16A - Epiphany 8A — 18A - Ash Wednesday
See also my post from 2014, 2017, 2020, 2023
PSALM 2
Why are the nations restless?
Why do they number off their armies?
Why do their rulers and leaders collude
against the LORD and the LORD’s anointed one?
“Let’s break all of our obligations to them;
let’s throw off everything which ties us to them!”
But God laughs;
the LORD mocks them.
Then God speaks to them in anger
– anger which terrifies them
I have been appointed God’s king on Zion,
the LORD’s holy mountain.
I will make known God’s decree.
The LORD said to me:
“My son, today I have brought you forth.
Ask, and I will give it, the nations are your heritage,
and your possession to the ends of the earth.
You will break them with a rod of iron;
smash them like a piece of pottery.
So now kings, understand;
listen to reason, rulers of the earth;
serve the LORD with holy awe,
and live in trembling
Give due honour to the son lest he be angry
and you perish in the way
for his anger will quickly blaze up.
Blessed are all those who seek refuge in him.
An alternate psalm in some lectionaries:
PSALM 99 (a new translation)
The LORD reigns:
let all peoples, and all the earth tremble in holy awe.
The LORD is great, exalted over all the nations.
Let all peoples praise the great name of the LORD,
the one name to be held in holy awe.
The LORD, our God is holy.
Indeed, mighty king, loving justice, you have established order;
in Jacob you brought about your justice and actions which put things right.
Exalt the LORD, and bow down at the footstool of our God.
Holy is the LORD.
Moses and Aaron were among God’s priests,
and Samuel was among those who called on the name of the LORD.
They cried to the LORD and the LORD God answered them.
The LORD God spoke to them out of the pillar of cloud;
they kept the testimonies of the LORD
and the decree that the LORD gave them.
O LORD, our God, you answered them,
you were a forgiving God to them,
but punishing their wrongdoing.
Exalt the LORD, and bow down at the holy mountain of our God,
for the LORD, our God, is holy.
WE GATHER TO WORSHIP GOD (From Psalm 99:1-3)
The LORD reigns:
let all peoples, and all the earth tremble in holy awe.
The LORD is great, exalted over all the nations.
Let all peoples praise the great name of the LORD,
the one name to be held in holy awe.
Holy is the LORD, our God.
;(A time of silence)
Almighty God, on the mountain you showed your glory
in the transfiguration of your Son.
Give us the vision to see beyond the turmoil of our world,
to see the king in all his glory;
and seeing his glory
be strengthened for the journey,
and changed into his likeness,
from glory into glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.
OFFERING
May our lives and our gifts
be used to reveal your glory, O God,
in ways which proclaim Jesus
as your chosen and beloved One,
and in ways which show
we have listened to him. Amen
A CREATIVE MOMENT – Matthew 17:1-9
Using a felt-tipped pen and a length of newsprint (e.g. 1.5 metres) create an banner bearing the words, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!”
At the bottom left add small a sketches of two tablets of stone (Moses – Torah).
At the bottom right sketch some locusts and honeycomb (Elijah – prophets)”
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
(A prayer, usually with connection to one or more of the lections for the day, to gather the spoken and silent concerns/joys/thanks expressed by the congregation and lead into a more structured Intercession. Sometimes this prayer also borrows lightly from other sources e.g. Uniting in Worship 2 or publications of the Iona Community.)
Deepest mystery of grace,
beneath, above, around and within;
on the mountain you showed your glory.
As your Spirit invites us
into new, even daring ways,
of following Jesus,
may our lives be parables
of your love, justice and freedom
in every gesture and deed …
(The Prayers of the People continue)
Looking for contemporary music and song resources?
Try David MacGregor’s Together to Celebrate
| HYMN SUGGESTIONS FOR TRANSFIGURATION SUNDAY | |
| An upper room did our Lord prepare | TIS 536 |
| Christ is the world’s true light | TIS 238 |
| Christ whose glory fills the skies | TIS 212 |
| Crown him with many crowns | TIS 228 |
| Fairest Lord Jesus | TIS 203 |
| Forth in thy name O Lord I go | TIS 571 |
| God your are clothed with light | TIS 193 |
| How good, Lord, to be here | TIS 234 |
| It passeth knowledge,that dear love of thine | TIS 230 |
| The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed | TIS 51 |
| This, this is the God we adore | TIS 220 |
| We praise, we worship thee, O God, | TIS 98 |
| Exodus 24: 12-18 | |
| Glorious things of you are spoken | TIS 446 |
| Guide me, 0 thou great Redeemer | TIS 569 |
| Lord, you are the light of life to me | TIS 261 |
| The God ofAbraham praise | TIS 125 |
| Psalm 2 | |
| Of the Father’s love begotten ere the worlds | TIS 290 |
| Praise to the Lord the Almighty | TIS 111 |
| Ride on, ride on, in majesty | TIS 348 |
| Psalm 99 (Alternative) | |
| Praise the Lord, ye heavens adore him; | TIS 93 |
| 2 Peter 1:16-21 | |
| Author of faith, eternal Word | TIS 565 |
| Christ is the world’s true light | TIS 238 |
| Christ whose glory fills the skies | TIS 212 |
| Come Spirit blest, our hearts inspire | TIS 425 |
| Hark! a herald voice is calling | TIS 264 |
| I want to walk as a child of the light | TIS 643 |
| O come! O come, Emmanuel | TIS 265 |
| O day of God, draw nigh | TIS 616 |
| Spirit of truth, essential God | TIS 426 |
| We limit not the truth of God | TIS 453 |
| Matthew 17: 1-9 | |
| Christ upon the mountain peak | TIS 243 |
| Christ whose glory fills the skies | TIS 212 |
| How good, Lord, to be here | TIS 234 |
| The Son of God proclaim | TIS 528 |