O God, who by invisible power
accomplish a wondrous effect through sacramental signs
and who in many ways have prepared water, your creation,
to show forth the grace of Baptism;
O God, whose Spirit, in the first moments of the world’s creation,
hovered over the waters,
so that the very substance of water
would even then take to itself the power to sanctify;
O God, who by the outpouring of the flood
foreshadowed regeneration,
so that from the mystery of one and the same element of water
would come an end to vice and a beginning of virtue;
O God, who caused the children of Abraham
to pass dry shod through the Red Sea,
so that the chosen people, set free from slavery to Pharaoh,
would prefigure the people of the baptized;
O God,
whose Son, baptised by John in the waters of the Jordan,
was anointed with the Holy Spirit,
and as he hung | upon the Cross,
gave forth from his side | blood and water,
and, after his Resurrection, commanded his disciples:
“Go forth, teach all nations, teach all nations,
look now, we pray, upon the face of your Church
and graciously unseal for her the fountain of Baptism.
May this water receive by the Holy Spirit
the grace of your Only Begotten Son,
so that human nature, created in your image,
and washed clean through the sacrament of Baptism
from all the squalor of the life of old,
may be found worthy to rise to the life of newborn children
through water and the Holy Spirit.
May the power of the Holy Spirit,
O Lord, we pray,
come down through your Son
into the fullness of this font,
so that, all who have been buried with Christ
by Baptism into his death
Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.

Down there beyond the river,
I chose your father Abraham,
and from an impotent old man
I multiplied your descendants.
Far be it from us to forsake
our God
who has worked marvels for us
before our very eyes.
A people enslaved
I rescued from Egypt
and with a mighty hand
I opened the Red Sea.
Far be it from us to forsake…
For years in the desert
I fed you with manna
and upon eagles’ wings
I took you beyond the mountains.
Far be it from us to forsake…
I gave you a land,
cities you did not build,
vineyards you did not plant,
springs of living water.
Far be it from us to forsake…

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord
and my spirit exults in God my Saviour.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord
and my spirit exults in God my Saviour.
From this day all generations
will call me blessed.
From this day all generations
will call me blessed.
For the Almighty has done great things for me,
and his name is holy.
For the Almighty has done great things for me,
and his name is holy.
He shows the power of his arm,
he routs the proud of heart.
He shows the power of his arm,
he routs the proud of heart.
The mighty he casts down from their thrones,
and exalts the lowly.
The hungry he fills with good things,
and the rich he sends empty away.
He helps his servant Israel,
remembering his mercy.
He helps his servant Israel,
remembering his mercy.
According to the promise he made to Abraham,
and to all his sons forever.
According to the promise he made to Abraham,
and to all his sons forever.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord
and my spirit exults in God my Saviour.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord
and my spirit exults in God my Saviour.

Blessed be the Lord,
the God of Israel,
for he has visited and redeemed his people,
raising up for us a power of salvation
in the house of his servant David.
According to the promise made from ancient times,
through the mouths of his holy prophets,
that he would save us from our enemies
and from the hands of all those who hate us.
Fulfilling in this way the mercy
he had with our fathers,
remembering his holy Covenant,
and the oath he swore to our father, Abraham,
that he would set us free from fear
to be delivered from the hands of our enemies,
to serve him in holiness and virtue
in his presence all our days.
Blessed be the Lord...
And you, little child,
you shall be called Prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord
to prepare a way for him,
announcing to his people salvation
and forgiveness of their sins.
Because of the tender mercy of our God,
a sun, rising from on high, will visit us,
to give light to those who live in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Blessed be the Lord…

It was a very hot day
when Abraham
was sitting by the entrance of his tent.
It was a very hot day
when Abraham
was sitting by the Oak of Mamre.
He looked up and there he saw
three men standing near him;
they stood in front of him.
As soon as he saw them
he bowed to the ground and said:
”O my Lord,
don't pass by, I beg you,
without stopping!”
”Without stopping,
don't pass by, I beg you,
without stopping,
without stopping.”
”I'll bring you a little water,
you'll wash your feet
and lie down under the tree.
I'll bring you a little bread,
you'll refresh yourselves
before going further.
Not by chance
have you passed today
near me.”
”O my Lord,
don't pass by, I beg you,
without stopping,
without stopping!
Without stopping,
don't pass by, I beg you,
without stopping,
without stopping!”

It’s the Passover of the Lord,
exalt him and sing:
Alleluia, alleluia!
He is the God of Abraham and of Isaac,
He is the God of Jacob.
It’s the Passover of the Lord…
It is he who has opened the Red Sea,
and through it we have passed.
It’s the Passover of the Lord…
It is he who leads us through the desert,
and guides us on the way.
It’s the Passover of the Lord…
It is he who has sent Christ to us
and raised him from the dead.
It’s the Passover of the Lord,
exalt him and sing:
Alleluia, alleluia.

If anyone keeps my word,
he will never taste death.
You are the only One, the only One with joy,
who is like the Lord?
Crown of salvation:
Memorial of joy.
Day of rest and holiness
you’ve given to your people.
Abraham saw this day
and in Isaac he rejoiced.
Jacob and his sons
rested on this day.
Jacob and his sons
rested on this day.
Day of rest and holiness
you’ve given to your people.

Jesus entered Jericho, and was going through the city,
Jesus entered Jericho, and was going through the city.
And behold a man called Zaccheus,
chief of the publicans and very rich,
was trying to see Jesus.
But he could not, for he was short.
Then he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore,
because Jesus was to pass that way,
because Jesus was to pass that way.
When Jesus came to that place, he lifted up his eyes,
saw him and said to him:
“Zaccheus, come down at once,
for today it behoves me to stay at your house.”
for today it behoves me to stay at your house.”
Zaccheus came down in a hurry
and welcomed him full of joy.
Seeing this, they all murmured:
“He has entered the house of a sinner.”
And Zaccheus stood up and said to the Lord:
“Behold, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor
And if I have cheated anyone,
I will give him back fourfold.”
And Jesus answered him:
“Today salvation has entered this house,
Today salvation has entered this house.
Because he too is a son of Abraham,
because the Son of Man has come to seek
and save that which was lost.”
Jesus, entered Jericho, and was going…
“Today salvation has entered this house,
today salvation has entered this house.
Because he too is a son of Abraham.”
Zaccheus is you.
Zaccheus, come down at once.
The Lord wants to enter your house.

It was still night when Abraham
was preparing to sacrifice his son;
the two were staring into each other’s eyes
when Isaac said:
”Aqeda, aqeda, aqeda, aqeda!
Aqeda, aqeda, aqeda, aqeda!
Bind me, bind me tight, O my father,
lest in fear I resist,
and your sacrifice be not valid,
and both of us be rejected!
Aqeda, aqeda, aqeda, aqeda!
Bind me, bind me tight,
O my father, lest I resist!
Bind me, bind me tight,
O my father, lest I resist!”
Come, see faith on earth,
come, see faith on earth:
the father who sacrifices his only son,
and the beloved son who offers him his throat!
”Aqeda…