A Service for the Tenth Sunday after Trinity, 8th August, 2021 - Celebrated as the Transfiguration
Preparation:
Before beginning to read this short service, you may wish to find a space for prayer in front of a cross, a candle, or a special place.
May the light of Christ, rising in glory, banish all darkness from our hearts and minds.
The Acclamation of Christ at the Dawning of the Day
O Lord, open our lips
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
May Christ, the true, the only light
banish all darkness from our hearts and minds.
O come, let us sing to the Lord;
let us heartily rejoice in the rock of our salvation.
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving
and be glad in him with psalms.
For the Lord is a great God
and a great king above all gods.
Come, let us worship and bow down
and kneel before the Lord our Maker.
For he is our God;
we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand.
Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
Blessed are you, creator of all,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
As your dawn renews the face of the earth
bringing light and life to all creation,
may we rejoice in this day you have made;
as we wake refreshed from the depths of sleep,
open our eyes to behold your presence
and strengthen our hands to do your will,
that the world may rejoice and give you praise.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God for ever.
The Collect
Silence is kept.
Father in heaven,
whose Son Jesus Christ was wonderfully transfigured
before chosen witnesses upon the holy mountain,
and spoke of the exodus he would accomplish at Jerusalem:
give us strength so to hear his voice and bear our cross
that in the world to come we may see him as he is;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen
The First Hymn
For Mary, Mother of our Lord: please access Simon’s accompaniment here:
For Mary, Mother of our Lord
God's holy name be praised,
Who first the Son of God adored
As on her child she gazed.
Brave, holy Virgin, she believed,
Though hard the task assigned,
And by the Holy Ghost conceived
The Saviour of mankind.
She gave her body for God's shrine,
Her heart to piercing pain,
She knew the cost of love divine
When Jesus Christ was slain.
Dear Mary, from your lowliness
And home in Galilee,
There comes a joy and holiness
To every family.
Hail, Mary, you are full of grace,
Above all women blest;
Blest in your Son, whom your embrace
In birth and death confessed
The First Reading:
Daniel 7: 9-10, 13-14
As I watched,
thrones were set in place,
and an Ancient One took his throne;
his clothing was white as snow,
and the hair of his head like pure wool;
his throne was fiery flames,
and its wheels were burning fire.
A stream of fire issued
and flowed out from his presence.
A thousand thousand served him,
and ten thousand times ten thousand stood attending him.
The court sat in judgement,
and the books were opened. As I watched in the night visions,
I saw one like a human being
coming with the clouds of heaven.
And he came to the Ancient One
and was presented before him.
To him was given dominion
and glory and kingship,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not pass away,
and his kingship is one
that shall never be destroyed.
Psalm 97
Refrain: You, Lord, are most high over all the earth.
1 The Lord is king: let the earth rejoice; ♦
let the multitude of the isles be glad.
2 Clouds and darkness are round about him; ♦
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
3 Fire goes before him ♦
and burns up his enemies on every side. [R]
4 His lightnings lit up the world; ♦
the earth saw it and trembled.
5 The mountains melted like wax at the presence of the Lord, ♦
at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
6 The heavens declared his righteousness, ♦
and all the peoples have seen his glory. [R]
7 Confounded be all who worship carved images
and delight in mere idols. ♦
Bow down before him, all you gods.
8 Zion heard and was glad, and the daughters of Judah rejoiced, ♦
because of your judgements, O Lord.
9 For you, Lord, are most high over all the earth; ♦
you are exalted far above all gods. [R]
10 The Lord loves those who hate evil; ♦
he preserves the lives of his faithful
and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
11 Light has sprung up for the righteous ♦
and joy for the true of heart.
12 Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous, ♦
and give thanks to his holy name.
Refrain: You, Lord, are most high over all the earth.
Most high and holy God,
enthroned in fire and light,
burn away the dross of our lives
and kindle in us the fire of your love,
that our lives may reveal the light and life
we find in your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen
The Second Reading:
2 Peter 1: 16-19
For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honour and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, ‘This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.’ We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain.
So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
The Gospel:
Luke 9: 28-36
Now about eight days after these sayings 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 him. 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 they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah’—not knowing what he said. While he 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 they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.
Homily
It is something of a comfort to us that Christ sees through the dullness of our senses, our wandering minds, our lack of real attention to him – and he calls us to look with fresh eyes at those around us, and the world in which he has created us, in awe. In John chapter 2: verses 24, 25 we read a most telling few words, which show how well John came to know awe in Jesus’ presence: John said of him: ‘he knew all people and needed no one to testify about anyone; for he himself knew what was in everyone.’ Jesus knows what is in us, John says.
With this thought let us enter the cloud on the mountain of Christ’s Transfiguration in our mind’s eye. For Jesus, was it reassurance that he sought from Moses and Elijah, or was it that heaven was opened to them all in an instance, such that in lesser ways we seek the face of God day by day?
These three disciples were just as awestruck as we would be and make the kind of stumbling uncomprehending comment that we might, but somehow, they heard the voice of God; they were confirmed in their conviction; they had their eyes and hearts lifted to what was beyond them and saw that in the Jesus who walked with them and talked with them, there was a spiritual presence such that they could recognise but not embrace.
In the same way, we witness to a life that we are not fit to become, save in and through the person of Christ who ever intercedes for us. But the stretching through the cloud on the mountain; the listening for the voice; the sight of the towering figures of Moses and Elijah ,with their place in the wondering of what is happening too, but where we take heart is in the prostrate form of the disciples, for these ordinary men did extraordinary things in the power of the very Lord they witness transfigured before them. That is enough awe for any of us, but may we sit quietly and contemplate it in this hour.
John Mann
Second Hymn
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!
Unnumbered blessings, give my spirit voice;
Tender to me the promise of his word;
In God my Saviour shall my heart rejoice.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his name!
Make known his might, the deeds his arm has done;
His mercy sure, from age to age the same;
His holy name, the Lord, the mighty One.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might!
Powers and dominions lay their glory by;
Proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight,
The hungry fed, the humble lifted high.
Tell out, my soul, the glories of his word!
Firm is his promise, and his mercy sure.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord
To children's children and forever more!
Prayers
Lord, we pray for your Church. Fill it with all truth, for in your truth lies our peace. Where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in error, redirect it. Where anything is amiss, reform it; where it is in want, provide for it. May your Church in one body and one spirit, be also of one heart and one soul, united to worship you with one mind and one voice. Especially we pray today for the healers and reconcilers of your flock, who have sought to tread a path of unity in the midst of disunity.
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.
Lord, creator of galaxies in our universe and every blade of grass on our planet, inspire in us your servants the will to ensure the survival of the animals and plants which you have given to share this earth with us. May your people promote justice in a world of inequality and a widening gulf between rich and poor. We pray for nations at conflict and for the many vulnerable individuals brought to a state of utter desperation and hopelessness. Grant to aid agencies and all who are bringing relief the strength and resources to meet the needs of all people on this earth, and to peacemakers the wisdom and determination to end war.
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.
Lord, we commend to your continual care the homes of this town of Swanage and the village of Studland. Put far from our homes every root of bitterness and the single-minded desire for worldly success, that the common good of all people may be furthered in these challenging times, with fear for health and jobs and security shared by those who through a compassionate word, or direct action, are able to help. Fill the hearts of the people with faith and the love of you. Bless the work of our Swanage town council and Studland parish council, and all organisations that are working for the good of the community.
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.
Lord, we bring before you those who suffer. May we be aware of those around us who are in mental or physical pain. And give us the insight which will lead us to a way in which we can help them.
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.
Lord, from whom neither life nor death can separate those who trust in your love, and whose love holds us all in your embrace; so unite us to yourself that in fellowship with you we may always be united to our loved ones. Give us courage, constancy and hope, through him who died and was buried and rose again for us.
We offer you our souls and bodies to do with you as you will.
Merciful Father accept these our prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen
The Peace
The risen Christ came and stood among his disciples and said, “Peace be with you.” Then were they glad when they saw the Lord
The Lord’s Prayer
A few moments of silence before we pray:
Holy God,
we see your glory in the face of Jesus Christ:
may we who partake at his table
reflect his life in word and deed,
that all the world may know his power to change and save.
This we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Conclusion
The Lord bless us and keep us:
Amen.
The Lord make his face to shine upon us,
and be gracious to us:
Amen.
The Lord lift up his countenance upon us
and give us peace:
Amen
Numbers 6.24-26
The Lord God almighty, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
the holy and undivided Trinity,
guard us, save us,
and bring us to that heavenly city,
where he lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Amen.
Voluntary: Nun Danket - Karg-Elert: https://youtu.be/IrYEJFJSJWM
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Nationwide Building Society
Account name: Swanage PCC
Account Number: 70585005
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