Second Sunday in Lent – The Transfiguration

Introit

Remember, O Lord, Thy bowels of compassion, and Thy mercies that are from the beginning of the world. Let not our enemies ever rule over us: deliver us, O God of Israel, from all our distress. Psalm. To Thee, O Lord, have I lifted up my soul; in Thee O my God, I put my trust, let me not be ashamed.

Collect

O God, who seest how destitute we are of all strength, preserve us both within and without, that our bodies may be free from all adversity, and our souls purified from all evil thoughts.

Epistle

Lesson of the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians. I Ch. IV

Brethren: We pray and beseech you in the Lord Jesus, that as you have received of us, how you ought to walk and to please God, so also you would walk, that you may abound the more. For you know what precepts I have given to you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that you should abstain from fornication; that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour, not in the passion of lust, like the Gentiles, that know not God; and that no man over-reach, nor circumvent his brother in business; because the Lord is the avenger of all these things, as we have told you before, and have testified. For God has not called us unto uncleanness, but unto sanctification: in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Reflexion on the Epistle

Here the apostle shows what manner of life should be followed by Christians. Christian religion has so far ennobled man, that even his very body may share in the soul’s sanctity; on the other hand it teaches us that this sanctity of the soul is impaired, yea altogether effaced, by the loss of the body’s purity. The whole man, therefore, both body and soul, is to be reformed by the practices of this holy season. Let us purify the soul by the confession of our sins, by compunction of heart, by the love of God; and let us give back its dignity to the body, by making it bear the yoke of penance, that so it may be, henceforth, subservient and docile to the soul, and, on the day of the general resurrection, may partake in her endless bliss.

Gradual

The distress of my soul is increased: deliver me, O Lord, from my necessities. See to what I am reduced, see what I suffer: and forgive me all my sins.

Tract

Give glory to the Lord, for He is good: for His mercy endures for ever. Who shall declare the powers of the Lord? who shall set forth all His praises? Blessed are they that keep judgment, and do justice at all times. Remember us, O Lord, in favour of Thy people: visit us with Thy salvation.

Gospel

Sequel of the holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew Ch. XVII

At that time: Jesus took unto him Peter and James, and John his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain apart: and He was transfigured before them. And His face did shine as the sun: and His garments became white as snow. And behold there appeared to them Moses and Elias talking with Him. Then Peter answering, said to Jesus: Lord, it is good for us to be here: if Thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles, one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. And as he was yet speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshaded them. And lo, a voice out of the cloud, saying: This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye Him. And the disciples hearing, fell upon their face, and were very much afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said to them: Arise and fear not. And they lifting up their eyes saw no one, but only Jesus. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying: Tell the vision to no man, till the Son of Man be risen from the dead.

Reflexion on the Gospel

Thus did Jesus encourage His apostles, when the time of temptation was near; He sought to impress them with His glory, that it might keep up their faith in that trying time, when the outward eye would see nothing in His Person but weakness and humiliation. Oh, the loving considerateness of divine grace, which is never wanting, and which shows us in so strong a light the goodness and the justice of our God! Like the apostles, we also have sinned. They threw themselves upon the loving mercy of their Jesus, as soon as He had triumphed over His enemies; they did so, and His generous Heart pardoned them.

Let us imitate them here too. This grace is given to us in abundance during the present time, and it is given mainly by the holy exercises of Lent. Let us go up the mountain with Jesus; there we shall not be disturbed by the noise of earthly things. Let us there spend our forty days with Moses and Elias, who long ago sanctified this number by their fasts. Thus, when the Son of Man shall have risen from the dead, we will proclaim the favours He has mercifully granted us on Thabor.

Communion

Understand my cry, hearken to the voice of my prayer, O my King and my God! For to Thee will I pray, O Lord! Grant, we humbly beseech Thee, O almighty God, that those whom Thou hast refreshed with Thy sacraments, may worthily serve Thee in the conduct of their lives. Amen.