Vol. 37  No. 18                FEBRUARY  28, 2010                      (Cycle C )     2nd SUNDAY OF LENT   This is my Son, my Chosen, listen to him!   ENTRANCE ANTIPHON Remember your mercies, Lord, your tenderness from ages past. Do not let our enemies triumph over us; O God, deliver Israel from all her distress. PENITENTIAL RITE Today’s Scripture readings remind us that we are a covenantal community and that we have covenantal obligations. Further, the Gospel invites us in a very special way to become aware of our own mountaintop experiences to understand God’s accompanying presence and strengthening assurance in our lives, particularly in moments of crisis. For the times we have not placed our trust in God, and for the times we have forgotten our covenantal respon- sibilities, let us ask God’s pardon and mercy. I confess .... OPENING PRAYER Let us pray: God our Father, help us to hear your Son. Enlighten us with your word, that we may find the way to your glory. Grant this... FIRST READING (The covenant between God and Abraham is the focal point of this reading. Abraham’s acceptance of God’s word is a meritorious act of faith for which God rewards him.) A reading from the Book of Genesis     (15:5-12,17-18) The Lord brought Abram outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” And he believed the Lord; and he reckoned it to him as righteousness. And he said to him, “I am the Lord who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess.” But he said, “O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?” He said to him, “Bring me a heifer three years old, a she-goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” And he brought him all these, cut them in two, and laid each half over against the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. And when birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, Abram drove them away. As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram; and lo, a dread and great darkness fell upon him. When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, 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.” This is the Word of the Lord PSALM (26) Response: The Lord is my light and my help. 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./ SECOND READING (St Paul advises the Philippians to persevere in the true faith and hope that he has preached to them.) A reading from the Letter of St Paul to the Philippians   (3:17-21,4:1) Brethren, join in imitating me, and mark those who so live as you have an example in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our commonwealth is in heaven, and from it we await a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will change our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power which enables him even to subject all things to himself. Therefore, my brethren, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. This is the Word of the Lord ACCLAMATION (Mt 17:5) From the bright cloud the Father’s voice was heard: “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” GOSPEL (The following reading speaks of the Transfiguration of Jesus, the manifestation or revelation of Jesus’ divine identity to a select group of disciples—Peter, James and John.) A reading from the Holy Gospel according to St Luke   (9:28-36) Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And as he was praying, the appearance of his countenance was altered, and his raiment became dazzling white. And behold, two men talked with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep but kept awake, and they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is well that we are here; let us make three booths, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah” —not knowing what he said. As he said this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silence and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen. This is the Gospel of the Lord   CREED I believe in God,/the Father Almighty,/ Creator of heaven and earth./ I believe in Jesus Christ,/his only Son, our Lord./ He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit/ and born of the Virgin Mary./He suffered under Pontius Pilate,/was crucified, died, and was buried./He descended to the dead./On the third day he rose again./He ascended into Heaven,/and is seated at the right hand of the Father./He will come again to judge the living and the dead. / I believe in the Holy Spirit,/the Holy Catholic Church, /the communion of saints,/the forgiveness of sins,/the resurrection of the body,/and the life everlasting./ Amen. PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL Cel: Dear brothers and sisters, God has entered into a covenantal relationship with us and keeps on revealing himself to us through the events in our lives and the persons we meet in our life-journey. Let us ask God for the grace to remain faithful to his covenant, saying: Response: Lord, empower us in our relationships. 1. Lord, we pray for the leaders of the Church: fill them with your abundant grace that they may be able to walk always in your ways and shepherd your flock towards you. R./ 2. Lord, we pray for the leaders of our nation and the entire world: that they may be truly committed to the people and work for the welfare of all. R./ 3. Lord, we pray for the Christians all over the world: that they may become aware of their covenantal relationship with God and fulfil their obligations. R./ 4. Lord, we pray for the sick and the handicapped: that they may have the strength they need to bear their cross with dignity. R./ 5. Lord, we pray for all of us gathered here: that we may be true to our Christian identity, particularly in moments of difficulties and crises, and remain steadfast to our vocation, placing all our trust in you. R./ (Pray for local and personal needs) Cel: God Almighty, you have exalted your Son Jesus Christ who accomplished your will for our salvation. Help us to follow his example in being obedient to your will and ever remain part of the covenantal community. We ask this through Christ our Lord. PRAYER OVER THE GIFTS Lord, make us holy. May this Eucharist take away our sins that we may be prepared to celebrate the resurrection. We ask this... PREFACE      (P 13) Father, all-powerful and ever-living God, we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks through Jesus Christ our Lord. On your holy mountain he revealed himself in glory in the presence of his disciples. He had already prepared them for his approaching death. He wanted to teach them through the Law and the Prophets that the promised Christ had first to suffer and so come to the glory of his resurrection. In our unending joy we echo on earth the song of the angels in heaven as they praise your glory for ever: All: Holy, holy, holy... COMMUNION ANTIPHON This is my Son, my beloved, in whom is all my delight: listen to him. PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION Lord, we give thanks for these holy mysteries which bring to us here on earth a share in the life to come. We ask this...     LITURGY AND LIFE   Today we are called to reflect and meditate on the meaning and significance of the Transfiguration which can be called a mountaintop experience. Just before the Transfiguration Jesus had asked his disciples who the people and they themselves thought he was. Peter responded affirming that Jesus was Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus appreciated him, but proceeded to forewarn them of his impending suffering and death. This was contrary to the expectations of the disciples who thought that Jesus, as the Messiah, would confront and depose the Roman army and restore the kingdom to Israel. James and John had thought that they would get special privileges (seats at his right hand and at his left) in the kingdom of Jesus. Peter wanted to know what he would get since he had left everything to follow Jesus. These were people who had great expectations with regard to the messiahship of Jesus. But Jesus’ foretelling of his destiny came as a big blow to them and left them in crisis. It is at this juncture that the event of the Transfiguration of Jesus becomes God’s way of delivering the disciples from their crisis of faith. God opened the eyes of Peter and his fellow disciples and gave them a glimpse of God’s abiding presence with their Master Jesus. They were strengthened to believe that Jesus is the beloved Son of God and the Messiah, that he is the fulfilment of both the Law and the Prophets. God enlightened their vision and thereby they were reinforced in their discipleship. When we are faced with absurdities of life, when we are disturbed by the experience of social injustice and discrimination, when personal and family crises—such as terminal illness, breakdown of relationship between husband and wife, between parent and child, and between friends—lead us to doubt the existence of God in our lives, we are all in need of this mountaintop experience. When our expectations arising from faith seem to be in total contrast with the actual reality of life, we are in need of this mountaintop experience to realize the abiding presence of God in our lives. Then shall we have the courage and the hope, knowing that through it all God is on our side. Today’s First Reading tells us, in the example of Abraham, how authentic and sincere has to be our faith in God. Abraham steps into an unknown future but with an unshakeable faith in the one who called him. Let us pray to God for the grace to remain firm in our faith and to be convinced that we are not merely the people called to be reciting daily the Creed, but also living faithfully such a Creed in our lives. —Fr Maria Arul Stephen, (JDV) March    2010 READINGS OF THE WEEK Psalter Week 2 1 Mon  (V)  Dan 9:4b-10; Ps 78:8,9,11,13; Lk 6:36-38 2 Tue  (V)  Is 1:10,16-20; Ps 49:8-9,16bc-17,21.23; Mt 23:1-12 3 Wed  (V)  Jer 18:18-20; Ps 30; Mt 20:17-28 4 Thu  (V)  Jer 17:5-10; Ps 1:1-2,3,4.6; Lk 16:19-31 5 Fri  (V)  Gen 37:3-4,12-13a,17b-28; Ps 104:16-17,18-19,20-21; Mt 21:33-43,45-46 6 Sat  (V)  Mic 7:14-15,18-20; Ps 102:1-2,3-4,9-10,11-12; Lk 15:1-3,11-32