February 28th Order of Service

Opening Prayer

Let us pray for Christ’s encouraging light on our way

(PAUSE)

Great and holy God, on his journey to his suffering and death you gave to your Son Jesus a glimpse of the glory that was awaiting him when he would rise from the dead. In the drabness and sufferings of our life and in our frustrated efforts to transform this earth, let shine on us and all our brothers and sisters a ray of hope that lifts us up and sustains us on the way to you and on the often difficult road toward your justice and love in this world. We ask this through Christ our Lord. R/ Amen

Greeting

The Lord Jesus Christ will transform our perishable human bodies and make them glorious like his own. May his light and peace be with you

Introduction

A Transfiguring Light

Once in a while, perhaps in a rare moment when we are very much discouraged, we deeply encounter the Lord in prayer, or we meet a kind and understanding person who lights up our face with the warmth of understanding and kind love. Such moments can keep us going for a long time.

Penitential Act

We are supposed to be children of light, yet we often prefer the darkness of sin. Let us humbly seek the Lord to forgive us.

(PAUSE)

Lord Jesus, light of the Father, light up our faces and hearts with your forgiving love: Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.

Jesus Christ, glory of the Most High, light up our faces and hearts with your strength and your friendship: Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, light of the world, light up the faces and hearts of all people with the message of your Good News: Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.

Have mercy on us, Lord, and forgive us all our sins. Brighten our life with your presence and lead us to everlasting life. Amen.

Liturgy of the Word

Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18 - First Reading Introduction: A Flaming Torch And A Covenant

At a time when Abraham’s faith is sorely tested, God gives him hope; he binds himself to Abraham by a covenant and by the flaming torch God shows that he is present.

5 He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be."

6 Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

7 He also said to him, "I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it."

8 But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?"

9 So the LORD said to him, "Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon."

10 Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half. 11 Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.

12 As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him.

17 When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. 18 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and said, "To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates-

　

Philippians 3:17—4:1 - Second Reading Introduction: Transfiguration Of The Christian In Christ

The saving grace of Christ will transfigure our humanity in the image of the risen humanity of the Lord.

17Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. 18For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. 20But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

1Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends!

Luke 9:28b-36 - Gospel Introduction: A Flash Of The Lord’s Glory

Before Jesus set out on his way to his suffering and death, a glimpse of his resurrection and glory shone in him, to strengthen him in his own loyalty and to encourage his disciples.

The Transfiguration

28About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. 29As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30Two men, Moses and Elijah, 31appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. 32Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, "Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." (He did not know what he was saying.)

34While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35A voice came from the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him." 36When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves, and told no one at that time what they had seen

General Intercessions

Let Jesus lead us high up on the mountain where he wants to pray with us.

• That our Lord may give to his Church a bright vision of how it can unite all peoples and cultures, be enriched by them and manifest its one faith in a variety of languages and forms of expression, let us pray: R/ Lord, brighten our life.

• That our Lord may give to the leaders of nations a bright vision of the future and dispose them to transform this world by bringing it justice and peace, let us pray: R/ Lord, brighten our life.

• That our Lord may give a bright vision to those gifted with talents and possessions as to how they can share their goods and their love so as to transform poverty and misery into happiness, let us pray: R/ Lord, brighten our life.

• That our Lord may give to young people a bright vision of service and dedication, that their faith may teach them to transform this world by their hope and youth, let us pray: R/ Lord, brighten our life.

• That our Lord may give to those who suffer the vision of how to unite their pains and cares to those of our Lord bearing his cross, so that they may rise above their hardships, let us pray: R/ Lord, brighten our life.

• That our Lord may give to our Christian communities a vision of how they can be united, respect one another, learn to accept everyone and forgive mistakes and offenses, let us pray: R/ Lord, brighten our life.

Lord Jesus Christ, hear our prayers, show your face to us and accompany us in sorrows and joys on our way to your and our Father, now and for ever. . . . Our Father . . .

Minister: Paul Kosel ~ Pianist: Alice Olson