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Saint Gertrude Parish - Lasne
January 11, 2026
On this page you will find:
The readings for Mass, the Mass leaflet with the choice of hymns
A sample universal prayer available for download, in PDF and editable Word formats.
A meditation on the Sunday Gospel, a spiritual text and commentary by Marie-Noëlle Thabut
Baptism of the Lord
Party
As soon as Jesus was baptized,
he saw the Spirit of God come upon him
Matthew 3:13-17
Readings from the Mass
Mass leaflet
Universal Prayer
Consult the Lectio Divina page, which invites you to read the Gospel in a prayerful atmosphere so that you may be touched in your heart. It is important not to rush to read commentaries or homilies before having this personal experience of encountering Christ in Scripture.
Next, if you wish, you can read the meditations below which will enrich your personal reading and meditation.
Méditation
Meditation by Pope Francis
Today, at the close of the Christmas liturgical season, we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. The Liturgy calls us to know Jesus more fully, whose birth we have just celebrated; and for this the Gospel (cf. Lk 3:15-16, 21-22) illustrates two important elements: Jesus' relationship with the people and Jesus' relationship with the Father.
In the account of the baptism conferred by John the Baptist upon Jesus in the waters of the Jordan, we see above all the role of the people. Jesus is in the midst of the people. They do not merely serve as a backdrop to the scene, but are an essential component of the event. Before immersing himself in the water, Jesus "immerses" himself in the crowd, uniting with them by fully assuming the human condition, sharing everything except sin. In his divine holiness, full of grace and mercy, the Son of God became flesh to take upon himself and remove the sin of the world: to take upon himself our miseries, our human condition. This is why today, too, is an epiphany, for by going to be baptized by John, in the midst of the penitents of his people, Jesus manifests the logic and meaning of his mission.
By uniting himself with the people who asked John for the Baptism of repentance, Jesus also shared their profound desire for inner renewal. And the Holy Spirit descending upon him “in bodily form, like a dove” (v. 22) is the sign that with Jesus begins a new world, a “new creation” of which all who welcome Christ into their lives are a part. To each of us, too, who have been born again with Christ in baptism, are addressed these words of the Father: “You are my Son; today I have begotten you” (v. 22). This love of the Father, which we all received on the day of our baptism, is a flame that has been kindled in our hearts, and which needs to be fueled by prayer and charity.
Homily
Draw from the source
A week ago, we were still in Bethlehem with the Magi. We joyfully celebrated the birth of Jesus and his revelation to the Gentile world. Today, we are transported back thirty years to celebrate another Epiphany, the one that took place during his baptism by John. It is Jesus' entry into his public ministry.
This event was foretold in the sixth century BC. At that time, the people of Israel were in exile in Babylon; the prophet Isaiah strove to restore their courage: he announced the "servant" whose mission would be to accomplish God's work of salvation. God's will is to save all humanity. He is the one who opens the eyes of the blind and gives freedom to the oppressed. Above all, he is the one who makes a covenant with his people.
It is this hope that God's chosen people must bear witness to. Even if they are tossed about by the great empires of the time, nothing must stop them. Their mission is to make the true God known to the Gentiles. They must proclaim God's message "with firmness and gentleness." In the eyes of men, this may seem trivial. But God is there. He rests his Spirit upon his servant. The latter must bear witness that God is light and liberation for all people.
Understanding the readings
with Marie-Noëlle THABUT
Une parole pour la route
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