Cross
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you.
I have called you by your name. You are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you,
and through the rivers, they will not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burnt,
and flame will not scorch you.
For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour.
— Isaiah 43:1-3
Invitatory
Ascribe to the Lord, you children of the mighty,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due to his name.
Worship the Lord in holy array.
The Lord’s voice is on the waters.
The God of glory thunders, even the Lord on many waters.
The Lord’s voice is powerful.
The Lord’s voice is full of majesty.
The Lord’s voice breaks the cedars.
The Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes them also to skip like a calf;
Lebanon and Sirion like a young, wild ox.
The Lord’s voice strikes with flashes of lightning.
The Lord’s voice shakes the wilderness.
The Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
The Lord’s voice makes the deer calve,
and strips the forests bare.
In his temple all cry, “Glory!”
The Lord sat enthroned at the flood.
The Lord sits as King forever.
The Lord will give strength to his people.
The Lord will bless his people with peace.
— Psalm 29†
Cruciform
I baptise you with water,
but he who comes is mightier than I;
his sandals I am not worthy to loosen.
He will baptise you in the Holy Spirit and with fire.
— Luke 3:16†
Weeks
A voice came out of the sky, saying,
“You are my belovèd son. In you I am well pleased.”
— Luke 3:22
Dimissory
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty saviour,
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old,
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham,
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
— Benedictus Dominus Deus, Luke 1:68-79◊
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.