Eucharistic Adoration

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION

THROUGH THE LITURGICAL YEAR (# 13)

A Weekly Pastoral Tool for the YEAR OF THE EUCHARIST

2^nd Sunday of Lent, Year A

Feb. 20-26, 2005

“Jesus’ Face Shone Like the Sun”

(+) In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

(A moment of silence)

SONG: Any suitable Eucharistic hymn or Lenten song may be sung.

WORDS OF ST. LEO THE GREAT

(Cf. Sermon 51, 3-4: PL 54, 310-311)

In the presence of chosen witnesses the Lord unveils his glory, investing with such splendor that bodily appearance which he shares with the rest of the human race that his face shines like the sun and his clothes become white as snow.

The primary purpose of this transfiguration was to remove the scandal of the cross from the hearts of Christ’s disciples. The greatness of his hidden glory was revealed to them to prevent their faith being shaken by the self-abasement of the suffering he was voluntarily to undergo.

In his foresight, however, he was also laying the foundations of the Church’s hope, teaching the whole body of Christ the nature of the change it is to receive, and schooling his members to look forward to a share in the glory which had already shone forth in their head. The Lord had told them of this when he spoke of his coming in majesty: Then shall the just shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.

SILENT ADORATION AND PRAYER

OPENING PRAYER

Leader: Loving Father,

we praise and thank you

for giving us the grace to contemplate the beauty

of your Son Jesus, the awesome splendor of your glory.

In his transfigured glory on the new mountain of revelation,

we receive a foretaste of our own marvelous destiny.

Participating in his redemptive passion,

we believe that we will share in his glorious Resurrection

and enter the joy of his eternal kingdom of justice, peace and love.

O gracious God,

your beloved Servant-Son and our Lord Jesus Christ

is the Life that goes down the mountain of transfiguration

to sacrifice his life on Mount Calvary;

we go down with him that we may die and live with him.

He is the Bread that goes down to suffer hunger;

may we feel the excruciating hunger of the poor

and endeavor to alleviate it with the Bread of the living Word.

He is the living Way that goes down to be exhausted on his journey;

may we be his companions on the journey

in quest of freedom, justice and everlasting peace.

He is the Spring that goes down to suffer thirst;

may we slake the thirst for truth in today’s aching, troubled world.

Father, grant that our face may always radiate

the saving light of Christ

and that our baptismal consecration keep its integrity.

We make our prayers in the name of Jesus,

your eternal splendor and our guiding light,

now and forever.

Assembly: Amen.

Part I

JESUS MASTER TRUTH

Listening to the Word

GOSPEL READING: Mt 17:1-9

PERSONAL REFLECTION

(As a tool for personal reflection, please visit the PDDM Website: www.pddm.org // www.pddm.us for BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD [# 13]: A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday Liturgy. The Biblico-Liturgical Reflections are an aid for a deeper understanding of the Gospel reading.)

SONG: Any suitable hymn of praise or Lenten song may be sung.

Part II

JESUS MASTER WAY

Confrontation with the Word

POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART

Leader: From the mount of temptation in the wilderness, our spiritual Lenten journey leads us now to a glorious, mystical experience on the new mount of revelation where our Lord Jesus Christ is transfigured. Let us relive this saving event and ponder its implications for us.

1. What is the meaning of the Lord’s transfiguration for me? Does it enable me to see the Lord’s passion and the world’s sufferings in the context of the Easter glory?

2. Do I regard with a contemplative gaze and with a Eucharistic spirit the mystery of the Lord’s transfiguration?

3. How do I radiate the joy and hope of the transfigured Christ in today’s gloomy and dismal world, so needful of light and joy?

PENITENTIAL PRAYER

Leader: Lord Jesus, on the new mountain of revelation, your face shone like the sun and the disciples bowed down before your awesome glory. For not responding fully to the mystery of God’s wondrous presence that is present in you: Lord, have mercy.

Assembly: Lord, have mercy.

Leader: Christ Jesus, transfigured on the mountain, you gave us a foretaste of our own marvelous destiny. For our lack of vision and failure to pursue our God-given dreams: Christ, have mercy.

Assembly: Christ, have mercy.

Leader: Lord Jesus, your brilliant garments - “white as light” - on the mount of transfiguration gave us a glimpse of the radiance of the Easter morn. For our failure to radiate your saving light in today’s gloomy and dismal world, so needful of light and joy; for defiling our baptismal garments and for marring our beautiful countenance as children of God: Lord, have mercy.

Assembly: Lord, have mercy.

SONG: Any suitable song may be sung.

Part III

JESUS LIFE

Acting upon the Word

PERSONAL PRAYER

CONTEMPLATING WITH MARY THE FACE OF CHRIST: The Mysteries of the Rosary may be prayed in part or in full.

THE WAY OF SOLIDARITY: PRAYER OF INTERCESSION

(From the prayer intentions proposed by the Catholic Relief Services for LENT 2005)

Leader: Let us pray for farmers in Eritrea, who work to harvest enough to feed their families despite long periods of drought. (SILENT PRAYER)