundered. ∫ 

∫ This is my beloved son. Listen to him. ∫ 

∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫ 

∫ Alleluia, alleluia. ∫ 

My sisters and brothers in faith, the lord be with you. 

-And with your spirit. 

A reading from the holy gospel according to St. Luke. 

-Glory to you, o lord. 

May the word of God be always on our minds, 

On our lips, and in our hearts. 

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’m 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 Jesus in bodily form like a dove. 

And a voice came from heaven. 

“You are my beloved son. With you I am well pleased.” 

The gospel of the lord. 

-Praise to you, lord, Jesus Christ. 

 

As we celebrate Jesus’ baptism, I’d like to go backwards for a second 

And just remember John the Baptist, 

Who was born into the world 

By his mother Elizabeth and Zachariah, 

Who were, as the scripture says, advanced in years. 

They were probably my age, in their 50s, I imagine, 

But they were advanced in years. 

No one thought Elizabeth would ever have a child. 

They’d probably been married for decades at this point, 

But sure enough, one day in God’s plan, 

By mystery and miracle, they became pregnant. 

Elizabeth was going to have a baby. 

She gave birth to her son john, who became the baptist. 

I remember in scripture also that beautiful moment 

When Mary pregnant went to go see Elizabeth pregnant, 

And the two women had this great meeting. 

Remember what happened in Elizabeth’s womb? 

John jumped in her womb because he knew 

That his cousin Jesus was there in the womb of his aunt Mary. 

I’d like to remember John the Baptist 

As we celebrate Jesus’ baptism. 

John, who, as scripture says, heard the word of God 

In Luke’s gospel and then went forth to proclaim a new baptism 

For repentance of sin by water. 

And sure enough, off john goes into the desert. 

In the series, the Netflix series, 

Or the beautiful streaming series called ‘the chosen,’ 

People refer to him as ‘crazy john.’ 

Crazy john was out in the desert baptizing people 

With water for the repentance of their sins. 

But sure enough, as Jesus begins his ministry, 

He too is baptized. 

Does he need to be baptized? Probably not. 

But he’s baptized as a way of calling all of us 

Into our baptism, not just for repentance, 

But also for new life. 

That we might be baptized not only with water, 

But baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire, 

Called not only those forgiven from sin, 

But also called those who are sons and daughters of God, 

Brothers and sisters to Jesus, 

Those given the gift of everlasting life. 

And so Jesus was baptized in a beautiful setting 

With the skies opening and the spirit coming down upon Jesus, 

And the beautiful words, 

“This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased,” 

Being heard by all present, Jesus is baptized. 

As we celebrate this feast day today, 

I invite us to remember that we too were baptized. 

For some of us many years ago, we were baptized. 

And I wonder, as we celebrate our own, 

As we celebrate Jesus’ baptism, if we could remember 

Our own baptism in water and the Holy Spirit and fire 

That happened when we were children, 

And think about how we’re being called 

To continue to live into those baptismal promises. 

What is our love that Jesus asks us to live out? 

How is that love being lived out? 

How is that forgiveness being lived out? 

How is that hope for everlasting life being lived out? 

How is that compassion being lived out? 

We were baptized, not only forgiven, 

But also given the pledge of everlasting life, 

Also being called children of God. 

How do we then live that out with our brothers and sisters? 

As we continue in this Christmas season, 

Let us remember the great gift that God gave us, his son Jesus, 

And live out our baptismal promises 

As we celebrate Jesus’ baptism by his cousin john. 

That was once and for all. Our baptism was once and for all. 

Let us live that into this world. 

 

Let’s pray the apostles’ creed together: 

I believe in God, the father almighty, 

Creator of heaven and earth. 

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our lord. 

He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit 

And born of the Virgin Mary. 

He suffered under Pontius Pilate, 

Was crucified, died, and was buried. 

He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. 

He ascended into heaven 

And is seated at the right hand of the father. 

He will come again to judge the living and the dead. 

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, 

The communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, 

The resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. 

-Amen. 

We offer now our prayers and petitions 

Before our generous and loving God. 

Our response to each prayer will be, “lord, hear our prayer.” 

For our church leaders and those they baptize, 

May the Holy Spirit guide them 

As they give witness to our lord. 

We pray to the lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

For those who have been called home to God, 

May the promises of eternal life with Christ, 

Received at baptism, 

Bring comfort and peace to their loved ones. 

We pray to the lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

For the children of Mercy Home, 

As they strive to accomplish their goals in this new year, 

May they be blessed with courage and hope. 

We pray to the lord. 

Lord, hear our prayer. 

For those whose hearts have turned away from their faith, 

May they be inspired to search 

For the lord’s presence in their lives. 

We pray to the lord. 

-Lord, hear our prayer. 

Compassionate and generous God, 

Hear the prayers of your faithful people. 

Those spoken today, 

In the viewers of our friends at home, hear all of our prayers. 

In your mercy and love, grant these prayers. 

We ask this through Christ our lord. 

-Amen. 

∫ [Soft piano music] ∫ 

Blessed are you, lord God of all creation. 

For through your goodness we have received the bread we offer you. 

Fruit of the earth, work of human hands, 

It will become for us the bread of life. 

∫ [Soft piano music continues] ∫ 

Blessed are you, lord God of all creation. 

For through your goodness we have received the wine we offer you. 

Fruit of the vine, work of human hands, 

It will become our spiritual drink. 

∫ [Soft piano music continues] ∫ 

Sisters and brothers, pray that my sacrifice, in fact, your sacrifice, 

May be acceptable to God, the almighty father. 

-May the lord accept the sacrifice at your hands, 

For the praise and glory of his name, 

For our good and the good of all his holy church. 

Accept, o lord, the offerings we have brought 

To honor the revealing of your beloved son Jesus, 

So that the oblation of your faithful 

May be transformed into the sacrifice of him 

Who willed in his compassion to wash away the sins of the world, 

Who lives and reigns forever and ever. 

-Amen. 

The lord be with you. 

-And with your spirit. 

Lift up your hearts. 

-We lift them up to the lord. 

Friends, let us give thanks to the lord our God. 

-It is right and just. 

It is truly right and just, our duty, our salvation, 

Always and everywhere, to give you thanks, 

Lord, holy father, almighty and eternal God. 

For in the waters of the Jordan River, 

You reveal with signs and wonders a new baptism. 

So that through the voice that came down from heaven, 

We might come to believe in your word dwelling among us. 

And by the spirits descending in the likeness of a dove, 

We might know that Jesus, your servant, 

Has been anointed with the oil of gladness 

And sent to bring the good news to the poor. 

And so, with the powers of heaven, 

We worship you constantly on earth, 

And before your majesty, without end, we acclaim. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Holy, holy, holy, lord God of hosts, ∫ 

∫ Heaven and earth are full of your glory. ∫ 

∫ Hosanna in the highest, ∫ 

∫ Blessed is he who comes in the name of the lord. ∫ 

∫ Hosanna in the highest. ∫ 

You are indeed holy, o lord, the font of all holiness. 

Make holy therefore these gifts, we pray, 

By sending down your spirit upon them like the dewfall, 

So that they may become for us 

The body and blood of our lord, Jesus Christ. 

At the time he was betrayed and entered willingly into his passion, 

Jesus took bread and giving thanks broke it. 

He gave it to his disciples saying, 

“Take this, take this all of you and eat of it, 

For this is my body which will be given up for you.” 

In a similar way, when supper was ended, 

He took the chalice, and once more giving thanks, 

He gave it to his disciples saying, 

“Take this all of you and drink from it, 

For this is the chalice of my blood, 

The blood of the new and eternal covenant, 

Which will be poured out for you and for many 

For the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me.” 

Friends, the mystery of faith. 

∫ When we eat this bread and drink this cup, ∫ 

∫ We proclaim your death, o lord, until you come again. ∫ 

Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial 

Of Jesus’ death and resurrection, 

We offer you, lord, the bread of life 

And the chalice of salvation, giving thanks that you 

Have held us worthy to be in your presence 

And minister to you. 

Humbly, we pray, that partaking of the body and blood of Christ, 

We may be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit. 

And remember, lord, your church spread throughout the world. 

Bring her to the fullness of charity 

Together with Francis, our pope, Blase… our archbishop and all the clergy. 

Remember especially, 

Our sisters and brothers 

Who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection 

And all who have died in your mercy, 

Welcome them into the light of your face. 

And finally, have mercy on us all, we pray, 

That with the blessed Virgin Mary, 

Mother of God, our lady of mercy, 

With the blessed apostles and all the saints 

Who have pleased you throughout the ages, 

We may merit to be co-heirs to eternal life. 

And may praise and glorify you through your son, Jesus Christ. 

Through him and with him and in him, 

O God, almighty father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, 

All glory and honor is yours forever and ever. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Amen, amen, amen. ∫ 

At the savior’s command and formed by divine teaching, 

We friends have the courage to pray together: 

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. 

Deliver us, lord, we pray, from every evil. 

Graciously grant peace in our days, 

That by the help of your mercy, 

We may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, 

As we await the blessed hope and the coming of our savior, 

Jesus Christ. 

For the kingdom, the power, 

And the glory are yours, now and forever. 

Lord Jesus, who said to your apostles, 

“Peace I leave you, my peace I give you.” 

Look not on our sins, but rather on the faith of your church. 

Graciously grant her peace and unity 

In accordance with your will, 

Who live and reign forever and ever. 

-Amen. 

Friends, the peace of the lord be with you always. 

-And with your spirit. 

Let us offer each other a sign of peace. 

And to all of our friends watching from home, 

It’s good to pray with you. 

Please know of our prayers for you, 

Our prayers for peace for you and your family. 

Peace be with you and your whole family in this Christmas season. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

∫ Lamb of God, ∫ 

∫ You take away the sins of the world: ∫ 

∫ Have mercy on us. ∫ 

∫ Lamb of God, ∫ 

∫ You take away the sins of the world: ∫ 

∫ Have mercy on us. ∫ 

∫ Lamb of God, ∫ 

∫ You take away the sins of the world: ∫ 

∫ Grant us peace. ∫ 

Sisters and brothers, followers of Jesus, 

Behold Jesus, behold the lamb of God, 

Behold him who takes away the sins of the world. 

Blessed are those called to the supper of the lamb. 

-Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, 

But only say the word and my soul shall be healed. 

May the body and blood of Christ keep us all safe for everlasting life. 

-Amen. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

For those of you at home, please turn to page 6 

In your tv mass guide and join in singing our communion song, 

“Broken for the broken.” 

∫ Broken for the broken, poured out for the poor: ∫ 

∫ BLESSED FEAST OF God’s CREATION, ∫ 

∫ Given for us all. ∫ 

∫ Broken for the broken, shared for humankind, ∫ 

∫ We proclaim your death, o lord: ∫ 

∫ God’s SACRIFICE AND SIGN. ∫ 

∫ For the hungry ones, ∫ 

∫ For the thirsty ones, ∫ 

∫ For the lonely ones, ∫ 

∫ You call us to serve, to be Christ for each other, ∫ 

∫ Broken for the world. ∫ 

∫ Broken for the broken, poured out for the poor: ∫ 

∫ BLESSED FEAST OF God’s CREATION, ∫ 

∫ Given for us all. ∫ 

∫ Broken for the broken, shared for humankind, ∫ 

∫ We proclaim your death, o lord: ∫ 

∫ God’s SACRIFICE AND SIGN. ∫ 

And let us friends, gather together our prayers. 

Nourished with these sacred gifts, 

We humbly entreat your mercy, o lord, 

That faithfully listening to your only begotten son, Jesus, 

We may be your children in name and in truth. 

Through Christ our lord. 

-Amen. 

Please join me in praying for all the Boys and Girls of Mercy Home. 

We have the courage to pray together: 

Our lady of mercy, we pray 

That you will guide, protect, and bless all Boys and Girls 

Who this day have a home called mercy. 

May they find the father’s mercy as we offer them our hearts 

In the name of your son, Jesus Christ. 

May they see God’s mercy in action 

Through our love, prayers, and sacrifices. 

Friends, the fifth time, the lord be with you. 

-And with your spirit. 

Friends, may almighty God bless you always, 

The father, and the son, and the Holy Spirit. 

Amen. 

Our mass has ended. Go in peace. 

Thanks be to God. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

Hello, my friends. As you know, as I know, 

This tv ministry at Mercy Home is so important. 

It allows us to gather wherever you may be 

To participate in the prayer of the church. 

It allows us to pray for one another and how important it is. 

It allows you and me to pray for the children 

Here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. 

We’re nourished by our presence together 

And by the celebration of the eucharist. 

I just want to take this opportunity to thank you 

So very much for the ways in which you support 

This mass here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. 

Please consider doing that going forward as well. 

May God bless you and your family and your friends 

For all you do for the tv mass at Mercy Home and for our children. 

The music for the broadcast of ‘Sunday Mass at Mercy Home’ 

Is generously provided by G-I-A Publications Incorporated 

And its World Library Publications Division. 

∫ [Piano music] ∫ 

 As we celebrate Jesus’ baptism, I’d like to go backwards for a second and just remember John the Baptist, who was born into the world by his mother Elizabeth and Zachariah, who were, as the scripture says, advanced in years.  

They were probably my age, in their 50s, I imagine, but they were advanced in years. No one thought Elizabeth would ever have a child. 

They’d probably been married for decades at this point, but sure enough, one day in God’s plan, by mystery and miracle, they became pregnant. Elizabeth was going to have a baby. She gave birth to her son John, who became the Baptist. 

I remember in scripture also that beautiful moment when Mary pregnant went to go see Elizabeth pregnant, and the two women had this great meeting. Remember what happened in Elizabeth’s womb? John jumped in her womb because he knew that his cousin Jesus was there in the womb of his aunt Mary. 

I’d like to remember John the Baptist as we celebrate Jesus’ baptism. John, who, as scripture says, heard the word of God in Luke’s gospel and then went forth to proclaim a new baptism for repentance of sin by water. And sure enough, off John goes into the desert. 

In the series, the Netflix series, or the beautiful streaming series called ‘The Chosen,’ people refer to him as ‘Crazy John.’ Crazy John was out in the desert baptizing people with water for the repentance of their sins. But sure enough, as Jesus begins his ministry, he too is baptized. Does he need to be baptized? Probably not. But he’s baptized as a way of calling all of us into our baptism, not just for repentance, but also for new life. 

That we might be baptized not only with water, but baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire, called not only those forgiven from sin, but also called those who are sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters to Jesus, those given the gift of everlasting life. 

And so Jesus was baptized in a beautiful setting with the skies opening and the spirit coming down upon Jesus, 

and the beautiful words, “This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased,” being heard by all present, Jesus is baptized. 

As we celebrate this feast day today, I invite us to remember that we too were baptized. For some of us many years ago, we were baptized. And I wonder, as we celebrate our own, as we celebrate Jesus’ baptism, if we could remember our own baptism in water and the Holy Spirit and fire that happened when we were children, and think about how we’re being called to continue to live into those baptismal promises. 

What is our love that Jesus asks us to live out?  

How is that love being lived out? 

How is that forgiveness being lived out? 

How is that hope for everlasting life being lived out? 

How is that compassion being lived out?  

We were baptized, not only forgiven, but also given the pledge of everlasting life, also being called children of God. How do we then live that out with our brothers and sisters?  

As we continue in this Christmas season, let us remember the great gift that God gave us, his son Jesus, and live out our baptismal promises as we celebrate Jesus’ baptism by his cousin John. 

That was once and for all. Our baptism was once and for all. 

Let us live that into this world.