Transfiguration

The feast of Transfiguration is on 6 August. Consider using this form for a few days following too. Many ideas and phrases in the prayers below come from the accounts in Matthew 16:28-17:8 and its parallels in Mark and Luke.

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Lord, it is good for us to be here [i]

For your Spirit is with us

Our hearts respond to your call ‘Seek my face.’

Your face, Lord, will we seek.

One thing we ask of you Lord

and this is what we seek:

to dwell at your meeting place all our lifes’ days

To behold your loveliness, and think on your ways.[ii]

As we hear the scriptures

may we listen to your Beloved.

Overshadow us and speak to us

for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit

By the Spirit, we hear God’s voice from heaven, In Christ we have the message more fully confirmed. Let us be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place.[iii]

Canticle of Solomon

Yours, O Lord, are the greatness,
the power, the glory,
the victory, and the majesty;
for all that is in the heavens
and on the earth is yours;
yours is the kingdom, O Lord,
and you are exalted as head above all.[iv]

Your steadfast love, O Lord, is in the heavens,

your faithfulness reaches the skies.[v]

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens.

Let your glory be over all the earth.[vi]

We honour you and thank you: in Christ we are your beloved children, with whom you are well pleased. In Christ you are transforming us from one degree of glory to another by the working of the Holy Spirit.

And so, we laud your name:

Holy, holy, holy God of power and might,

heaven and earth are full of your glory

Hosanna in the highest.

In the transfiguration, we glimpse a world reflecting God’s glory, we long for transfigurations of here-and-now realities into anticipations of the new heaven and new earth.

May glory dwell in our land:

Bring salvation near. [vii]

Give us wisdom to share sensitively with all people the good news so that all may behold your glory in the face of Jesus Christ.

May glory dwell in our land:

Bring salvation near.

By the hopes of the prophets, we are emboldened to cry out for justice, mercy and peace.

May glory dwell in our land:

Bring salvation near.

Sensing the groaning of creation[viii] in us and around us, we cry out for humanity to step up to serve and guard the earth[ix].

May glory dwell in our land:

Bring salvation near.

As we accompany Christ to where and when our lives may touch glory, be our provider

May glory dwell in our land:

Bring salvation near.

Forgive us that in various ways, big and small, we have grieved the Spirit as we have resisted being transformed into the likeness of Christ Jesus.

Gracious God, glorify your name,

We glory in your forgiveness.

Enfold our forgiving of others into your transfiguration of creation that we may continually participate in the transformation of the world.

Give us grace to forgive:

Work your glory into our forgiveness.

Lead us so we do not sleepwalk into sin

awaken us to the signs of glory around us.

Preserve us from attempts to make permanent the provisional;

And from the paralysing fear of the new and challenging.

In the midst of the strange and misunderstandable;

Give us ears to hear you and heart to follow Jesus.

Yours is the Kingdom, the power and the glory,

now and forever. Amen.

We go being transformed into Christ’s image,

from one degree of glory to another;

This comes from the Lord, the Spirit.[x]

Amen.

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[i] Matthew 17:4 -allusions to the same passage can be found throughout this form for prayer.

[ii] From Psalm 27

[iii] See 2 Peter 1:19

[iv] 1 Chronicles 29:10-11

[v] Psalm 36:5

[vi] Psalm 57:11

[vii] Psalm 85:9

[viii] Romans 8:22

[ix] Genesis 2:15

[x] 2 Corinthians 3:18

Daily Office in Climate Emergency