THE TRANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD, YEAR A

2020 - 23 February
2023 - 19 February
2026 - 15 February
2029 - 11 February
2032 - 08 February
2035 - 04 February
2038 - 07 March

Note: For explanations and suggestions on the various resources provided, see the documents 'General notes and resources' and 'Epiphany season and time after' in the 'General and seasonal' folder.

LITURGY

Sentence
See the document 'General notes and resources', under 'Sentence', in the 'General and seasonal' folder for suggestions on using a Sentence.

From the cloud, a voice said, 'This is my Son, the Beloved; 
with him I am well pleased; listen to him!'  (Matt 17:5 NRSV)

OR, use the standard Epiphany Sentence in the document 'Epiphany season and time after', under 'Sentence', in the 'General and seasonal' folder.

OR, use one of the general Sentences in the document 'General notes and resources', under 'Sentence', in the 'General and seasonal' folder.

LORD, HAVE MERCY
The following variation of the 'Lord, have mercy' may be used.

Lord Jesus Christ, God's beloved Son, hear our prayer and save us.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord Jesus Christ, God's chosen one, hear our prayer and save us.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus Christ, God's anointed one, hear our prayer and give us peace.
Lord, have mercy.

PRAYER OF THE DAY (COLLECT)
Traditional
Lord God, heavenly Father, 
as you glorified your Son from the heavens: 
Give us grace to receive in faith 
this revelation of his glory 
and willingly to follow him, 
that through his suffering and death 
we may come to the glory of the resurrection; 
through your Son, 
Jesus Christ our Lord, 
who lives and reigns 
with you and the Holy Spirit, 
one God, now and forever. 
Amen.

OR, modernised traditional
Lord God, heavenly Father, 
you glorified your Son from the heavens. 
Give us faith to perceive his glory 
and willingly follow him. 
Bring us, through his suffering and death, 
to the glory of the resurrection. 
We ask this through your Son, 
Jesus Christ our Lord, 
who lives and reigns 
with you and the Holy Spirit, 
one God, now and forever. 
Amen.

OR, new (revised alternative)
(Let us pray that we become like Christ. [silence])
Almighty and loving God, 
we thank you for revealing your Son Jesus in glory 
before he suffered and died. 
Give us faith to recognise him 
as your dear Son, 
and strengthen us to suffer with him, 
until we come to share his glory. 
For he lives and reigns 
with you and the Holy Spirit, 
one God, now and forever. 
Amen.

FIRST READING
Exodus 24:12-18 Moses on the mountain with God

PSALM
Psalm 2
Antiphon: 
You are my son; today I have begotten you.  (Ps 2:7 NRSV)
or 
Psalm 99
Antiphon: 
The Lord is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples.
(Ps 99:2 NRSV)

SECOND READING
2 Peter 1:16-21 Listen to us - we saw Christ's glory

alleluia verse (Matt 17:5 NRSV)
Alleluia, alleluia.
'This is my Son, the Beloved; 
with him I am well pleased; 
listen to him!' Alleluia.
Alleluia.

GOSPEL
Matthew 17:1-9 The transfiguration of Jesus
The words ‘Light of the world’ could be added to the gospel acclamations, giving:
Glory to you, O Lord, Light of the world.

Praise to you, O Christ, Light of the world.

PRAYER AFTER THE GOSPEL
This is the gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ (, Light of the world).
Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ, 
for revealing your glory as God's Son.
Lead us to follow you in faith. 
Amen.

OFFERING PRAYER
Our great and glorious God,
we thank you for sending your dear Son Jesus.
Teach us to follow his example
of self-giving service,
and to offer ourselves and all we have
in love to you and to others.
Amen.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
Call to prayer
Before he suffered, Jesus showed his disciples that God had sent him to be the fulfilment of everything that was written about him in Moses and the prophets. Let us pray to our Father that he would fulfil all things through his Son. 

The regular response, OR:
Lord of glory, 
hear our prayer.

Suggested intercessions
*	for the Eastern Orthodox churches (whose theology is marked by the Transfiguration)
*	for creation, that we may see the Creator's glory in it
*	for those who have not seen the light of Christ
*	for Christians artists who represent their vision of Christ
*	for the transfiguration of suffering into healing and joy
*	for all the disciples of Christ, as they walk the way of the cross
*	for catechumens who are beginning their preparation for baptism or confirmation at Easter

Concluding prayer
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, it is good that we should be here, in your presence. Hear our prayers for the world and for all in need, in the name of your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. 
Amen.

SEASONAL PREFACE
It is indeed right and good, 
Lord God, holy Father, 
that we should at all times and in all places 
give thanks to you, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
You have sent your only Son 
to appear among us as a human being, 
and through him 
you have fully revealed 
the light of your presence to us. 
And so, with angels and archangels, 
and with all the company of heaven, 
we adore and praise your glorious name:

COMMUNION INVITATION
The following invitation may be used before communion.

The Word became flesh and lived among us, 
and we have seen his glory, 
the glory as of the only Son of the Father, 
full of grace and truth.
(Thanks be to God.)
Come, everything is ready.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
See the seasonal notes for Epiphany for a post-communion prayer. Alternatively, use the third prayer of the day (as listed above) at this point. It may be modified as follows.

Almighty and loving God,
we thank you for revealing your Son Jesus in glory 
before he suffered and died.
Give us faith to recognise his presence with us
in this sacrament,
and strengthen us to suffer with him,
until we come to share his glory.
For he lives and reigns 
with you and the Holy Spirit, 
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

BLESSING
The following Epiphany seasonal blessing may be used together with (ie before) the usual blessing in the order of service.

God the Father
show you the light of his glory
in the face of his Son,
so that you may be a light to the world . . .

DISMISSAL
Go in peace. You have seen the majesty of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanks be to God.  OR  In the name of Christ. Amen.

HYMNS AND SONGS

FOR THE READINGS
Please note:	* =	Modernised version available
	G3, G4 . . . =	Guitar chords available in the Music Package 3, 4 . . . 
	GS =	Guitar chords in the Supplement to LH

First reading: Exodus 24:12-18
LHS
268	Lamp of our feet
AT
-
TIS
117	The Lord Jehovah reigns

Second reading: 2 Peter 1:16-21
LHS
39	O Christ, Thou Lord eternal* G7
43	Gentiles, rise to greet the morning G7
147	O Morning Star, so bright and fair* G3
273	We have a sure prophetic word G7
527	Dayspring of eternity
528	Christ, whose glory fills the skies G5
822	God has spoken by his prophets
889	Each morning with its newborn light
AT
161	Majesty
244	We have seen the Word of life
313	Christ be our light
TIS
158	God has spoken by his prophets
199	Lord Jesus, our bright morning star
212	Christ, whose glory fills the skies
415	Praise the Spirit in creation (v 3)
425	Come, Spirit blest, our hearts inspire
426	Spirit of truth, essential God
643	I want to walk as a child of the light

Gospel: Matthew 17:1-9
LHS
37	O wondrous type, O vision fair* G7
41	O Jesus, King of glory* G4
152	Fairest Lord Jesus G7
185	Sun of righteousness divine* G3
217	O Christ, our true and only light* G5
747	How good, Lord, to be here G7
AT
55	His name is wonderful
126	The light of Christ
217	Shine, Jesus, shine
239	Listen to him
252	He is exalted
262	Shine on me, Lord
315	Drawn to the light
TIS
203	Fairest Lord Jesus
234	How good, Lord, to be here!
243	Christ upon the mountain peak
255	O Laughing Light, O first-born of creation
675	Lord, the light of your love is shining

HYMN OF ADORATION
Instead of 'Glory to God in the highest' or another hymn of adoration, the song 'Hymn of glory' (All Together Again 163) may be used.

PSALM 2
For musical settings of Psalm 2, see Music Package 1.

PSALM 99
For musical settings of Psalm 99, see Music Packages 1, 3 and 7. TIS 58, The Lord reigns, is a version of Psalm 99:1-7,9.

The following metrical paraphrase of Psalm 99 by David Schütz could be used on this day. It is sung to the tune of the song 'God is so good', ATN 54. If reproducing this version, please put 'Words (c) David Schütz' at the beginning or the end of the psalm. 

The Lord is King! Fear and tremble!
He is enthroned in his temple!
Let the earth shake in the fear of God.

The Lord is great in his city!
He is above all the nations!
Let them all praise his great awesome name.

Holy is he - loving justice!
Our mighty King - giving fairness!
He acts with justice and righteousness.

All praise the Lord! Alleluia!
Worship his name! He is holy!
Come, bow before the Lord God, our King!

His priests are Aaron and Moses,
Samuel himself called on his name. 
They cried to God, and he answered them. 

They heard his voice speaking to them;
they kept the laws that he gave them;
he spoke to them from the fire and cloud.

O Lord our God, when you answered 
you were forgiving toward them, 
but you avenged all the wrong they did. 

Extol the Lord - he is our God;
bow down on his holy mountain; 
for the Lord God is the Holy One.

OFFERTORY
Consider using the following hymn verses for the offertory. The entire song may be used for the offering hymn.

LHS 747, verses 1, 5
How good, Lord, to be here!
Your glory fills the night;
your face and garments, like the sun,
shine with unborrowed light.

How good, Lord, to be here!
Yet we may not remain;
but since you bid us leave the mount,
come with us to the plain.

LHS 358, verses 1, 3, 4, modernised
Renew me, O eternal Light,
and let my heart and soul be bright,
illumined with the light of grace
that shines out from your holy face.

Create in me a new heart, Lord,
that gladly I obey your word,
and only what you will, desire:
with such new life my soul inspire.

Lord, grant that you alone I love,
and seek those things that are above,
until I see you face to face,
O Light eternal, through your grace.

POST-COMMUNION CANTICLE
The hymn verses listed under 'Offertory' above may be used as a post-communion canticle instead.

AN IONA SONG
The song, 'Jesus is Lord', by John L Bell & Graham Maule, may be appropriate for today. It is found in Wild Goose Songs Vol. 1 Heaven Shall Not Wait, page 120.

NOTES ON THE READINGS

See the document 'General notes and resources', under 'Notes on the readings', in the 'General and seasonal' folder.

EXODUS 24:12-18: The law and commandments, given verbally by God at Mount Sinai, were not an accumulation of human insights gradually developed into a human social code. The presence of God on the mountain, signified by the cloud and the brilliant 'glory of the Lord' (Shekinah), gave authority to the act of personal bestowal of a material written record given to Moses and Aaron. While the law and the commandments came in a manner which struck terror into the hearts of the Israelite people below, yet being given in the context of God's covenant of grace, they are meant for the happiness, peace and wellbeing of God's people.

2 PETER 1:16-21: Peter is pointing his readers to Christ's second coming in glory, and uses the transfiguration of Christ as proof that what is to happen in the future is made believable by an event that happened in the past. The Christian faith is based on substantial historical facts, not on human myths as with other religions. He, together with James and John, saw with his own eyes the 'majesty' ('glory') of Jesus revealed on the mountain. He also heard the voice of God the Father acclaiming Jesus in words used by prophets in Psalm 2:7 and Isaiah 42:1. He then emphasises that words of prophecy cannot be privately and wrongly interpreted, for they come from the Holy Spirit.

MATTHEW 17:1-9: Peter, James and John are here given a sacred preview of the glorification of the human nature of Jesus, as his person and clothing undergo a metamorphosis before their eyes. The presence of Moses and Elijah, prophets who had conversed with God on mountaintops, represented God's revelation of law and prophecy in the Old Testament. All is fulfilled in God's Son, the Messiah, whom God had promised and with whom he is well pleased. The Lord himself is strengthened before his impending passion and death. The disciples are terrified at God's presence in cloud and voice, but are reassured and comforted by their Lord and master.

Visual

VISUALS FOR THE READINGS
Pictures or visual symbols could be displayed on banners or the overhead screen during the readings.

COLOUR
The colour for Transfiguration is white, which may also be used in decorations, such as with flowers.

SYMBOLS
Symbols for the transfiguration include:
*	a mountain top, with a cloud above it and rays of light shining down - eg see the illustration in the TEV Bible for Exodus 19:19
*	the two tablets of the covenant
*	Jesus in glory - a stylised white-robed figure with a halo around the head and an oval-shaped aureole of small flames around the whole figure.

ICONS
The Transfiguration has been a popular scene in iconography. An icon (or other painting) of the Transfiguration may be displayed prominently on this day.

DRAMA

'MEGA DRAMA'
See a drama for the day in Mega Drama resources (Openbook Publishers), originally included in these worship resources when they were released on disks.

dramatising the READINGS
The readings can be read by more than one person to make the dramatic meaning of the text clearer. For instance, the first reading could be read by three readers: narrator, the Lord, Moses; and the gospel by four readers: narrator (the pastor), Peter, voice from the cloud, Jesus.

CHILDREN

HALOS AND GLORY
As part of a talk with the children, they could make or be given cardboard or paper halos to wear, and be told what they mean (show them a picture of Jesus with a halo). Talk about 'glory' - Moses on Mount Sinai, Jesus transfigured.

'COME AND SEE JESUS'
The Come and See Jesus curriculum published by Openbook Publishers has a wealth of material and ideas that may be adapted for use in worship. Please note that a new edition of this material is now available for the Revised Common Lectionary.

This week's story is: 'The Transfiguration (Matt 17:1-9 / Luke 9:28-36)' (to be found in the original edition , Transfiguration, year C, and in the RCL edition, Transfiguration, year A).

OTHER

ENROLMENTS FOR BAPTISM/CONFIRMATION
See the documents 'Enrolment of an adult baptismal candidate' and 'Enrolment of confirmation candidates' in the 'Rites and services' folder. Candidates may be enrolled on Transfiguration Sunday or on Ash Wednesday.