Second Sunday of Lent (A)
Greeting (See Second Reading)
When our Savior Christ Jesus appeared,
he abolished death
and proclaimed the Good News
of life and immortality.
May his grace and light be always with you. R/ And also with you.
Introduction by the Celebrant
There are moments in one’s life when we see difficulties ahead of us, especially when facing important decisions. Jesus saw ahead of him a growing opposition from the religious leaders of the people: they would kill him if he proceeded with his mission. Yet he would carry out that task, and so he went up the mountain to pray that the Father would give him courage. In the vision of the Transfiguration he saw how he would rise from the dead and succeed. We pray with our Risen Lord among us that we too may see his light, and by his strength make the right decisions.
Lent is for us the privileged season of change, of transformation, transfiguration. Our complacent and guilty faces have to be changed into faces of joy and love and service. The face of our world is to be changed from injustice into integrity, from hatred into kindness and friendship. We are afraid of change, especially at the cost of ourselves. Today Jesus shows us the way. He saw suffering and death waiting for him and so his face and heart were sad. But then the Father made Jesus’ face radiant for he would find life and resurrection and his face became radiant with joy and glory. If we follow Jesus and let him transform us our face will become radiant too.
Penitential Act
We have at times lacked the courage
to carry out our task as Christians
and we now beg the Lord to forgive us.
(pause)
Lord Jesus, radiant with the Father’s glory,
let your light shine on us:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, Beloved Son of the Father,
confirm us in the Father’s love:
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, the Father’s favor rests on you;
it is wonderful for us to be with you:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Have mercy on us, Lord,
and forgive us our weaknesses and sins.
Unite us more deeply with you
and lead us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.
As sinners, let us ask the Lord
to let the face of his forgiveness shine on us.
(pause)
Lord Jesus, on our sad faces,
on our faces without love,
on our indifferent and hard faces,
let the light of your face shine:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Lord Jesus Christ, on our tired faces,
on our faces of fear,
on our discouraged faces,
Let the light of your face shine:
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus,
let the light of your face shine on ours
and we will reflect your love
on suffering faces, on lonely faces,
on despairing faces:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Have mercy on us, Lord,
and forgive us our emptiness and cowardice.
Change us by your grace
and lead us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.
Opening Prayer
Let us pray
that the light of Christ may shine on us
(pause)
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
it is wonderful for us to be here
in the presence of your beloved Son.
Let his radiant face give us light and peace.
Do not allow sin to disfigure us further
nor divide our communities.
May the light of his transfigured face
shine on all of us and give us courage,
that we too may become lights to one another,
until we may enter your everlasting light.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
First Reading (Gen 12:1-4a): Leave Your Security!
God demands a radical change from Abraham. He is called, when still a pagan, to leave his security on a pilgrimage of faith and hope to a promised land that will be given not to him but to the new people to be born from him.
Second Reading (2 Tim 1:8b-10): God Calls Us to the Life of the Gospel
God calls us to accept and spread the Gospel of Jesus and to suffer for it. If we suffer with Jesus, we shall live with him.
Gospel (Mt 17:1-9): Stand Up, Do Not Be Afraid
The brief glimpse of his future glory strengthens Jesus on his road through suffering and death to resurrection. At the same time Jesus strengthens the faith and hope of his disciples and of us on the road of our own transformation in Christ.
Intercessions
Let us pray to our Lord Jesus Christ that his light may shine on all God’s people and on the whole world. Let us say: R/ Lord, let your light shine on us.
– Lord, light up the Church with your radiant presence in its love and acceptance of all peoples and cultures, of the poor and the rich, of the strong and the weak, we pray you, Lord: R/ Lord, let your light shine on us.
– Lord, inspire with your radiant light the leaders of nations, economists and politicians, that they may bring justice and peace to their people, we pray: R/ Lord, let your light shine on us.
– Lord, let your radiant face shine on all sinners, on all those who suffer, on those who cannot love, to give them hope and courage, we pray: R/ Lord, let your light shine on us.
– Lord, let your face radiate joy on those who are dying and on all the dead who were dear to us. Welcome them into the happiness of your home, we pray: R/ Lord, let your light shine on us.
– Lord, light up with your presence our faces here in this community, that we may keep growing in your life and love and reflect your light on all who meet us, we pray: R/ Lord, let your light shine on us.
Lord Jesus, it is good that you are here with us. Stay with us always, now and for ever. R/ Amen.
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord God, our Father,
your apostles discovered that Jesus,
so much like them,
was your own beloved Son.
May we too see beyond this bread
and recognize your Son here in our midst.
As this bread and wine are changed
to become Jesus, our food and drink of life,
let us become to those around us
bread of strength and a drink of joy
and reveal to them a bit of the face of Christ,
our Lord for ever and ever. R/ Amen.
Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer
In our gratitude to the Father, let us ask him also that the grace of this Eucharist may shine on us in the days to come and help us to accept the change of conversion.
Introduction to the Lord’s Prayer
In the name of Jesus the Lord
we pray to our Father in heaven
to give to us and to everyone
the food and the courage they need. R/ Our Father...
Deliver Us
Deliver us Lord, from every evil
and grant us peace in our day.
Open our eyes to our shortcomings
and wake us up from our self-complacency,
that we may follow your Son without fear
on the way to you and to all in need.
May we thus hasten the coming in glory
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. R/ For the kingdom...
Invitation to Communion
This is Jesus,
the beloved Son of the Father in heaven,
who had to suffer and die
before he could rise in glory.
Happy are we to be invited
to listen to him
and to eat his bread of life and strength.
R/ Lord, I am not worthy...
Prayer after Communion
God our Father
you have brightened our lives
with a glimpse of the light of Christ,
but we cannot cling to this vision.
In our darkness and trials,
may he give us the courage
to listen to his voice
and to carry out your plans.
Keep us firm in the hope
that everything has meaning
and that no pain is suffered in vain
when we become like Jesus,
your Son and our Lord for ever. R/ Amen.
Blessing
The transfiguration of Jesus
is to us a model and a sign of hope.
The man Jesus was really the Lord Jesus.
His true and deepest self showed for a brief moment.
What we are meant to be in our deepest selves
will become apparent
if we let Jesus change us and become with him
people who live for others.
May God give you this courage and bless you:
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.
Let us go in peace
and become new in Christ. R/ Thanks be to God.
Hong Kong
