SUNday 05 MARCH
2nd Sunday of Lent,
Psalter week II
Entrance Antiphon: Cf. Ps 26: 8-9
Of you my heart has spoken, Seek his face. It is your face, O Lord, that I seek; hide not your face from me.
Collect
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.
First reading: Genesis 12: 1-4
The Lord said to Abram, “Leave your country, your family and your father’s house, for the land I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name so famous that it will be used as a blessing. I will bless those who bless you: I will curse those who slight you. All the tribes of the earth shall bless themselves by you.” So Abram went as the Lord told him.
Psalm 32(33): 4-5, 18-20, 22
R/ May your love be upon us, O Lord, as we place all our hope in you.
The word of the Lord is faithful and all his works to be trusted. The Lord loves justice and right and fills the earth with his love.
The Lord looks on those who revere him, on those who hope in his love, to rescue their souls from death, to keep them alive in famine.
Our soul is waiting for the Lord. The Lord is our help and our shield. May your love be upon us, O Lord, as we place all our hope in you.
Second reading: 2 Timothy 1: 8-10
With me, bear the hardships for the sake of the Good News, relying on the power of God who has saved us and called us to be holy – not because of anything we ourselves have done but for his own purpose and by his own grace. This grace had already been granted to us, in Christ Jesus, before the beginning of time, but it has only been revealed by the Appearing of our saviour Christ Jesus. He abolished death, and he has proclaimed life and immortality through the Good News.
Gospel Acclamation: Mt 17: 5
Glory and praise to you, O Christ! From the bright cloud the Father’s voice was heard: ‘This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him.’ Glory and praise to you, O Christ!
Gospel: Matthew 17:1-9
Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone. There in their presence he was transfigured: his face shone like the sun and his clothes became as white as the light. Suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared to them; they were talking with him. Then Peter spoke to Jesus. “Lord,” he said, “it is wonderful for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” He was still speaking when suddenly a bright cloud covered them with shadow, and from the cloud there came a voice which said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my favour. Listen to him.” When they heard this the disciples fell on their faces overcome with fear. But Jesus came up and touched them. “Stand up,” he said, “do not be afraid.” And when they raised their eyes they saw no one but only Jesus. As they came down from the mountain Jesus gave them this order, “Tell no one about the vision until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.”
Prayer over the Offerings
May this sacrifice, O Lord, we pray, cleanse us of our faults and sanctify your faithful in body and mind for the celebration of the paschal festivities. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Mt 17: 5
This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.
Prayer after Communion
As we receive these glorious mysteries, we make thanksgiving to you, O Lord, for allowing us while still on earth to be partakers even now of the things of heaven. Through Christ our Lord.
Prayer over the People
Bless your faithful, we pray, O Lord, with a blessing that endures for ever, and keep them faithful to the Gospel of your Only Begotten Son, so that they may always desire and at last attain that glory whose beauty he showed in his own Body, to the amazement of his Apostles. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Meditation
The Lord invites us this Sunday to step out of our comfort zone. He invites us to a commitment of faith. In the first reading, he asks Abram to leave the land of his fathers and let himself be led into an unknown land; in the second reading, he asks us not to be afraid of the service of proclaiming the Gospel and calls us to be witnesses of his love. But we find that we do not like to set out to do this. Like Peter in today’s Gospel, we often want to put up tents and sleep in our comfort zone. However, the Lord makes us understand that his glory is to be proclaimed after the resurrection. So we must first go through the Friday of the trial. On this Sunday, let us follow the example of the commitment of Abram, our father in faith. Let us trust in God, and we will never be disappointed.