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Readings for Sunday, February 19, 2012
Last Sunday after Epiphany
Collect:
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 Lesson: 2 Kings 2:1-12
Now when the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind,
Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha,
"Stay here; for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel." But Elisha said,
"As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So
they went down to Bethel. The company of prophets who were in Bethel came
out to Elisha, and said to him, "Do you know that today the LORD will take
your master away from you?" And he said, "Yes, I know; keep silent."
Elijah said to him, "Elisha,
stay here; for the LORD has sent me to Jericho." But he said, "As the LORD
lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they came to
Jericho. The company of prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha,
and said to him, "Do you know that today the LORD will take your master
away from you?" And he answered, "Yes, I know; be silent." Then Elijah
said to him, "Stay here; for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan." But he
said, "As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you."
So the two of them went on. Fifty men of the company of prophets also
went, and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by
the Jordan. Then Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up, and struck the
water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, until the
two of them crossed on dry ground. When they had crossed, Elijah said to
Elisha, "Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you."
Elisha said, "Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit." He
responded, "You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being
taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not." As they
continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire
separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven.
Elisha kept watching and crying out, "Father, father! The chariots of
Israel and its horsemen!" But when he could no longer see him, he grasped
his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.
Psalm 50:1-6
Deus deorum
1 The LORD, the God of gods, has spoken; *
he has called the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2 Out of Zion, perfect in its beauty, *
God reveals himself in glory.
3 Our God will come and will not keep silence; *
before him there is a consuming flame, and round about him a raging storm.
4 He calls the heavens and the earth from above *
to witness the judgment of his people.
5 "Gather before me my loyal followers, *
those who have made a covenant with me and sealed it with sacrifice."
6 Let the heavens declare the rightness of his cause; *
for God himself is judge.
Glory be to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
*
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Second Lesson: 2 Corinthians 4:3-6
Even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In
their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers,
to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ,
who is the image of God. For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim
Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus' sake. For it
is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in
our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the
face of Jesus Christ.
Gospel: Mark 9:2-9
Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them
up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before
them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could
bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were
talking with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to
be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one
for Elijah." He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. Then a
cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, "This is
my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!" Suddenly when they looked around,
they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus.
As they were coming down the
mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until
after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
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