Love’s Labor Transfigured
August 6, 2007

Transfiguration of the Lord
Father Patrick Murphy, LC

Luke 9: 28b-36
Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up a 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. Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." But he did not know what he was saying. While he was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, "This is my chosen Son; listen to him." After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. They fell silent and did not at that time tell anyone what they had seen.

Introductory Prayer:Lord, thank you for the gift of your Transfiguration. Just as you were transfigured before the apostles, transform me by your grace. You are the source of holiness and goodness. In the measure I am united to you, in that same measure will I be transformed by you.

Petition:Lord, detach my heart from the world, and allow me to live for love of you.

1. The Great Exodus Jesus was conversing with Moses and Elijah about his exodus: the liberation of mankind from the slavery to sin. He was not speaking about the miracles he would perform, the comforts or beauty of this world, or the ambitions he might hold. He was not concerned with the opportunities he might have to use his talents, to achieve great things, to win esteem from others, to make a name for himself, or to rest and relax. Jesus was not speaking about any of these things. His only desire was his exodus – his suffering and death and departure from this world to glorify his Father, fulfilling his will by saving mankind.

2. The Promised Land Our heart can love and be attached to many things: ambitions, desires, hopes, esteem, comfort, getting things done, using my talents, self-fulfillment. Our Lord chose to subordinate all these possibilities to the love of his Father. This is what it means to follow Christ and be “detached” from the world: to be ready to give up any of these goods for love of Christ, should he require me to do so. I must be so in love with Christ that I esteem him more than all of these other loves. This is the true Promised Land and true liberation from the slavery of egoism. The fruits of dying to self in this way are joy, peace, love and eternal life.

3. Rising from a Seed. “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat” (John 12:24). All of my loves have to purified, dying like a seed in the ground, because all of my loves have a strong element of self-centeredness embedded in them. It is this element of self-centeredness that must be uprooted and die. If I analyze what I love I will see that this is true. A wife who loves her husband may experience a self-centered aspect of her love that causes her to seek to control him. A father who loves his son might punish him out of anger instead of for his greater good. The self-centered element of our love impoverishes and tarnishes it, causing us, in reality, to love much less than we are capable of loving.

Dialogue with Christ: Lord, free my heart from every selfish aspect of my love. Help me make that generous step of “dying to self” in this way. Help me to understand that this will always lead to true freedom and joy in my heart and a greater capacity of true self-giving in my life.

Resolution: I will make a generous decision to overcome some area of selfishness in a relationship today.

Vespers -- Evening Prayer

Vespers (Evening Prayer)

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 109 (110)
The Messiah, king and priest
The Lord has said to my lord: “Sit at my right hand while I make your enemies into your footstool”. From Sion the Lord will give you a sceptre, and you will rule in the midst of your foes. Royal power is yours in the day of your strength, glorious and holy; from the time of your birth, before the dawn. The Lord has sworn, and he will not repent: “You are a priest for ever, a priest of the priesthood of Melchisedech”. The Lord is at your right hand, and on the day of his anger he will shatter kings. He will judge the nations, he will pile high their skulls; he will drink from the stream as he goes – he will hold his head high. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 109 (110)

The Messiah, king and priest

The Lord has said to my lord: “Sit at my right hand while I make your enemies into your footstool”.

From Sion the Lord will give you a sceptre, and you will rule in the midst of your foes.
Royal power is yours in the day of your strength, glorious and holy; from the time of your birth, before the dawn.

The Lord has sworn, and he will not repent: “You are a priest for ever, a priest of the priesthood of Melchisedech”.
The Lord is at your right hand, and on the day of his anger he will shatter kings.

He will judge the nations, he will pile high their skulls;
he will drink from the stream as he goes – he will hold his head high.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Psalm 120 (121)
The guardian of the people
I shall lift my eyes to the hills: where is my help to come from? My help will come from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip: he will not doze, your guardian. Behold, he will not doze or sleep, the guardian of Israel. The Lord is your guardian, the Lord is your shade; he is at your right hand. By day the sun will not strike you; nor the moon by night. The Lord will guard you from all harm; the Lord will guard your life. The Lord will guard your coming and your going both now and for ever. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 120 (121)

The guardian of the people

I shall lift my eyes to the hills:
where is my help to come from?
My help will come from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip:
he will not doze, your guardian.
Behold, he will not doze or sleep,
the guardian of Israel.

The Lord is your guardian, the Lord is your shade;
he is at your right hand.
By day the sun will not strike you;
nor the moon by night.

The Lord will guard you from all harm;
the Lord will guard your life.
The Lord will guard your coming and your going
both now and for ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Canticle	(1 Timothy 3)
The mystery and glory of Christ
Praise the Lord, all you nations! He was manifested in flesh, justified in spirit – praise the Lord, all you nations! He was seen by the angels, he was preached to the nations – praise the Lord, all you nations! The world believed in him, he was taken up in glory – praise the Lord, all you nations! Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Canticle

(1 Timothy 3)

The mystery and glory of Christ

Praise the Lord, all you nations!

He was manifested in flesh, justified in spirit – praise the Lord, all you nations!

He was seen by the angels, he was preached to the nations – praise the Lord, all you nations!

The world believed in him, he was taken up in glory – praise the Lord, all you nations!

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Short reading	Romans 8:16 - 17 ©
The Spirit himself and our spirit bear united witness that we are children of God. And if we are children we are heirs as well: heirs of God and coheirs with Christ, sharing his sufferings so as to share his glory.

Canticle	Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation. For he has shown me such favour – me, his lowly handmaiden. Now all generations will call me blessed, because the mighty one has done great things for me. His name is holy, his mercy lasts for generation after generation for those who revere him. He has put forth his strength: he has scattered the proud and conceited, torn princes from their thrones; but lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Canticle

Magnificat

My soul rejoices in the Lord

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation.
For he has shown me such favour –
me, his lowly handmaiden.
Now all generations will call me blessed,
because the mighty one has done great things for me.
His name is holy,
his mercy lasts for generation after generation
for those who revere him.

He has put forth his strength:
he has scattered the proud and conceited,
torn princes from their thrones;
but lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things;
the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel,
he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Prayers and Intercessions

We bring our prayers to our Saviour, who was miraculously transfigured on the mountain before his disciples’ eyes: - Lighten our darkness, for you are our God.
Christ, by being transfigured you revealed the resurrection to your disciples before the passion had even taken place. We pray to you for your holy Church, labouring to serve the needs of the world:: in her tribulations may she be constantly transfigured by joy at your victory.
Christ, you took aside Peter, James and John, and led them to a high mountain. We pray to you for our Pope N. and for the bishops:: may they minister to your people in the hope of the resurrection.
Christ, on the mountain your face shone brighter than Moses and Elijah. We pray to you for the Jews, the people you gained of old:: may their merits bring them at last to fulness of redemption.
Christ, shining with the glory of the Creator you illuminated the earth. We pray to you for men of good will:: may they walk in your light.
Christ, you will reshape our human bodies to be like your body of light. We pray to you for our deceased brethren:: may they enter your glory.

Our Father, who art in Heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those that trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

O God, at your only-begotten Son’s glorious transfiguration you confirmed the mysteries of faith by the witness of the prophets of old, and you miraculously prefigured what would happen when your adopted children were brought to perfection.
Grant to us, your servants
that we may hear the voice of your beloved Son
and so desire to become co-heirs with him.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.
Amen.

May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life.

A M E N