“Try walking around with a child who’s going, “Wow, wow! Look at that dirty dog! Look at that burned-down house! Look at that red sky!” And the child points and you look, and you see, and you start going, “Wow! Look at that huge crazy hedge! Look at that teeny little baby! Look at the scary dark cloud!” I think this is how we are supposed to be in the world – present and in awe.” ~Ann Lamott

“As he submits to John’s baptism of repentance, Jesus shows the radical way he will confront the sin that enslaves humanity. Jesus’ “baptism,” begun in the Jordan and completed on Golgotha, is repentance, self-denial, metanoia to the fullest.…To be baptized “into Christ” and “in the name of Christ” means to be incorporated into the way of life which characterized his life, the life of the empty one, the servant, the humble one, the obedient one, obedient even unto death (Phil. 2:6–11).” ~William Willimon

Lord, keep alive in your people the spirit you gave to your bishop Saint Charles Borromeo. Shape and renew your Church until it bears the image of Christ, and shows his true likeness to the world. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

Lord God, you led Saint Martin de Porres by the path of humility to the glory of heaven. Help us so to follow his splendid example that we may obtain from you, as he did, a place in your kingdom. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen

Grant, Lord, we pray, that as our faith is built on the Risen Christ, so too our hope may be steadfast as we await the resurrection of all the faithful departed. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

Almighty, ever-living God, we are celebrating with joy the triumph of your grace in all the saints. With so vast a multitude praying for us, may we receive from you the fullness of mercy we have always desired. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen