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…

Praise the Lord from the heavens:
praise him!
Praise him in the heights:
praise him!
Praise him, all his angels,
praise him, all his hosts.
Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, all you shining stars.
Praise him, you highest of heavens,
and you waters above the heavens.
Let them praise the Name of the Lord,
for he commanded and they were created.
He has established them for ever,
he’s set a law that will never pass away.
Praise the Lord from the earth,
you sea-monsters and all the depths.
Fire and hail, snow and mist,
stormy winds that obey his Word.
Mountains and every hill,
fruit trees and every cedar.
Beasts, wild and tame,
reptiles and flying birds.
Kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and rulers of the earth.
Young men and maidens,
old men together with children.
Let them praise the Name of the Lord,
for his Name alone is exalted,
his glory above heaven and earth,
he has raised up his people.
Let all his faithful praise the Lord,
Israel, the people that He loves.
Praise him!

Lord, do not punish me in your anger,
do not chastise me in your rage.
Have mercy on me, have mercy on me, O Lord,
I am fainting;
heal me O Lord,
all my bones are shaking.
My soul is very distressed.
But you, O Lord, how much longer?
But you, O Lord, how much longer?
Lord, do not punish me…
Turn to me, O Lord, rescue my soul,
save me, O Lord,
in your mercy.
For no one among the dead remembers you.
For no one among the dead remembers you.
Nor in Sheol do they sing your praise,
Nor in Sheol do they sing your praise,
Lord, do not punish me…
I am exhausted with my laments,
every night I drench my bed with tears
My eyes waste away with grief.
I grow old surrounded by my enemies.
Away from me, evildoers! –
for the Lord hears my lament,
for the Lord welcomes my prayer.
Lord, do not punish me…

Caritas Christi urget nos,
Caritas Christi urget nos.
The love of Christ impels us at the thought,
the love of Christ impels us at the thought
that if one has died for all, then all have died,
that if Christ has died for all, then all have died,
And he died for all so that those who live,
may live no longer for themselves,
but for him who died
and is risen for them.
Caritas Christi…
If someone is in Christ he is a new creation,
the old things have passed away, new ones are born.
The one who did not know sin, God has treated as sin
so that we may become the righteousness of God in him.
Caritas Christi…
Woe to me, if I do not announce the Gospel!
Woe to me, woe to me!
Caritas Christi…