∫ (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 McGuiggan,
And our celebrant is Father Greg Sakowicz.

∫ I want to walk as a child of the light. ∫
∫ I want to follow Jesus. ∫
∫ God set the stars to give light to the world. ∫
∫ The star of my life is Jesus. ∫
∫ In Him there is no darkness at all. ∫
∫ The night and the day are both alike. ∫
∫ The Lamb is the Light of the City of God. ∫
∫ Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus. ∫

Good morning and welcome
To celebrate the Baptism of the Lord.
We begin our prayers as we begin all things on this day:

In the Name of the Father,
And of the Son,
And of the Holy Spirit.
—Amen.

The Lord be with you.
—And with your spirit.

Our God is loving, compassionate, and always forgiving.
We are sinners, so we take a moment of silence
And ask forgiveness and the Lord’s mercy for our sins.

Lord, have mercy.
—Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.
—Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.
—Lord, have mercy.

May Almighty God have mercy on us,
Forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.
—Amen.

And together as God’s forgiven family,
We sing praise to our God:

∫ (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. ∫

And together, let us pray for the grace
To follow Christ more closely.

Loving and compassionate God,
Whose Only Begotten Son has appeared in our very flesh,
Grant, we pray,
That we may be inwardly transformed through Him
Whom we recognize as outwardly like ourselves,
Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
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 teaching.

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. ∫
∫ Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly powers, ∫
∫ Ascribe to the Lord, glory and strength. ∫
∫ Ascribe 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 has 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 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. ∫

The Lord be with you.
—And with your spirit.

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.
—Glory to You, O Lord.

Jesus came from Galilee
To John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.
John tried to prevent Him, saying,
“I need to be baptized by You, and yet You are

“I need to be baptized by you and yet you are coming to me.”
And Jesus said in reply,
“Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us
To fulfill all righteousness.”
Then he allowed Him.

After Jesus was baptized,
He came up from the water, and behold,
The heavens were opened for Him.
He saw the Spirit of God
Descending like a dove and coming upon Him.
And a voice came from the heavens, saying,
“This is My Beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

The Gospel of the Lord.
—Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.

Two little first graders going through the cafeteria line
During the lunch hour,
And they’re by the apples, and they take an apple.
There’s a sign that says, “Please take one apple.
God is watching.”

They move along the cafeteria line,
Now by the chocolate chip cookies.
A little boy says to the other, he says,
“Listen, take as many chocolate chip cookies as you want.
God is watching the apples.”

[Laughter]

That would be me.
My entire life until my Uncle Ted died some years ago.
I was very close to Uncle Ted before he died.
He taught me how to play sports
And did a great deal with us four children.
Uncle Ted loved us deeply.

Before entering Mundelein Seminary,

Uncle Ted revealed to me three things
I should carry in my heart the rest of my life.
He shared this with me back when I entered Mundelein Seminary
In the fall of 1975, 50 years ago.

The first thing Uncle Ted said was,
“As you live your life, always be tender.
The importance of showing compassion,
Love, kindness, forgiveness, and care to all we meet.”

Secondly, Uncle Ted said,
“In your life, be committed.”
He told me, “If you make a commitment
And live it out in faith and trust, things work out.
Be committed in and to the Lord.”

Uncle Ted went on to say,
“We all try out a lot of enthusiasms.
We chase a lot of rabbits.
But what we stick with after the infatuation wears off
Is what defines our lives,
Keeping faith with that which claims your love.”

Finally, Uncle Ted said the third thing,
“Be great at all you do.
Never be ordinary if you have the chance to be extraordinary.”

Now Uncle Ted was not talking about
Accumulating material wealth or living to have
That fancy title or position.
Uncle Ted was referring to living life to the fullest,
In God, with God, through our Baptism,
Living life for others.

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.
The Baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist
Marks the beginning of a journey we call
His public ministry that began for Jesus.
He begins His mission to create
A new possibility for all the world,
His mission of love for all of God’s people.

And so I ask: what does it mean to love someone?
What does it mean in life to love someone?

Love involves sacrifice,
And Christ loves us this much, even to death upon the Cross.
The sacrifice of the Cross is a Cross of love.

Jesus calls us to a higher standard.
This higher standard means we need to carry our faith
Beyond our wonderful Liturgy,
Beyond individual acts of kindness
That we do for each other.

Because of our Baptism, we are called to serve,
To share, and to listen to each other.
You know, our lives get so busy,
We sometimes don’t take the time to truly listen.
We’re so busy.

In many ways we shouldn’t be called human beings;
We should be called human becomings,
To become something more in and with God.

For Baptism as commitment challenges us
To move from apathy to involvement.
Baptism as commitment means we learn to listen,
Share, and always take time for others,
Because life is way too short.

I always say this: live each day as though it were your last,
Because one day you’ll be right.
Take one day at a time as a gift from God.
Not everything in life that is faced can be changed,
But nothing can be changed until it is faced.

For the Spirit of God, who will never take us,
With the grace of God, cannot keep us.

Together as God’s family, our Profession of Faith:

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty,
Maker of Heaven and Earth,
Of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
The Only Begotten Son of God,
Born of the Father before all ages,
God from God, Light from Light,
True God from True God,
Begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father.

Through Him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation, He came down from Heaven,
And by the power of the Holy Spirit,
Incarnate of the Virgin Mary, He became Man.

For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
He suffered Death and was buried,
And rose again on the third day
In accordance with the Scriptures.

He ascended into Heaven
And is seated at the right hand of God the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead,
And His Kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life,
Who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
Who with the Father and the Son
Is adored and glorified,
Who has spoken through the Prophets.

I believe in one, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
And look forward to the Resurrection of the dead
And the life of the world to come.

Amen.

With confidence, faith, and trust, we bring the Lord
Our needs, our prayers, our very lives.
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.

Loving God, we ask You to hear our prayers,
Always made known through Christ our Lord.
—Amen.

∫ (Piano music) ∫

And pray, my sisters and brothers,
That our sacrifice be acceptable
To God, the Father, the Almighty.
—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.
Amen.

Accept, O Lord, the offerings we have brought to honor
The revealing of Your Beloved Son,
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.

Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God.
—It is right and just.

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

Always and everywhere to give You thanks,
Lord, Holy Father, almighty and eternal God.

From the waters of the Jordan,
You revealed with signs and wonders a new Baptism,
Declared through the voice that came down from Heaven,
That the Word dwells among us.
And by the Spirit’s descending in the likeness of a dove,
You made known that Christ, Your Servant,
Has been anointed with the oil of gladness
And sent to bring the Good News to the poor.

And so, with the choirs of Angels in Heaven,
We proclaim Your glory as together we sing:

∫ (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 fount of all holiness.
Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray,
By sending down Your Spirit upon them like the dewfall,
That they may become for us
The Body and Blood of Your Son,
Our Lord Jesus Christ.

At the time He was betrayed
And entered into His Passion,
Jesus took bread and, giving thanks, broke it,
And gave it to the disciples, saying:

“Take this, all of you, and eat of it,
For this is My Body,
Which will be given up for you.”

When supper was ended, He took the chalice,
And once more giving thanks,
He gave it to the 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.”

The Mystery of Faith.

∫ (Piano music) ∫
∫ 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 His Life,
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 power of the Holy Spirit.

Remember, Lord, Your Church spread throughout the world
And bring her to the fullness of charity,
Together with Leo our Pope, Blas… our Bishop,
With the Bishops, Clergy, Religious Brothers and Sisters,
And all who serve in Your faith communities.

Remember also our brothers and sisters
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.

Have mercy on us all, we pray,
With the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God,
With Blessed Joseph, her spouse, the Blessed Apostles,
And all the Saints who have pleased You
Throughout the ages.

May we merit to be co-heirs to eternal life,
And may praise and glorify You
Through Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Through Him, 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. ∫

With confidence, faith, and joy, together as God’s family,
With one voice we pray:

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,
Grant peace in our days,
That by the help of Your mercy,
We may be 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.

And Lord Jesus Christ, You said to Your Apostles,
“Peace I leave you, My peace I give you.”
Look not upon our sins, but on the faith of Your Church,
And graciously grant her peace and unity
In accordance with Your Will,
Who live and reign forever and ever.
—Amen.

May the peace of the Lord be with you always.
—And with your spirit.

Let us share the Lord’s peace and joy with those around us.

For those who are praying alone,
Or with someone else at home,
In a nursing facility, or any hospital,

From all of us here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls,
To each and every one of you;
God’s blessings, peace, and the Lord’s joy.

∫ (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. ∫

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.

∫ (Piano music) ∫

For those of you at home,
Please turn to page six in your TV Mass Guide
And join in singing our Communion song,
“There Is a Longing.”

∫ There is a longing in our hearts, O Lord, ∫
∫ For You to reveal Yourself to us. ∫
∫ There is a longing in our hearts ∫
∫ For love we only find in You, our God. ∫
∫ For justice, for freedom, ∫
∫ For mercy, hear our prayer. ∫
∫ In sorrow, in grief, be near; ∫
∫ Hear our prayer, O God. ∫
∫ There is a longing in our hearts, O Lord. ∫
∫ For You to reveal Yourself to us. ∫
∫ There is a longing in our hearts ∫

∫ For love we only find in You, our God. ∫

Together, our prayer for the children of Mercy Home:

—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.

And together, let us pray.

Nourished with these sacred gifts,
Humbly we entreat Your mercy, O Lord,
And, faithfully listening to Your Only Begotten Son,
May we be Your children in name and in truth.
Always through Christ our Lord.
—Amen.

The Lord be with you.
—And with your spirit.

Let us bow our heads and pray for God’s many blessings.

The Lord bless you and keep you. Amen.
May His face shine upon you and be with you always. Amen.
May the Lord be with you in this new year,
As we move forward after the Baptism of the Lord,
Granting blessings, health, and joy,
To love one another and serve in His Name. Amen.

And may the blessing of Almighty God,
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
Descend upon all of us forever and ever.
—Amen.

Our celebration has ended.
We go in peace.
—Thanks be to God.

∫ (Piano music) ∫
∫ On Jordan’s bank the Baptist cries, ∫
∫ Announces that the Lord is nigh; ∫
∫ Awakened, harken, for he brings ∫
∫ Glad tidings of the King of Kings. ∫

∫ (Piano music) ∫

Dear friends, I just want to thank you for the ways
In which you support the TV Mass
Here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
Let us continue to pray for one another.
Please consider making an offering
So that we can keep the TV Mass on the air.
And may God bless you, your family members, and your friends.

The music for the broadcast of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home
Is generously provided by GIA 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 McGuiggan,
And our celebrant is Father Greg Sakowicz.

∫ I want to walk as a child of the light. ∫
∫ I want to follow Jesus. ∫
∫ God set the stars to give light to the world. ∫
∫ The star of my life is Jesus. ∫
∫ In Him there is no darkness at all. ∫
∫ The night and the day are both alike. ∫
∫ The Lamb is the Light of the City of God. ∫
∫ Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus. ∫

Good morning and welcome
To celebrate the Baptism of the Lord.
We begin our prayers as we begin all things on this day:

In the Name of the Father,
And of the Son,
And of the Holy Spirit.
—Amen.

The Lord be with you.
—And with your spirit.

Our God is loving, compassionate, and always forgiving.
We are sinners, so we take a moment of silence
And ask forgiveness and the Lord’s mercy for our sins.

Lord, have mercy.
—Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.
—Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.
—Lord, have mercy.

May Almighty God have mercy on us,
Forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.
—Amen.

And together as God’s forgiven family,
We sing praise to our God:

∫ (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. ∫

And together, let us pray for the grace
To follow Christ more closely.

Loving and compassionate God,
Whose Only Begotten Son has appeared in our very flesh,
Grant, we pray,
That we may be inwardly transformed through Him
Whom we recognize as outwardly like ourselves,
Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
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 teaching.

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. ∫
∫ Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly powers, ∫
∫ Ascribe to the Lord, glory and strength. ∫
∫ Ascribe 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 has 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 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. ∫

The Lord be with you.
—And with your spirit.

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.
—Glory to You, O Lord.

Jesus came from Galilee
To John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.
John tried to prevent Him, saying,
“I need to be baptized by You, and yet You are

“I need to be baptized by you and yet you are coming to me.”
And Jesus said in reply,
“Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us
To fulfill all righteousness.”
Then he allowed Him.

After Jesus was baptized,
He came up from the water, and behold,
The heavens were opened for Him.
He saw the Spirit of God
Descending like a dove and coming upon Him.
And a voice came from the heavens, saying,
“This is My Beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

The Gospel of the Lord.
—Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.

Two little first graders going through the cafeteria line
During the lunch hour,
And they’re by the apples, and they take an apple.
There’s a sign that says, “Please take one apple.
God is watching.”

They move along the cafeteria line,
Now by the chocolate chip cookies.
A little boy says to the other, he says,
“Listen, take as many chocolate chip cookies as you want.
God is watching the apples.”

[Laughter]

That would be me.
My entire life until my Uncle Ted died some years ago.
I was very close to Uncle Ted before he died.
He taught me how to play sports
And did a great deal with us four children.
Uncle Ted loved us deeply.

Before entering Mundelein Seminary,

Uncle Ted revealed to me three things
I should carry in my heart the rest of my life.
He shared this with me back when I entered Mundelein Seminary
In the fall of 1975, 50 years ago.

The first thing Uncle Ted said was,
“As you live your life, always be tender.
The importance of showing compassion,
Love, kindness, forgiveness, and care to all we meet.”

Secondly, Uncle Ted said,
“In your life, be committed.”
He told me, “If you make a commitment
And live it out in faith and trust, things work out.
Be committed in and to the Lord.”

Uncle Ted went on to say,
“We all try out a lot of enthusiasms.
We chase a lot of rabbits.
But what we stick with after the infatuation wears off
Is what defines our lives,
Keeping faith with that which claims your love.”

Finally, Uncle Ted said the third thing,
“Be great at all you do.
Never be ordinary if you have the chance to be extraordinary.”

Now Uncle Ted was not talking about
Accumulating material wealth or living to have
That fancy title or position.
Uncle Ted was referring to living life to the fullest,
In God, with God, through our Baptism,
Living life for others.

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.
The Baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist
Marks the beginning of a journey we call
His public ministry that began for Jesus.
He begins His mission to create
A new possibility for all the world,
His mission of love for all of God’s people.

And so I ask: what does it mean to love someone?
What does it mean in life to love someone?

Love involves sacrifice,
And Christ loves us this much, even to death upon the Cross.
The sacrifice of the Cross is a Cross of love.

Jesus calls us to a higher standard.
This higher standard means we need to carry our faith
Beyond our wonderful Liturgy,
Beyond individual acts of kindness
That we do for each other.

Because of our Baptism, we are called to serve,
To share, and to listen to each other.
You know, our lives get so busy,
We sometimes don’t take the time to truly listen.
We’re so busy.

In many ways we shouldn’t be called human beings;
We should be called human becomings,
To become something more in and with God.

For Baptism as commitment challenges us
To move from apathy to involvement.
Baptism as commitment means we learn to listen,
Share, and always take time for others,
Because life is way too short.

I always say this: live each day as though it were your last,
Because one day you’ll be right.
Take one day at a time as a gift from God.
Not everything in life that is faced can be changed,
But nothing can be changed until it is faced.

For the Spirit of God, who will never take us,
With the grace of God, cannot keep us.

Together as God’s family, our Profession of Faith:

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty,
Maker of Heaven and Earth,
Of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
The Only Begotten Son of God,
Born of the Father before all ages,
God from God, Light from Light,
True God from True God,
Begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father.

Through Him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation, He came down from Heaven,
And by the power of the Holy Spirit,
Incarnate of the Virgin Mary, He became Man.

For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
He suffered Death and was buried,
And rose again on the third day
In accordance with the Scriptures.

He ascended into Heaven
And is seated at the right hand of God the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead,
And His Kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life,
Who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
Who with the Father and the Son
Is adored and glorified,
Who has spoken through the Prophets.

I believe in one, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
And look forward to the Resurrection of the dead
And the life of the world to come.

Amen.

With confidence, faith, and trust, we bring the Lord
Our needs, our prayers, our very lives.
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.

Loving God, we ask You to hear our prayers,
Always made known through Christ our Lord.
—Amen.

∫ (Piano music) ∫

And pray, my sisters and brothers,
That our sacrifice be acceptable
To God, the Father, the Almighty.
—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.
Amen.

Accept, O Lord, the offerings we have brought to honor
The revealing of Your Beloved Son,
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.

Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God.
—It is right and just.

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

Always and everywhere to give You thanks,
Lord, Holy Father, almighty and eternal God.

From the waters of the Jordan,
You revealed with signs and wonders a new Baptism,
Declared through the voice that came down from Heaven,
That the Word dwells among us.
And by the Spirit’s descending in the likeness of a dove,
You made known that Christ, Your Servant,
Has been anointed with the oil of gladness
And sent to bring the Good News to the poor.

And so, with the choirs of Angels in Heaven,
We proclaim Your glory as together we sing:

∫ (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 fount of all holiness.
Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray,
By sending down Your Spirit upon them like the dewfall,
That they may become for us
The Body and Blood of Your Son,
Our Lord Jesus Christ.

At the time He was betrayed
And entered into His Passion,
Jesus took bread and, giving thanks, broke it,
And gave it to the disciples, saying:

“Take this, all of you, and eat of it,
For this is My Body,
Which will be given up for you.”

When supper was ended, He took the chalice,
And once more giving thanks,
He gave it to the 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.”

The Mystery of Faith.

∫ (Piano music) ∫
∫ 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 His Life,
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 power of the Holy Spirit.

Remember, Lord, Your Church spread throughout the world
And bring her to the fullness of charity,
Together with Leo our Pope, Blas… our Bishop,
With the Bishops, Clergy, Religious Brothers and Sisters,
And all who serve in Your faith communities.

Remember also our brothers and sisters
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.

Have mercy on us all, we pray,
With the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God,
With Blessed Joseph, her spouse, the Blessed Apostles,
And all the Saints who have pleased You
Throughout the ages.

May we merit to be co-heirs to eternal life,
And may praise and glorify You
Through Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Through Him, 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. ∫

With confidence, faith, and joy, together as God’s family,
With one voice we pray:

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,
Grant peace in our days,
That by the help of Your mercy,
We may be 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.

And Lord Jesus Christ, You said to Your Apostles,
“Peace I leave you, My peace I give you.”
Look not upon our sins, but on the faith of Your Church,
And graciously grant her peace and unity
In accordance with Your Will,
Who live and reign forever and ever.
—Amen.

May the peace of the Lord be with you always.
—And with your spirit.

Let us share the Lord’s peace and joy with those around us.

For those who are praying alone,
Or with someone else at home,
In a nursing facility, or any hospital,

From all of us here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls,
To each and every one of you;
God’s blessings, peace, and the Lord’s joy.

∫ (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. ∫

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.

∫ (Piano music) ∫

For those of you at home,
Please turn to page six in your TV Mass Guide
And join in singing our Communion song,
“There Is a Longing.”

∫ There is a longing in our hearts, O Lord, ∫
∫ For You to reveal Yourself to us. ∫
∫ There is a longing in our hearts ∫
∫ For love we only find in You, our God. ∫
∫ For justice, for freedom, ∫
∫ For mercy, hear our prayer. ∫
∫ In sorrow, in grief, be near; ∫
∫ Hear our prayer, O God. ∫
∫ There is a longing in our hearts, O Lord. ∫
∫ For You to reveal Yourself to us. ∫
∫ There is a longing in our hearts ∫

∫ For love we only find in You, our God. ∫

Together, our prayer for the children of Mercy Home:

—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.

And together, let us pray.

Nourished with these sacred gifts,
Humbly we entreat Your mercy, O Lord,
And, faithfully listening to Your Only Begotten Son,
May we be Your children in name and in truth.
Always through Christ our Lord.
—Amen.

The Lord be with you.
—And with your spirit.

Let us bow our heads and pray for God’s many blessings.

The Lord bless you and keep you. Amen.
May His face shine upon you and be with you always. Amen.
May the Lord be with you in this new year,
As we move forward after the Baptism of the Lord,
Granting blessings, health, and joy,
To love one another and serve in His Name. Amen.

And may the blessing of Almighty God,
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
Descend upon all of us forever and ever.
—Amen.

Our celebration has ended.
We go in peace.
—Thanks be to God.

∫ (Piano music) ∫
∫ On Jordan’s bank the Baptist cries, ∫
∫ Announces that the Lord is nigh; ∫
∫ Awakened, harken, for he brings ∫
∫ Glad tidings of the King of Kings. ∫

∫ (Piano music) ∫

Dear friends, I just want to thank you for the ways
In which you support the TV Mass
Here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
Let us continue to pray for one another.
Please consider making an offering
So that we can keep the TV Mass on the air.
And may God bless you, your family members, and your friends.

The music for the broadcast of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home
Is generously provided by GIA 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 McGuiggan,
And our celebrant is Father Greg Sakowicz.

∫ I want to walk as a child of the light. ∫
∫ I want to follow Jesus. ∫
∫ God set the stars to give light to the world. ∫
∫ The star of my life is Jesus. ∫
∫ In Him there is no darkness at all. ∫
∫ The night and the day are both alike. ∫
∫ The Lamb is the Light of the City of God. ∫
∫ Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus. ∫

Good morning and welcome
To celebrate the Baptism of the Lord.
We begin our prayers as we begin all things on this day:

In the Name of the Father,
And of the Son,
And of the Holy Spirit.
—Amen.

The Lord be with you.
—And with your spirit.

Our God is loving, compassionate, and always forgiving.
We are sinners, so we take a moment of silence
And ask forgiveness and the Lord’s mercy for our sins.

Lord, have mercy.
—Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.
—Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.
—Lord, have mercy.

May Almighty God have mercy on us,
Forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.
—Amen.

And together as God’s forgiven family,
We sing praise to our God:

∫ (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. ∫

And together, let us pray for the grace
To follow Christ more closely.

Loving and compassionate God,
Whose Only Begotten Son has appeared in our very flesh,
Grant, we pray,
That we may be inwardly transformed through Him
Whom we recognize as outwardly like ourselves,
Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
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 teaching.

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. ∫
∫ Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly powers, ∫
∫ Ascribe to the Lord, glory and strength. ∫
∫ Ascribe 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 has 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 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. ∫

The Lord be with you.
—And with your spirit.

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.
—Glory to You, O Lord.

Jesus came from Galilee
To John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.
John tried to prevent Him, saying,
“I need to be baptized by You, and yet You are

“I need to be baptized by you and yet you are coming to me.”
And Jesus said in reply,
“Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us
To fulfill all righteousness.”
Then he allowed Him.

After Jesus was baptized,
He came up from the water, and behold,
The heavens were opened for Him.
He saw the Spirit of God
Descending like a dove and coming upon Him.
And a voice came from the heavens, saying,
“This is My Beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

The Gospel of the Lord.
—Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.

Two little first graders going through the cafeteria line
During the lunch hour,
And they’re by the apples, and they take an apple.
There’s a sign that says, “Please take one apple.
God is watching.”

They move along the cafeteria line,
Now by the chocolate chip cookies.
A little boy says to the other, he says,
“Listen, take as many chocolate chip cookies as you want.
God is watching the apples.”

[Laughter]

That would be me.
My entire life until my Uncle Ted died some years ago.
I was very close to Uncle Ted before he died.
He taught me how to play sports
And did a great deal with us four children.
Uncle Ted loved us deeply.

Before entering Mundelein Seminary,

Uncle Ted revealed to me three things
I should carry in my heart the rest of my life.
He shared this with me back when I entered Mundelein Seminary
In the fall of 1975, 50 years ago.

The first thing Uncle Ted said was,
“As you live your life, always be tender.
The importance of showing compassion,
Love, kindness, forgiveness, and care to all we meet.”

Secondly, Uncle Ted said,
“In your life, be committed.”
He told me, “If you make a commitment
And live it out in faith and trust, things work out.
Be committed in and to the Lord.”

Uncle Ted went on to say,
“We all try out a lot of enthusiasms.
We chase a lot of rabbits.
But what we stick with after the infatuation wears off
Is what defines our lives,
Keeping faith with that which claims your love.”

Finally, Uncle Ted said the third thing,
“Be great at all you do.
Never be ordinary if you have the chance to be extraordinary.”

Now Uncle Ted was not talking about
Accumulating material wealth or living to have
That fancy title or position.
Uncle Ted was referring to living life to the fullest,
In God, with God, through our Baptism,
Living life for others.

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.
The Baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist
Marks the beginning of a journey we call
His public ministry that began for Jesus.
He begins His mission to create
A new possibility for all the world,
His mission of love for all of God’s people.

And so I ask: what does it mean to love someone?
What does it mean in life to love someone?

Love involves sacrifice,
And Christ loves us this much, even to death upon the Cross.
The sacrifice of the Cross is a Cross of love.

Jesus calls us to a higher standard.
This higher standard means we need to carry our faith
Beyond our wonderful Liturgy,
Beyond individual acts of kindness
That we do for each other.

Because of our Baptism, we are called to serve,
To share, and to listen to each other.
You know, our lives get so busy,
We sometimes don’t take the time to truly listen.
We’re so busy.

In many ways we shouldn’t be called human beings;
We should be called human becomings,
To become something more in and with God.

For Baptism as commitment challenges us
To move from apathy to involvement.
Baptism as commitment means we learn to listen,
Share, and always take time for others,
Because life is way too short.

I always say this: live each day as though it were your last,
Because one day you’ll be right.
Take one day at a time as a gift from God.
Not everything in life that is faced can be changed,
But nothing can be changed until it is faced.

For the Spirit of God, who will never take us,
With the grace of God, cannot keep us.

Together as God’s family, our Profession of Faith:

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty,
Maker of Heaven and Earth,
Of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
The Only Begotten Son of God,
Born of the Father before all ages,
God from God, Light from Light,
True God from True God,
Begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father.

Through Him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation, He came down from Heaven,
And by the power of the Holy Spirit,
Incarnate of the Virgin Mary, He became Man.

For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
He suffered Death and was buried,
And rose again on the third day
In accordance with the Scriptures.

He ascended into Heaven
And is seated at the right hand of God the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead,
And His Kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life,
Who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
Who with the Father and the Son
Is adored and glorified,
Who has spoken through the Prophets.

I believe in one, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
And look forward to the Resurrection of the dead
And the life of the world to come.

Amen.

With confidence, faith, and trust, we bring the Lord
Our needs, our prayers, our very lives.
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.

Loving God, we ask You to hear our prayers,
Always made known through Christ our Lord.
—Amen.

∫ (Piano music) ∫

And pray, my sisters and brothers,
That our sacrifice be acceptable
To God, the Father, the Almighty.
—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.
Amen.

Accept, O Lord, the offerings we have brought to honor
The revealing of Your Beloved Son,
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.

Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God.
—It is right and just.

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

Always and everywhere to give You thanks,
Lord, Holy Father, almighty and eternal God.

From the waters of the Jordan,
You revealed with signs and wonders a new Baptism,
Declared through the voice that came down from Heaven,
That the Word dwells among us.
And by the Spirit’s descending in the likeness of a dove,
You made known that Christ, Your Servant,
Has been anointed with the oil of gladness
And sent to bring the Good News to the poor.

And so, with the choirs of Angels in Heaven,
We proclaim Your glory as together we sing:

∫ (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 fount of all holiness.
Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray,
By sending down Your Spirit upon them like the dewfall,
That they may become for us
The Body and Blood of Your Son,
Our Lord Jesus Christ.

At the time He was betrayed
And entered into His Passion,
Jesus took bread and, giving thanks, broke it,
And gave it to the disciples, saying:

“Take this, all of you, and eat of it,
For this is My Body,
Which will be given up for you.”

When supper was ended, He took the chalice,
And once more giving thanks,
He gave it to the 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.”

The Mystery of Faith.

∫ (Piano music) ∫
∫ 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 His Life,
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 power of the Holy Spirit.

Remember, Lord, Your Church spread throughout the world
And bring her to the fullness of charity,
Together with Leo our Pope, Blas… our Bishop,
With the Bishops, Clergy, Religious Brothers and Sisters,
And all who serve in Your faith communities.

Remember also our brothers and sisters
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.

Have mercy on us all, we pray,
With the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God,
With Blessed Joseph, her spouse, the Blessed Apostles,
And all the Saints who have pleased You
Throughout the ages.

May we merit to be co-heirs to eternal life,
And may praise and glorify You
Through Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Through Him, 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. ∫

With confidence, faith, and joy, together as God’s family,
With one voice we pray:

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,
Grant peace in our days,
That by the help of Your mercy,
We may be 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.

And Lord Jesus Christ, You said to Your Apostles,
“Peace I leave you, My peace I give you.”
Look not upon our sins, but on the faith of Your Church,
And graciously grant her peace and unity
In accordance with Your Will,
Who live and reign forever and ever.
—Amen.

May the peace of the Lord be with you always.
—And with your spirit.

Let us share the Lord’s peace and joy with those around us.

For those who are praying alone,
Or with someone else at home,
In a nursing facility, or any hospital,

From all of us here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls,
To each and every one of you;
God’s blessings, peace, and the Lord’s joy.

∫ (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. ∫

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.

∫ (Piano music) ∫

For those of you at home,
Please turn to page six in your TV Mass Guide
And join in singing our Communion song,
“There Is a Longing.”

∫ There is a longing in our hearts, O Lord, ∫
∫ For You to reveal Yourself to us. ∫
∫ There is a longing in our hearts ∫
∫ For love we only find in You, our God. ∫
∫ For justice, for freedom, ∫
∫ For mercy, hear our prayer. ∫
∫ In sorrow, in grief, be near; ∫
∫ Hear our prayer, O God. ∫
∫ There is a longing in our hearts, O Lord. ∫
∫ For You to reveal Yourself to us. ∫
∫ There is a longing in our hearts ∫

∫ For love we only find in You, our God. ∫

Together, our prayer for the children of Mercy Home:

—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.

And together, let us pray.

Nourished with these sacred gifts,
Humbly we entreat Your mercy, O Lord,
And, faithfully listening to Your Only Begotten Son,
May we be Your children in name and in truth.
Always through Christ our Lord.
—Amen.

The Lord be with you.
—And with your spirit.

Let us bow our heads and pray for God’s many blessings.

The Lord bless you and keep you. Amen.
May His face shine upon you and be with you always. Amen.
May the Lord be with you in this new year,
As we move forward after the Baptism of the Lord,
Granting blessings, health, and joy,
To love one another and serve in His Name. Amen.

And may the blessing of Almighty God,
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
Descend upon all of us forever and ever.
—Amen.

Our celebration has ended.
We go in peace.
—Thanks be to God.

∫ (Piano music) ∫
∫ On Jordan’s bank the Baptist cries, ∫
∫ Announces that the Lord is nigh; ∫
∫ Awakened, harken, for he brings ∫
∫ Glad tidings of the King of Kings. ∫

∫ (Piano music) ∫

Dear friends, I just want to thank you for the ways
In which you support the TV Mass
Here at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.
Let us continue to pray for one another.
Please consider making an offering
So that we can keep the TV Mass on the air.
And may God bless you, your family members, and your friends.

The music for the broadcast of Sunday Mass at Mercy Home
Is generously provided by GIA Publications Incorporated
And its World Library Publications division.

∫ (Piano music) ∫

Two little first graders going through the cafeteria line
During the lunch hour,
And they’re by the apples, and they take an apple.
There’s a sign that says, “Please take one apple.
God is watching.”

They move along the cafeteria line,
Now by the chocolate chip cookies.
A little boy says to the other, he says,
“Listen, take as many chocolate chip cookies as you want.
God is watching the apples.”

[Laughter]

That would be me.
My entire life until my Uncle Ted died some years ago.
I was very close to Uncle Ted before he died.
He taught me how to play sports
And did a great deal with us four children.
Uncle Ted loved us deeply.

Before entering Mundelein Seminary,

Uncle Ted revealed to me three things
I should carry in my heart the rest of my life.
He shared this with me back when I entered Mundelein Seminary
In the fall of 1975, 50 years ago.

The first thing Uncle Ted said was,
“As you live your life, always be tender.
The importance of showing compassion,
Love, kindness, forgiveness, and care to all we meet.”

Secondly, Uncle Ted said,
“In your life, be committed.”
He told me, “If you make a commitment
And live it out in faith and trust, things work out.
Be committed in and to the Lord.”

Uncle Ted went on to say,
“We all try out a lot of enthusiasms.
We chase a lot of rabbits.
But what we stick with after the infatuation wears off
Is what defines our lives,
Keeping faith with that which claims your love.”

Finally, Uncle Ted said the third thing,
“Be great at all you do.
Never be ordinary if you have the chance to be extraordinary.”

Now Uncle Ted was not talking about
Accumulating material wealth or living to have
That fancy title or position.
Uncle Ted was referring to living life to the fullest,
In God, with God, through our Baptism,
Living life for others.

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.
The Baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist
Marks the beginning of a journey we call
His public ministry that began for Jesus.
He begins His mission to create
A new possibility for all the world,
His mission of love for all of God’s people.

And so I ask: what does it mean to love someone?
What does it mean in life to love someone?

Love involves sacrifice,
And Christ loves us this much, even to death upon the Cross.
The sacrifice of the Cross is a Cross of love.

Jesus calls us to a higher standard.
This higher standard means we need to carry our faith
Beyond our wonderful Liturgy,
Beyond individual acts of kindness
That we do for each other.

Because of our Baptism, we are called to serve,
To share, and to listen to each other.
You know, our lives get so busy,
We sometimes don’t take the time to truly listen.
We’re so busy.

In many ways we shouldn’t be called human beings;
We should be called human becomings,
To become something more in and with God.

For Baptism as commitment challenges us
To move from apathy to involvement.
Baptism as commitment means we learn to listen,
Share, and always take time for others,
Because life is way too short.

I always say this: live each day as though it were your last,
Because one day you’ll be right.
Take one day at a time as a gift from God.
Not everything in life that is faced can be changed,
But nothing can be changed until it is faced.

For the Spirit of God, who will never take us,
With the grace of God, cannot keep us.