February 19, 2023 Last Sunday after the Epiphany

Entrance Hymn #135 Songs of Thankfulness and Praise

Sequence Hymn #7 Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies

Offertory Anthem Transform Us (Gerike/Vyhanek)

Communion Music Beautiful Savior (Lee)

Post-Communion

Hymn #137 O Wondrous Type! O Vision Fair

THE COLLECT OF THE DAY

O God, who before the passion of your only begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

FIRST READING Exodus 24:12-18

The LORD said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain, and wait there; and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.” So Moses set out with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God. To the elders he had said, “Wait here for us, until we come to you again; for Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a dispute may go to them.”

Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. The glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the cloud. Now the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. Moses entered the cloud, and went up on the mountain. Moses was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.

PSALM Psalm 99 Dominus regnavit

1 The LORD is King;

let the people tremble; *

he is enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth shake.

2 The LORD is great in Zion; * he is high above all peoples.

3 Let them confess his Name, which is great and awesome; * he is the Holy One.

4 "O mighty King, lover of justice,

you have established equity; *

you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob."

5 Proclaim the greatness of the LORD our God and fall down before his footstool; *

he is the Holy One.

6 Moses and Aaron among his priests,

and Samuel among those who call upon his Name, * they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.

7 He spoke to them out of the pillar of cloud; *

they kept his testimonies and the decree that he gave them.

8 O LORD our God, you answered them indeed; * you were a God who forgave them,

yet punished them for their evil deeds.

9 Proclaim the greatness of the LORD our God and worship him upon his holy hill; * for the LORD our God is the Holy One.

SECOND READING 2 Peter 1:16-21

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 honor 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. First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

GOSPEL Matthew 17:1-9

Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.

As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

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In this week’s parish cycle of prayer, we pray for:

Alison Bateson-Toupin; Shirley Tuell; and Brian, Christine, Michaeleen, & Maeve VanCouyghen.

The flowers on the altar are given to the glory of God and in loving memory of Scott Newell by Joyce Noonan.

The Sanctuary Lamp is also lit in loving memory of Scott Newell by Joyce Noonan.