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…

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!”

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…

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.