Download SECOND SUNDAY LENT – Cycle C

SECOND SUNDAY LENT – Cycle C
(compiled by Lucy Chudy)
Leader: This is now a sacred place. Let us remember that when we
gather in God’s name, God is in our midst. (Wait until there is silence.)
This Sunday is the second Sunday of Lent. We will now light two
candles to mark the journey with Jesus throughout Lent.
Leader: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit. Amen.
OPENING PRAYER
Leader: Let us pray. Dear God, in your plan of salvation your Son, Jesus,
accepted the cross and freed us from sin. May we accept our crosses and
help one another carry them. May our actions show love for our neighbor
and love for God. Amen.
FIRST READING
Student: A reading from the book of Genesis. (15: 5-12, 17-18)
The Lord took him outside and said, “Look at the sky and try to count
the stars; you will have as many descendants as that.”
Abram put his trust in the Lord, and because of this the Lord was pleased
with him and accepted him.
Then the Lord said to him, “I am the Lord, who led you out of Ur in
Babylonia, to give you this land as your own.”
But Abram asked, “Sovereign Lord, how can I know that it will all be
mine?”
He answered, ‘Bring me a cow, a goat, and a ram, each of them three
years old, and a dove and a pigeon.” Abram brought the animals to God,
cut them in half, and placed the halves opposite each other in two rows;
but he did not cut up the birds. Vultures came down on the bodies, but
Abram drove them off.
When the sun was going down, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and fear
and terror came over him.
When the sun had set and it was dark, a smoking fire pot and a flaming
torch suddenly appeared and passed between the pieces of the animals.
Then and there the Lord made a covenant with Abram. He said, ‘I
promise to give your descendants all this land from the border of Egypt
to the Euphrates River.”
The word of the Lord. ……………… Thanks be to God.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM (Psalm 27: 1, 7-8, 9, 13-14)
(Here you may read the traditional Psalm or as a school, we have
decided to sing “Create a New Heart” from Michael Mangan’s CD
titled FOREVER I WILL SING.)
Student: The response is: The Lord is my light and salvation.
The Lord is my light and salvation; I will fear no one. The Lord protects
me from all danger; I will never be afraid.
Response ……………………………
Hear me, Lord, when I call to you! Be merciful and answer me! When
you said, “Come worship me,” I answered, “I will come, Lord.”
Response …………………………
Don’t hide yourself from me! Don’t be angry with me; don’t turn your
servant away. You have been my help; don’t leave me, don’t abandon
me, O God, my savior.
Response …………………
I know that I will live to see the Lord’s goodness in this present life.
Trust in the Lord. Have faith, do not despair. Trust in the Lord.
Response …………………………
Leader: Please stand.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
(To be omitted if not sung. Also, you may choose one that is familiar to
your school. As a school, we have decided to do “Lenten Acclamation”
from Michael Mangan’s CD titled THIS IS THE TIME.)
Glory and praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ! From the bright cloud the
Father’s voice is heard: This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him. Glory
and praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!
GOSPEL
Student: A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke. (9: 28b-36)
(A shorter version Luke 9:28b-31)
Glory to you, O Lord.
Jesus took Peter, John and James and went up the mountain to pray.
While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing
became dazzling white. And behold, two men were conversing with him,
Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he
was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.
The Gospel of the Lord. ………… Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
DISCUSSION HOMILY
(This part may be totally omitted, or entirely changed to suit the needs
and comfort zone of the person doing it.)
Why do you think people enjoy vacationing in the mountains? There are
several reasons. … One reason is that they want to get away from the
heat. … In the summer months, the heat can become almost unbearable
at times. It is refreshing to go up into the mountains where the air is cool.
… Another reason is to enjoy the beautiful view. … When you are down
in the valley, it is often difficult to see and appreciate the beauty around
you, but from the mountain top, you can clearly see the beauty of the
world below. … Finally, many people enjoy vacationing in the
mountains to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. … It
is good to get away from the pressure of work and busy schedules, and
just sit back and relax. When we are enjoying a get away in the
mountains, we sometimes find it hard to go back to our day to day life.
Did you know that Jesus enjoyed getting away for a mountain retreat? …
The Bible tells us that one day Jesus took Peter, James and John high up
into the mountains so that they could be alone. … While on the mountain
top, Jesus' appearance changed. … His clothes became a dazzling white,
whiter than any bleach could get them. Then Elijah and Moses appeared
and began talking to Jesus. Peter exclaimed, "Teacher, it is wonderful for
us to be here! Let's build three shelters -- one for you, one for Moses, and
one for Elijah." … Then a cloud passed over and covered them. From the
cloud came a voice saying, "This is my Son, and I love him. Listen to
what he says!" … Then when they looked again, they saw only Jesus.
I imagine that Peter, James, and John would have been happy to stay up
there on the mountain top, but did they? … No, Jesus knew that the
purpose of their experience on the mountain top was to renew their
strength for the difficult days that were ahead of them, so he led the
disciples back down from the mountains into the valley. …
You and I sometimes need a vacation in the mountains to help us cope
with the heat and stress of our every day life. … We also need mountain
top experiences in our daily walk with Jesus. … We need those
experiences to renew our strength for the difficult tasks that we face as
we follow Jesus each day.
PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL
Leader: In the spirit of the covenant that God made with the chosen
people, we present our petitions, knowing that they will be heard.
Student: The response is: Lord, hear our prayer.
1. For the Church built upon the rock foundation of Peter’s profession of
faith, we pray to the Lord. Response ……………………
2. For leaders of nations, that they strive for a permanent end to war, we
pray to the Lord. Response ……………………
3. For the homeless, that they may find food, shelter, and love they need,
we pray to the Lord. Response ……………………
4. For all who dedicate themselves to God’s love, that when tested they
follow Abraham’s example of faith, we pray to the Lord. Response
…………………
5. For all teachers throughout the world and here at St. Maria Goretti,
may they be blessed with wisdom and patience, we pray to the Lord.
Response …………………………
6. For all of us here at St. Maria Goretti, that we may grow in love of
God with each passing day, we pray to the Lord. Response
………………………
Leader: Gracious God, you lavish upon us your gifts of faith and peace
so that we may share your Son’s life. Grant the blessings we ask of you
through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Leader: Please join in singing a song that truly professes our faith and
what we believe. (Here we will sing John Burland’s song ‘YES, LORD, I
BELIEVE”.
CLOSING PRAYER
Leader: Let us pray. As we continue to journey through this season of
Lent we remember the great sacrifice that Jesus made for each of us. He
offered himself to show his love for us, so that we could be people of
joy, knowing that we have the promise of eternal life. For this we give
great thanks to God. Amen
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
CLOSING HYMN