Second Sunday of Lent

Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18 (JB)

A reading from the book of Genesis

God made a covenant with Abraham, his faithful servant.

Taking Abram outside the Lord said, ‘Look up to heaven and count the stars if you can. Such will be your descendants’ he told him. Abram put his faith in the Lord, who counted this as making him justified.

‘I am the Lord’ he said to him ‘who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldaeans to make you heir to this land.’ ‘My Lord, the Lord’ Abram replied ‘how am I to know that I shall inherit it?’ He said to him, ‘Get me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove and a young pigeon.’ He brought him all these, cut them in half and put half on one side and half facing it on the other; but the birds he did not cut in half. Birds of prey came down on the carcasses but Abram drove them off.

Now as the sun was setting Abram fell into a deep sleep, and terror seized him. When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, there appeared a smoking furnace and a firebrand that went between the halves. That day the Lord made a Covenant with Abram in these terms:

‘To your descendants I give this land,

from the wadi of Egypt to the Great River.’

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18 (NRSV)

A reading from the book of Genesis

The Lord brought Abram outside and said,

“Look toward heaven and count the stars,

if you are able to count them.”

Then the Lord said to him,

“So shall your descendants be.”

And Abram believed the Lord;

and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness.

Then the Lord said to Abram,

“I am the Lord who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans,

to give you this land to possess.”

But Abram said,

“O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?”

The Lord said to him,

“Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old,

a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”

Abram brought the Lord all these and cut them in two,

laying each half over against the other;

but he did not cut the birds in two.

And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses,

Abram drove them away.

As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram,

and a deep and terrifying darkness descended upon him.

When the sun had gone down and it was dark,

a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces.

On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram,

saying, “To your descendants I give this land,

from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates.”

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ps 26:1, 7-9, 13-14 (JB)

R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

The Lord is my light and my help;

whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life;

before whom shall I shrink? R.

O Lord, hear my voice when I call;

have mercy and answer.

Of you my heart has spoken:

‘Seek his face.’ R.

It is your face, O Lord, that I seek;

hide not your face.

Dismiss not your servant in anger;

you have been my help. R.

I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness

in the land of the living.

Hope in him, hold firm and take heart.

Hope in the Lord! R.

Philippians 3:17 – 4:1 (JB)

A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Philippians

Christ will transfigure these bodies of ours into copies of his glorious body.

My brothers, be united in following my rule of life. Take as your models everybody who is already doing this and study them as you used to study us. I have told you often, and I repeat it today with tears, there are many who are behaving as the enemies of the cross of Christ. They are destined to be lost. They make foods into their god and they are proudest of something they ought to think shameful; the things they think important are earthly things. For us, our homeland is in heaven, and from heaven comes the saviour we are waiting for, the Lord Jesus Christ, and he will transfigure these wretched bodies of ours into copies of his glorious body. He will do that by the same power with which he can subdue the whole universe.

So then, my brothers and dear friends, do not give way but remain faithful in the Lord. I miss you very much, dear friends; you are my joy and my crown.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Philippians 3:20 – 4:1 (JB)

A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Philippians

Christ will transfigure these bodies of ours into copies of his glorious body.

For us, our homeland is in heaven, and from heaven comes the saviour we are waiting for, the Lord Jesus Christ, and he will transfigure these wretched bodies of ours into copies of his glorious body. He will do that by the same power with which he can subdue the whole universe.

So then, my brothers and dear friends, do not give way but remain faithful in the Lord. I miss you very much, dear friends; you are my joy and my crown.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Philippians 3:17 – 4:1 (NRSV)

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Philippians

Brothers and sisters,

join in imitating me,

and observe those who live according to the example you have in us.

For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ;

I have often told you of them,

and now I tell you even with tears.

Their end is destruction; their god is the belly;

and their glory is in their shame;

their minds are set on earthly things.

But our citizenship is in heaven,

and it is from there that we are expecting a Saviour,

the Lord Jesus Christ.

He will transform the body of our humiliation

that it may be conformed to the body of his glory,

by the power that also enables him

to make all things subject to himself.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters,

whom I love and long for,

my joy and crown,

stand firm, my beloved, in the Lord in this way.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Philippians 3:20 – 4:1 (NRSV)

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Philippians

But our citizenship is in heaven,

and it is from there that we are expecting a Saviour,

the Lord Jesus Christ.

He will transform the body of our humiliation

that it may be conformed to the body of his glory,

by the power that also enables him

to make all things subject to himself.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters,

whom I love and long for,

my joy and crown,

stand firm, my beloved, in the Lord in this way.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Matthew 17:5 (JB)

Glory and praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!

From the shining cloud the Father’s voice is heard:

this is my beloved Son, hear him.

Glory and praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!

Luke 9:35 (NRSV)

Glory and praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!

From the shining cloud the Father’s voice is heard:

this is my beloved Son, hear him.

Glory and praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!

Luke 9:28-36 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke

As Jesus prayed, the aspect of his face was changed, and his clothing became brilliant as lightning.

Jesus took with him Peter and John and James and went up the mountain to pray. As he prayed, the aspect of his face was changed and his clothing became brilliant as lightning. Suddenly there were two men there talking to him; they were Moses and Elijah appearing in glory, and they were speaking of his passing which he was to accomplish in Jerusalem. Peter and his companions were heavy with sleep, but they kept awake and saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As these were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, 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 he was saying. As he spoke, a cloud came and covered them with shadow; and when they went into the cloud the disciples were afraid. And a voice came from the cloud saying, ‘This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to him’. And after the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. The disciples kept silence and, at that time, told no one what they had seen.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 9:28-36 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to Luke

Jesus took with him Peter and John and James,

and went up on the mountain to pray.

And while he was praying,

the appearance of his face changed,

and his clothes became dazzling white.

Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to Jesus.

They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure,

which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.

Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep;

but since they had stayed awake,

they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him.

Just as Moses and Elijah were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him,

“Master, it is good for us to be here;

let us make three tents,

one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

Peter did not know what he was saying.

While Peter was saying this,

a cloud came and overshadowed them;

and they were terrified as they entered the cloud.

Then from the cloud came a voice that said,

“This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!”

When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone.

And the disciples kept silent

and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.