SMC ENGLISH MASS - The Baptism of the Lord Year A (11 Jan 2026)
SMC English Mass - The Baptism of the Lord Year A (11 Jan 2026)
Prayer for the 80th Anniversary of the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong
Messengers of Hope
O Lord, You are the source of all blessings and you guide the course of human history by your Providence.
With gratitude we thank you for the establishment of our Diocese eighty years ago.
In the footsteps of our predecessors, we have steadfastly kept the heritage of our Faith over the years and so have been able
to experience your unfailing help in the face of challenges;
to regain strength in our weakness;
to restore hope in our discouragement;
to look for your direction when we have lost our way.
As your children, may we always entrust ourselves to you in humility. May we always respond to your calling for us to carry on our mission to spread the Gospel and bear witness to our faith in Hong Kong, sowing the seeds of love and hope while living in joy and peace.
We ask this in the name of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen
PROCESSIONAL HYMN
Unto Thee, O Lord #316 P.104
1. Unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul
Unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul
O my God, I trust in Thee, let me not be ashamed
Let not my enemies triumph over me
2. Yea let none that wait on Thee be ashamed
Yea let none that wait on Thee be ashamed
O my God, I trust in Thee, let me not be ashamed
Let not my enemies triumph over me
3. Show me Thy ways, Thy ways O Lord
Teach me Thy paths, Thy paths O Lord
O my God, I trust in Thee, Iet me not be ashamed
Let not my enemies triumph over me
4. Remember not the sins of my youth
Remember not the sins of my youth
O my God, I trust in Thee, Iet me not be ashamed
Let not my enemies triumph over me
Sign of the cross
Priest ✠ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
Greeting
P✠: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
All: And with your spirit.
Penitential Act
P✠: Brethren (brothers and sisters), let us acknowledge our sins, and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.
All: I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, (striking their breast) through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
P✠: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.
All: Amen.
Kyrie Eleison
P✠: You were sent to heal the contrite of heart: Lord, have mercy.
All: Lord, have mercy.
P✠: You came to call sinners: Christ, have mercy.
All: Christ, have mercy.
P✠: You are seated at the right hand of the Father to intercede for us: Lord, have mercy.
All: Lord, have mercy.
P✠: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.
All: Amen.
Gloria
Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to people of good will.
We praise You. We bless You. We adore you. We glorify You. We give You thanks for Your great glory. Lord God, heavenly King, O God almighty Father.
Lord Jesus Christ, Only-begotten Son. Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father: you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. You take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. You are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us.
For you alone are the Holy One. You alone are the Lord. You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Collect
Let us pray (pause)
Almighty ever-living God, who, when Christ had been baptized in the River Jordan and as the Holy Spirit descended upon him, solemnly declared him 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 Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
1st Reading – Isaiah 42:1-4,6-7
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.
All: Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm – Psalms 29:1-2,3-4,3,9-10
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
Give to the LORD, you sons of God, give to the LORD glory and praise.
Give to the LORD the glory due his name; adore the LORD in holy attire.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
The voice of the LORD is over the waters, the LORD, over vast waters.
The voice of the LORD is mighty; the voice of the LORD is majestic.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
The God of glory thunders, and in his temple all say, “Glory!”
The LORD is enthroned above the flood; the LORD is enthroned as king forever.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
2nd Reading – Acts 10:34-38
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 oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” - The Word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
Alleluia – Mark 9:7
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The heavens were opened and the voice of the Father thundered: This is my beloved Son, listen to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel – Matthew 3:13-17
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 coming to me?” Jesus said to him 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, and 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.
All: Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.
Nicene Creed
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 men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and 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 the Father.
He will come again in glory
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 I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Prayer of the Faithful
OFFERTORY HYMN
Water of Life - #323 P.106
* Water of life
Cleanse and refresh us
Raise us to life in Christ Jesus
1. All you who thirst
Come to the waters
And you will never be thirsty again
2. As rain from heav'n
So is God's word
It waters the earth and brings forth life
3. Dying with Christ
So we shall rise with Him
Death shall no longer have pow'r over us
4. Turn to the Lord
Cast off your wickedness
You will find peace in His infinite love
P✠: Pray, brethren (brothers and sisters), that my sacrifice and yours be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.
All: 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.
Prayer over the Offerings
Accept, O Lord, the offerings we have brought to honor the revealing of your beloved Son, 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 for ever and ever.
All: Amen
P✠: The Lord be with you.
All: And with your spirit.
P✠: Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift them up to the Lord.
P✠: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
All: It is right and just.
Preface of the Baptism of the Lord
P✠: 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.
For in the waters of the Jordan you revealed 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 Spirit’s descending in the likeness of a dove we might know 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 Powers of heaven, we worship you constantly on earth, and before your majesty without end we acclaim:
Sanctus
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.
P✠: You are indeed Holy, O Lord, the….
At the time he was betrayed and entered willingly into his Passion, he took bread and, giving thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND EAT OF IT,
FOR THIS IS MY BODY,
WHICH WILL BE GIVEN UP FOR YOU.
P✠: 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.
P✠: The mystery of faith.
All: We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.
P✠: Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of his Death and Resurrection,.....
P✠: 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, for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
Lord’s Prayer
P✠: At the Savior’s command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say:
All: 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.
P✠: 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.
All: For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever.
P✠: Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your Apostles: Peace I leave you, my peace I give you, look not on 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 for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
P✠: The peace of the Lord be with you always.
All: And with your spirit.
P✠: Let us offer each other the sign of peace.
Agnus Dei
All: 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.
P✠: Lord Jesus Christ,....
P✠: 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.
All: Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
COMMUNION HYMN
Spirit song #287 P. 94
1. O let the Son of God enfold you, with His spirit and His love
Let Him fill your heart and satisfy your soul
O let Him have the things that hold you, and His spirit, like a dove
Will descend upon your life and make you whole
* Jesus, O Jesus, come and fill your lambs
Jesus, O Jesus, come and fill your lambs
2. O come and sing this song with gladness, as your hearts are filled with joy
Lift your hands in sweet surrender to His name
O give Him all your tears and sadness, give Him all your years of pain
And you'll enter into life in Jesus' name
Let there be peace - #169 P.55
Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me
Let there be peace on earth
The peace that was meant to be
With God as our Father, brother all are we
Let me walk with my brothers in perfect harmony
Let peace begin with me let this be the moment now
With ev'ry step I take, let this be my solemn vow
To take each moment and live each moment in peace eternally
Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me
Let it begin with me
Prayer After Communion
P✠: Let us pray (pause)
Nourished with these sacred gifts, we humbly entreat your mercy, O Lord, that, faithfully listening to your Only Begotten Son, we may be your children in name and in truth.
Through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Prayer for the
100th Anniversary of
St. Margaret's Church
Merciful Father, we thank you for sending us enthusiastic missionaries who, jointly with Chinese priests, sowed the seeds of the Gospel a hundred years ago in this parish and established a community devoted to the worship of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Since we have inherited Your boundless love for all, we are committed to joyfully spread the love of the Sacred Heart and to actively build the church here.
As we celebrate the centenary of our parish church with gratitude, we pray that You send the Holy Spirit to assist us, grant us perseverance and patience, and guide us to become the salt and light of the world according to the teachings of Jesus Christ. May we bring the love experienced into our families and communities, as we spread the Gospel.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever, Amen.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!
St. Margaret, pray for us!
P✠: The Lord be with you.
All: And with your spirit.
P✠: May almighty God bless you, ✠ the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen
P✠: Go forth, the Mass is ended.
All: Thanks be to God.
RECESSIONAL HYMN
Strong and constant #288 P.94
1. I will be your God who walks with you
You will be always within My hand
Take your heart and give it all to Me
Strong and constant is My love! Strong and constant is My love!
2. Should you wander far away from Me
I will search for you in every land
Should you call, then you will truly know
Strong and constant is My love! Strong and constant is My love!
3. When you know sorrow within your life
I will come, I will embrace your heart
Through your pain you will discover Me
Strong and constant is My love! Strong and constant is My love!
