Creator God,
even before I was born,
you called me and named me.
Even before I understood,
you sought and summoned me.
All this time, you have been choosing me, Lord,
in secret and intimate ways.
Now, you call me to stand before you,
before your people,
to be elected by your Church,
to be chosen by you for the world to see.
Grant me the courage
to answer your call, loudly and clearly,
to give you my name
and so give you my life,
that I may receive the name of your Son,
Jesus Christ, and make each day of my new life in him
a public testimony to his holy name.
Amen.
Life-Giving Father,
you desire that we may be one in Christ,
so that all creation may give you praise.
Look kindly upon the catechumens you have called
to the table of your Word.
We pray especially for N. and N. of our parish.
Through the power of your Word,
our life of prayer,
and the example of Christ's love
we share with those most in need,
may they come in time to the table of the Eucharist
where we shall stand as one body
united in the Holy Spirit
to offer you praise and thanksgiving
through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
God of all ages, you send out your Spirit to touch the hearts of people
so that they may believe in You and in Jesus, whom You sent.
Look kindly on all catechumens and candidates, as they listen to your voice.
Open their hearts to your Spirit and bring to fulfillment
the good work you have begun in them.
As I reach out to welcome new members into the church,
make me an instrument of your love.
Teach me to reverence what is holy in others,
and to be patient with what I do not understand.
Deepen my faith in the gospel, and help me to pass it on by good example.
With those who are hesitant or afraid, let me be a source of encouragement.
And with those who are weak, let me be a pillar of strength.
I humbly accept the ministry of sponsor
and pray that you will continue to guide me
and sustain me in welcoming new members into your household.
I praise you through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Father of love and power,
it is your will to establish everything in Christ
and to draw us into his all-embracing love.
Guide the elect of your Church:
strengthen them in their vocation,
build them into the kingdom of your Son,
and seal them with the Spirit of your promise.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Come, O Creator Spirit blest,
And in our souls take up Thy rest;
Come, with Thy grace and heavenly aid,
To fill the hearts which Thou hast made.
Great Comforter, to Thee we cry;
O highest gift of God most high,
O Fount of life, O Fire of love,
And sweet anointing from above!
The sacred sevenfold grace is Thine,
Dread finger of the hand divine;
The promise of the Father Thou,
Who dost the tongue with power endow.
Kindle our senses from above,
And make our hearts o'erflow with love;
With patience firm, and virtue high,
The weakness of our flesh supply.
Far from us drive the foe we dread,
And grant us Thy true peace instead;
So shall we not, with Thee for guide,
Turn from the path of life aside.
O may Thy grace on us bestow
The Father and the Son to know,
And evermore to hold confessed
Thyself of each the Spirit blest.
Amen.
I know it's not a race or a test of will.
Yet I feel a bit left behind, Lord,
now that I've decided to wait a little longer
to be baptized.
Maybe I'm missing out.
Maybe I'm not good enough.
Maybe, Lord, I might never be ready.
How will I know when I am?
In this time of waiting, let me learn patience—
patience with you and with myself.
Let me be alert to the opportunities each day
to fall more deeply in love with you,
with your Word, and with your people who live that Word.
Let me learn to trust that you will be at my side
with each slow, tentative step,
encouraging and never forcing,
guiding and never pushing,
faithful no matter how long it takes.
And let me learn to wait in joyful hope
for the day I know is coming,
when all my “maybes”
will be transformed by your enduring love
into complete and total faith in you.
I do believe, Lord. Help my unbelief.
All-powerful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
by water and the Holy Spirit
you freed your sons and daughters from sin
and gave them new life.
Send your Holy Spirit upon them
to be their helper and guide.
Give them the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of right judgment and courage,
the spirit of knowledge and reverence.
Fill them with the spirit of wonder and awe in your presence.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Creator God,
even before I was born,
you called me and named me.
Even before I understood,
you sought and summoned me.
All this time, you have been choosing me, Lord,
in secret and intimate ways.
Now, you call me to stand before you,
before your people,
to be elected by your Church,
to be chosen by you for the world to see.
Grant me the courage
to answer your call, loudly and clearly,
to give you my name
and so give you my life,
that I may receive the name of your Son,
Jesus Christ, and make each day of my new life in him
a public testimony to his holy name.
Amen.