First Reading: Genesis 1:1-5

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Out of chaos, God brings order. Out of the formless void, God brings light. This familiar story was good news for the Israelites, who experienced much chaos in their history. It remains good news for us. God created and continues to create new life.

1In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, 2the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. 3Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. 5God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

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Psalm: Psalm 29

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The voice of the Lord is upon the waters. (Ps. 29:3)

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 1Ascribe to the Lord, you gods,
  ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
 2Ascribe to the Lord the glory due God’s name;
  worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
 3The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders;
  the Lord is upon the mighty waters.
 4The voice of the Lord is a powerful voice;
  the voice of the Lord is a voice of splendor. R
 5The voice of the Lord breaks the cedar trees;
  the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon;
 6the Lord makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
  and Mount Hermon like a young wild ox.
 7The voice of the Lord
  bursts forth in lightning flashes.
 8The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
  the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. R
 9The voice of the Lord makes the oak trees writhe and strips the forests bare.
  And in the temple of the Lord all are crying, “Glory!”
 10The Lord sits enthroned above the flood;
  the Lord sits enthroned as king forevermore.
 11O Lord, give strength to your people;
  give them, O Lord, the blessings of peace. R

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Second Reading: Acts 19:1-7

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In Ephesus, Paul encounters people who had received John’s baptism of repentance but had never heard of the Holy Spirit or of baptism in the name of Jesus. After Paul baptizes them, the Holy Spirit comes upon them and empowers them with gifts of the Spirit.

1While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the interior regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples. 2He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They replied, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3Then he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They answered, “Into John’s baptism.” 4Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied—7altogether there were about twelve of them.

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Gospel: Mark 1:4-11

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Mark’s gospel reports the story of Jesus’ baptism with some irony: the one on whom the Spirit descends is himself the one who will baptize others with the Holy Spirit.

4John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. 8I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

 9In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. 11And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”