✠In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
When Christ appears we shall be like him,
because we shall see him as he is.
As he is pure, all who have grasped this hope make themselves pure.
So let us confess our thoughts, words and deeds that mar His image in us.
and call to mind our sins….
that I have greatly sinned,
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done and in what I have failed to do,
through my fault, through my fault,
through my most grievous fault;
therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,
all the Angels and Saints,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins,
and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
THE COLLECT FOR THE DAY
O God, who have commanded us to listen to your beloved Son,
be pleased, we pray, to nourish us inwardly by your word,
that, with spiritual sight made pure, we may rejoice to behold your glory.
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.
FIRST READING - Genesis chapter 22
God put Abraham to the test. “Abraham, Abraham” he called.
“Here I am” he replied. “Take your son,” God said, “your only child Isaac,
whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah.
There you shall offer him as a burnt offering,
on a mountain I will point out to you.”
When they arrived at the place God had pointed out to him,
Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood.
Then he stretched out his hand and seized the knife to kill his son.
But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven.
“Abraham, Abraham” he said. “I am here” he replied.
“Do not raise your hand against the boy, the angel said.
“Do not harm him, for now I know you fear God.
You have not refused me your son, your only son.”
Then looking up, Abraham saw a ram caught by its horns in a bush.
Abraham took the ram and offered it as a burnt-offering in place of his son.
The angel of the Lord called Abraham a second time from heaven.
“I swear by my own self – it is the Lord who speaks –
because you have done this, because you have not refused me your son,
your only son, I will shower blessings on you,
I will make your descendants as many as the stars of heaven
and the grains of sand on the seashore.
Your descendants shall gain possession of the gates of their enemies.
All the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by your descendants,
as a reward for your obedience.”
The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM 115
I will walk in the presence of the Lord
in the land of the living.
I trusted, even when I said:
“I am sorely afflicted.”
O precious in the eyes of the Lord
is the death of his faithful.
I will walk in the presence of the Lord
in the land of the living.
Your servant, Lord, your servant am I;
you have loosened my bonds.
A thanksgiving sacrifice I make:
I will call on the Lord’s name.
I will walk in the presence of the Lord
in the land of the living.
My vows to the Lord I will fulfil
before all his people,
in the courts of the house of the Lord,
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
I will walk in the presence of the Lord
in the land of the living.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!
From the bright cloud the Father’s voice was heard:
“This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him!”
Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!
GOSPEL -A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark 9:2-10.
Jesus took with him Peter and James and John
and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone by themselves.
There in their presence he was transfigured:
his clothes became dazzlingly white,
whiter than any earthly bleacher could make them.
Elijah appeared to them with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus.
Then Peter spoke to Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said “it is wonderful for us to be here;
so let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
He did not know what to say; they were so frightened.
And a cloud came, covering them in shadow;
and there came a voice from the cloud, “This is my Son, the Beloved.
Listen to him.” Then suddenly, when they looked round,
they saw no one with them any more but only Jesus.
As they came down the mountain he warned them to tell no one
what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
They observed the warning faithfully, though among themselves
they discussed what “rising from the dead” could mean.
HOMILY
Archbishop Anthony Bloom,
Russian Orthodox Archbishop in this country (sadly no longer with us)
- a stunning Christian
and a marvellous voice for Christ in this country ….
in his book The School of Prayer (do buy it – or borrow it)
He tells of an old lady who came asking for his counsel:
though she had prayed continuously for fourteen years
she had never sensed the presence of God.
How could she learn the secret?
He gave her wise advice,
and later she told him of her first experience.
She had gone into her room,
made herself comfortable,
and begun to knit.
She felt relaxed and noticed with content
what a nicely-shaped room she had,
with its view of the garden,
and she heard the sound of her needles working creatively and quietly in her hands.
Gradually she became aware
that the silence was not simply the absence of sound,
but was filled with its own density.
'And', she said, 'it began to pervade me...
All of a sudden I perceived that the silence was a presence.
At the heart of the silence, there was God!.'
The Psalmist, in Psalm 131 says:
“I have stilled and quietened my soul;
like a weaned child with its mother,
like a weaned child is my soul within me.”
In the Anglican Kenyan Service of Morning Prayer there is a prayer,
which is suggested for use after a period of silence:
“Your silence is full, irresistible; your presence is joy unspeakable. People drifting into mind we lift to you
and pray they find health in sickness, life in deadness,
strength in weakness,
light in darkness.
Their loss you bear, mysteriously; Your peace you share, eternally.”
The Trappist Abbot John Eudes once gave Henri Nouwen
some advice about combining prayer and creativity:
“Establish a new rhythm of prayer, and make it a priority.
Make a daily discipline of listening prayer a must
by plotting periods of the day
when you determine that you will 'waste time' with God.
Graham Kings, Vicar of Islington Parish Church said this
“Silence brings peace amidst chatter stillness amongst clatter essence at the end of incessance space for God's eloquence.”
This Lent, may I waste time with him, and make space for God's eloquence.
THE APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
he descended into hell;
on the third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting. Amen.
THE PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL (Bidding Prayers)
In the power of the Spirit and in union with Christ,
let us pray to the Father.
Lord of glory, it is good that we are here.
In peace we make our prayer to you.
In trust we confirm our faith in you …
Help us to set our faces steadfastly to where you would have us go.
Lord, look with favour.
Lord, transfigure and heal.
Lord of glory, look with favour on your Church,
proclaiming your beloved Son to the world
and listening to the promptings of his Spirit …
May she be renewed in holiness that she may reflect your glory.
Lord, look with favour.
Lord, transfigure and heal.
Lord of glory, look with favour on the nations of the world,
scarred by hatred, strife and war …
May they be healed by the touch of your hand.
Lord, look with favour.
Lord, transfigure and heal.
Lord of glory, look with favour on those in need and distress,
suffering as your Son has suffered
and waiting for the salvation you promise …
May the day break
and Christ the Morning Star bring them the light of his presence.
Lord, look with favour.
Lord, transfigure and heal.
Lord of glory, it is good if we suffer with you
so that we shall be glorified with you.
According to your promise bring all Christ’s brothers and sisters …
to see him with their own eyes in majesty
and to be changed into his likeness from glory to glory.
We ask Mary to pray with us, as we with her bring our care
for our world in the grip of this pandemic;
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee,
blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of our death.
Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Let us lift up our hearts.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God,
through Christ our Lord.
For at the transfiguration he revealed his glory
before his chosen witnesses, and filled with divine splendour
the human flesh in which he is one with us.
So he prepared his disciples to bear the scandal of the cross
and showed that in the Church, his body,
the same glory would be fulfilled
that shone forth from him, its head.
And so, with the company of Angels and Saints, we proclaim your praise:
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
At the Saviour’s command
and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
graciously grant peace in our days,
that, by the help of your mercy,
we may be always free from sin
and safe from all distress,
as we await the blessed hope
and the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
grant us peace.
SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
My Jesus, I love you above all things.
How I long to receive you with my brothers and sisters
at the table you have prepared.
Since I cannot at this moment receive you in bread and wine
according to your promise in the sacrament of Holy Communion,
I ask you to feed me with the manna of your Holy Spirit
and nourish me with your Holy presence.
I unite myself wholly to you.
Never permit me to be separated from your love.
Loving God, I have come to worship you.
Help me to remember that you are here with me.
Eternal God, in Christ you make yourself a guest.
Amid all my cares and concerns
make me attentive to your voice
and alert to your presence,
that I may know your love surpasses all else;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Sit for a moment in silence
My Jesus,
I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things,
and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment
receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace You as if You were already there
and unite myself wholly to You.
Never permit me to be separated from You.
Silence
ASKING GOD’S BLESSING
and the image of his being, draw you to himself
that you may live in his light and share his glory;
and the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, ✠
and the Holy Spirit, come down upon us
and remain with us for ever. Amen.
The angel of the Lord brought tidings unto Mary. And she conceived by the Holy Ghost.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of our death.
Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it unto me according to thy word.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of our death.
And the Word was made flesh. And dwelt amongst us.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of our death.
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray. We beseech thee, O Lord, pour thy grace into our hearts,
that as we have known the Incarnation of thy Son Jesus Christ
by the message of an angel, so by his Cross and Passion
we may be brought unto the glory of his Resurrection;
through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
