BAPTISM OF THE LORD Lectionary #21B

With echoes of the message of Epiphany, this feast interprets the baptism of Jesus as the coming of the “mighty one” who will fulfill God’s promise of a messianic age. Note: The first and/or second reading of Year A may also be used on this feast.

Isaiah 55:1-11. This reading is echoed at the Easter Vigil. The messianic age will be a time of bounty, of no boundaries between nations, and of reconciliation. Doubt it? It is the word of the Lord, so it is as sure as the arrival of rain and snow.

Psalm of the Day: Isaiah 12
This canticle concludes the first set of Isaiah’s prophecies. Voicing thanksgiving for God’s fidelity, it also announces a time of salvation.

Ustedes Sacarán Agua (García)  FYC 282
Ustedes Sacarán Agua/You Will Draw Water (Reza)  Una Voz 267
We Shall Draw Water (Inwood)   JS 587/MI‑BB/GP 288/SP2 78
With Joy You Will Draw Water (Haugen) GP 148/CBW 237PCY2 54
With Joy You Shall Draw Water (Haugen)  GC 148/GC2 81
You Will Draw Water (Alstott) CBW 81
You Will Draw Water (Guimont) RS 204
You Will Draw Water (Kreutz) PSC 72
You Will Draw Water (Proulx/Gelineau) WOR 823
You Will Draw Water (Reagan)   PMB 577/PRM B46

Common Psalm: Ps (71) 72

See suggestions for Epiphany.

1 John 5:1-9. Just as the prophets longed for and promised a messianic age of peace and reconciliation, so the author of this letter longs for and promises a time when faith will conquer the world.

Mark 1:7-11. Mark's version of the baptism scene at the Jordan is simple and straightforward. Note that only Jesus sees the vision of the Spirit and hears the voice. In Mark’s version of this story, the Spirit’s presence is a personal call by God, not a witness for the crowd.

Songs for the Liturgy

A Living Hope (2,G)  CBW 613/PMB 284
All the Ends of the Earth—Dufford (G)  GP 683/MI‑BB/GC 520/GC2 526/JS 582
*All You Who Are Thirsty (1B,G)  RS 644/GC 501/RS 644
Arise, Your Light Is Come! (1)  CBW 302
Baptized in Water (G)  WOR 720/RS 903/GC 798/GC2 797/CBW 614/PMB 286/WC 603/WS
Bathed in the Waters of Life   MI-BB
Before the Sun Burned Bright (G)  GP 577/CBW 504
Blessed Quietness (G)  LMGM 72
Christ, You are the Fullness (2,G)  CBW 431
Come and Let Us Drink of That New River (1B, 2B) WOR 723/GC 807/RS 902
*Come, Taste and See (1B,G)  GP 526/MI-BB
*Come to the Feast B Haugen (1B)  GC 503/GC2 499/MI-BB
*Come to the Water (1B) GP 706/GC 502/GC2 502, 802/JS 622/MI-BB
*Come to the Waters (1B) CBW 359
*Come to Us (1B) GC 743/GC2 740
*Down Galilee’s Slow Roadways (G)   HG 16
Everyone Moved by the Spirit (G)  GP 412
Glorious Things of You Are Spoken (1B,PsB) WC 691
God Sends Us His Spirit (G)  WOR 724/GC 467
God, Who at the Font One Named Us (1,G)   WC 769
Hail to the Lord's Anointed (1,G)  PMB 225/WC 510
Healing River (G)  RS 715/GC 584/GC2 564
Healing River of the Spirit (1,1B,Ps)   MI-BB
Here Am I (1)  GC2 713/RS 822
I've Just Come from the Fountain (G)  LMGM 110/WC 604
Joy to the World (1)  WOR 399/CBW 328/GP 318/LMGM 19/BB/PMB 207/RS 524/GC 343/GC2 353/WC 487/JS 194/WS
Now in This Banquet, vss 3‑4 (1)  GC 833/GC2 825/RS 933/CBW 608
O Christ, the Great Foundation (G)  WOR 618/GC2 646/RS 781, 782/CBW 527
O God of Love, O King of Peace (Ps)  PMB 457/WOR 652/WC 858/RS 833/CBW 681
Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness (1,G)  CBW 582
Praise to You, O Christ Our Savior (G)  JS 730/MI‑BB/RS 652/GC 515/GC2 517/CBW 442/GP 662
Priestly People, v 1 (E,1,G)  PMB 383/WC 740/JS 749/WS
Send Down the Fire (G)  GC 466/GC2 477
Song of the Holy Spirit (G)  JS 334/CBW 526/BB
Song over the Waters (G)  RS 855/GC 585/GC2 559
Songs of Thankfulness and Praise (G)  PMB 224/WOR 410/CBW 348/BB/RS 529/GC 376/GC2 383/WC 512/JS 223/WS
*Surely It Is God Who Saves Me (PsB) WOR 584/RS 739/CBW 500
The Church of Christ in Every Age (1)  WOR 626/GC2 665/RS 803/WC 930/JS 774/MI‑BB
The Church's One Foundation (G)  CBW 604/GP 46/MI‑BB/WC 743/GC 661/JS 455/PMB 385/WS 511
The Spirit of God (G)  PMB 399/WC 793/GC 458/JS 424/WS
The Voice of God (1,G)  WOR 358/CBW 433
There Is One Lord (G)  GP 453/WOR 657/MI‑BB/PMB 287/WC 598/RS 835/GC 809/GC2 796/JS 428/WS
Wade in the Water (G)  LMGM 107/GC 812/GC2 793/MI‑BB/GP 456
Waters of Love (Ps,G)  WC 600
*When Jesus Came to Jordan (G)  WOR 697/RS 878
*When Jesus Comes to Be Baptized (G)  CBW 350
*When John Baptized by Jordan's River (G)  WOR 412/GC2 390/RS 538/CBW 325/WC 517
Wonderful and Great (Ps)  PMB 499/WC 918
You Are the Voice (G)  RS 659/GC 549/GC2 538/CBW 576
You Have Anointed Me (1)  RS 795/GC 676/GC2 662/GP 555
*You Will Draw Water (PsB) GC 620/PMB 113/WC 344