Collect Series: Fifth Sunday Lent Year A

 Collect Series

The Mass: collect series icon

Fifth Sunday Lent Year A Collect

The Collect for the 5th Sunday of Lent reads as follows:

By Your help we beseech You Lord our God,

may we walk eagerly in that same charity

with which out of love for the world

Your Son handed himself over to death.

 

 

In making this prayer tangible for during the week, the following reflection questions emerged:

 

 

1. What is my level of dependence on God in my life?

2. How and when do I ask God for help? Only when in need or constantly?

3. What is my capacity to obey God in my life?

4. What is my response to the Crucifixion or do I only want to contemplate the Resurrection?

5. How will my Holy Week celebrations change me this year?

6. How will I manage my Lenten Penances, prayer and almsgiving this week?

 

We are heading into the 5th week of Lent.  It is a good time to have a short review of how we are progressing or not with our Lenten penances, prayer and almsgiving.  Now if Lent has been going well for you, then keep on going and moving forward spiritually. 

 

If, like myself you have wavered along the way, then it is not the time to give up and think I start again next year. Oh no- I have done that in the past and I can assure you, it does not work. No, it is time to have a review, see what has worked or not worked, take your decision to move forward to God and ask Him to help you to complete whatever penance you have decided to do.  Even if that means ditching the one you started earlier in Lent and choosing something that is hard enough but manageable between now and the end of Lent. 

Not long to go before Holy Thursday. So let us be renewed in our efforts to get to the finishing line of Lent and the start of the Tridium. 

 

It is also a great time during Lent to receive the sacrament of Reconciliation.  If it has been a while since you last received this sacrament, don't let that put you off.  Take courage and just go.  God loves you and is waiting for you to return to Him.  Just go.  I am saying this for myself as well as it can be tempting to put it off longer than planned.!!!  I remember a priest friend of mine who used to say in his homilies '' if your last reception of the sacrament was in the ice age, then allow Jesus to melt you''.  Between you and I, he always had a good queue but he was worth the wait.!!!

 

Just as Christ gave Himself willingly to die for us, let us show Him that we are willing to make the effort too.

 



 

Let us pray for each other as we push forward towards the Tridium. 

 

Gospel Reflection

John 11:1–45

Theme: “I Am the Resurrection and the Life”

 

Setting the Scene

Lazarus of Bethany is ill. His sisters, Martha and Mary, send word to Jesus: “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” Yet Jesus does not immediately go. By the time He arrives, Lazarus has been in the tomb for four days.

Martha meets Him first. Her faith is both strong and searching: “If you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Jesus responds with a revelation that shifts the horizon: “I am the resurrection and the life.”

Mary approaches in grief, and Jesus is deeply moved. He weeps. Then, standing before the tomb, He calls Lazarus forth. The dead man emerges, still bound in burial cloths. Jesus commands, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

Life breaks into death.

 

Gospel Reflection: Standing Before the Tomb

This Gospel moves beyond physical healing into the heart of Christian hope. Jesus does not prevent death; He enters into it. He stands before the tomb and reveals Himself not merely as one who raises the dead, but as Resurrection itself.

Martha’s confession becomes central: “Yes, Lord, I believe.” Faith here is not abstract optimism but trust in the One who stands before her in grief.

The tears of Jesus are as significant as the miracle. He does not dismiss sorrow. He shares it. Divine power and human compassion meet at the tomb.

Lent now draws close to Holy Week. This Gospel prepares us by confronting death directly — not only physical death, but the places in our lives that feel sealed, bound, or beyond hope.

The command to “unbind him” echoes beyond Lazarus. Resurrection is not only about coming forth; it is about being released from what restricts life.

 

Personal Reflection

Where in my life do I feel something has been placed in a tomb — a hope, a relationship, a sense of purpose? Perhaps there are areas where I have quietly accepted finality. Jesus does not rush grief, yet He does not leave it untouched.

Standing before the tomb requires courage. Martha and Mary voice their disappointment honestly. Their faith includes lament. Lent invites the same honesty. Am I willing to bring my grief, confusion, or disappointment into Christ’s presence? Do I believe that He stands before the places I consider closed?

The question Jesus asks Martha still echoes: “Do you believe this?” Faith may not eliminate sorrow, but it reframes it. The call to unbind reminds me that resurrection also involves participation — allowing Christ to free what has been tightly wrapped in fear, resentment, or despair.

 

Reflection Questions

·         Where do I experience grief or loss that needs Christ’s presence?

·         What “tombs” exist in my life right now?

·         Do I believe that Jesus is resurrection and life — not only in theory, but in reality?

·         What bindings might Christ be asking me to release?

·         How can I respond with renewed hope as Lent draws toward Holy Week?

 

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus,
You stand before every tomb
with compassion and authority.
Enter the places of my life
that feel sealed or lifeless.

Strengthen my faith
to trust in You as resurrection and life.
Unbind what restricts me,
and lead me toward the fullness of hope
You alone can give.
Amen.

 

 

 

Praying the communion Antiphon series: Friday fourth week of Lent

 Praying the Communion Antiphon Series.

Praying the communion Antiphon

A Time Set Apart: Friday, Fourth Week of Lent

Redemption Through His Blood

Communion Antiphon (Ephesians 1:7)
In Christ we have redemption through his Blood,
the forgiveness of sins,
in accordance with the riches of his grace.

 

Thinking About the Words

“In Christ…”

Everything begins here. Not in ourselves. Not in our effort. But in Him.

“We have redemption…”

Redemption is a strong word.

It means:

• to be set free
• to be brought back
• to be restored at a cost

This is not a small act.

It is costly love.

“Through his Blood…”

Lent now begins to turn more clearly toward the Cross. This is not symbolic language.

It points to:

• sacrifice
• self-giving
• total love poured out

“The forgiveness of sins…”

Here is the fruit:

• not shame
• not condemnation
• but forgiveness

And notice — it is already given: “we have…”

“In accordance with the riches of his grace.”

Not a small measure. Not barely enough. But riches.

Grace is abundant, overflowing, beyond what we could earn.

 

Connection to the Gospel

Today’s Gospel (John 7) shows division and tension around Jesus.

• Some believe
• Some doubt
• Some reject

And yet, beneath all of this, the deeper truth remains:

Jesus has come to redeem.

Even those who question Him…Even those who oppose Him…

The offer of redemption still stands.

 

The Connection

The Gospel shows human confusion and resistance.

The antiphon reveals God’s response: Not withdrawal. Not condemnation.

Here God’s response is redemption, forgiveness, grace

A Lenten Insight

Lent often brings us face to face with our sin.

But this antiphon gently shifts the focus:

Not just:

• what I have done

But:

• what Christ has done for me

And more importantly:

what He is offering me now

 

A Practical Thread

When it is difficult to name our sinfulness clearly, this antiphon helps us because it tells us:

We do not begin with perfect self-understanding. We begin with:

being loved, redeemed, and forgiven. And from there, clarity grows. 

The problem many people have is that because of their circumstances they have never experienced what unconditional love is in their own life as young children. As adults, they may have chosen the same pattern or hopefully learned what unconditional love is through a spouse or valued friend.  What Jesus offers is unconditional love. When the person experiences this unconditional love, they may initially have their defences up and do not receive all the graces intended.  However, when they reach a point where they experience and believe in God’s love for them, then this opens them up to an encounter with Jesus who then becomes their best friend. They then know what it is like to be loved, to be forgiven  and to be redeemed.

 

At Communion

When we receive Communion, this becomes deeply personal:

“In Christ, I have redemption.”

This is not given later or some time in the future or not when I improve.

It is offered immediately.  It is offered now.

 

Reflection

• What does “redemption” mean in my life right now?
• Do I truly believe that forgiveness is already being offered to me?
• Where do I need to receive God’s grace more deeply?
• Am I living from guilt… or from redemption?

This Communion Antiphon has a slightly different flavour. Unlike the other communion antiphons which mainly come from the Psalms or the Gospel reading, this one comes from Ephesians.   It is less like sweetness today and more like something deep, rich, and costly 

This is the heart of where Lent is leading:

Redemption through love poured out. 

  

Prayer

Lord,
you have redeemed me through your love.
Help me to receive your forgiveness
and to live in the richness of your grace.

Praying the Communion Antiphon Series Thursday Fourth week of Lent

 Praying the Communion Antiphon Series

Praying the Communion Antiphon

A Time Set Apart – Thursday, Fourth Week of Lent

Seek His Face

Communion Antiphon (Psalm 105:3–4)
Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice.
Seek the Lord and his strength;
seek his face continually.

 

Thinking About the Words

“Glory in his holy name…”

This is an invitation to rejoice in who God is — not just in what He does, but in His very being. In the commandments we are commanded to love the Lord with all heart, mind and strength and we are to honour His holy name by not taking it in vain.  We rejoice in who God is by keeping these commandments but we go deeper. The more we come to realise who God really is, the more we wish to love Him. Then it follows we would not want to take his name in vain but we would only wish to honour His holy name.  Using Jesus as a real prayer honours His name.

“Let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice.”

There is something striking here:

We might expect rejoicing to come after finding God.

However, the Psalm says:

Those who seek already rejoice.

Seeking itself becomes a sign of relationship. We seek Him because we are in relationship with Him. We want to know and love Him more.

“Seek the Lord and his strength…”

We are not asked to rely on our own strength.

To seek God is also to recognise our need for Him. When we rely on our own strength we have become self reliant and saying in effect we do not need God but we can do everything ourselves.  When we realise and recognise our need for Him, then our relationship changes because it becomes aligned.  God is the Creator and we are the created not the other way around. So we seek the Lord and His strength not our own strength.

“Seek his face continually.”

This is very personal language. Not just seeking help. Not just seeking answers but seeking God Himself.

And continually — not occasionally.

 

Connection to the Gospel

Today’s Gospel (John 5:31–47) is quite intense.

Jesus speaks about witnesses:

• John the Baptist
• His works
• The Father
• The Scriptures

Yet He says something deeply revealing:

“You search the Scriptures… but you refuse to come to me to have life.”

So there is a contrast:

• Searching without encounter
• versus
• seeking that leads to relationship

The people are studying, analysing, searching but they are not  truly seeking His face. We need that encounter with Jesus. We need to know Jesus and be in relationship with Him rather than just know about Him.  Knowledge of scripture and traditions of the Church lay a great foundation.  However at some point we actually need to encounter Him.

The Connection

Now the antiphon becomes very clear.

“Seek his face continually.”

The Gospel shows what happens when seeking becomes:

• intellectual only
• external only
• disconnected from relationship

True seeking leads to encounter and life.

 

A Lenten Insight

This fits beautifully with what you noticed yesterday about light.

We can:

• study the light
• analyse the light
• talk about the light

However, Lent invites us to do something deeper:

Step into the light.

Seek not just understanding…but His presence.

 

At Communion

This antiphon is very Eucharistic.  At Communion, we are no longer seeking from a distance. We are receiving the One we seek. Yet even then, the invitation remains:

“Seek his face continually.” Because the encounter does not end at the altar — it continues in daily life.

 

Reflection

• What does it mean for me to truly seek God?
• Am I seeking understanding, or am I seeking relationship?
• Where might I be “searching” without truly encountering?
• How can I seek God more intentionally today?

 

There is a quiet shift here in Lent.

From:

• seeing the light
• receiving mercy

to now:

seeking the face of the One who gives both.

And that is where the journey begins to deepen

 

Prayer

Lord,
draw my heart to seek you.
Not only your gifts,
but Your presence.

 

Today is the feast of St. Joseph.  How does this feast day relate to the Communion Antiphon that we have just discussed?  let us now consider it.

Solemnity of St Joseph

Seeking God’s Will in Silence

 

Thinking About the Words

“Seek the Lord… seek his face continually.”

This seeking is not always dramatic.

Sometimes it is hidden.
Sometimes it is uncertain.
Sometimes it unfolds in silence.

This is where St Joseph becomes such a powerful witness.

 

St Joseph – A Man Who Sought

Before he became the foster father of Jesus, Joseph faced a situation he could not fully understand.

Mary was with child.  The path ahead was unclear.

Yet instead of reacting quickly or harshly, Joseph chose a different way:

• he paused
• he listened
• he remained open to God

In a dream, God revealed His will.

And Joseph responded.

Seeking Leads to Trust

Joseph did not have all the answers.  He did not see the whole picture. He trusted what had been revealed to him. To seek God’s face is not always to receive full clarity. It is often to receive just enough light for the next step. Joseph walked that path faithfully.

 

A Life of Quiet Faithfulness

Joseph never speaks a word in Scripture. Yet his life proclaims something very powerful:

• he honoured God’s name
• he protected what was entrusted to him
• he acted when God asked

His seeking was not in words, but in action.

 

Connection to the Antiphon

The Psalm invites us:

“Seek his face continually.”

Joseph shows us what that looks like in real life:

• seeking in uncertainty
• listening in silence
• acting in trust

A Lenten Insight

Lent is not always about dramatic moments.

Often it is about:

• quiet decisions
• small acts of faith
• choosing to trust when we do not fully understand

Joseph reminds us that seeking God’s will is not about perfection.

It is about faithfulness.

 

Reflection

• Where in my life am I being asked to trust without full clarity?
• Do I allow space to listen for God’s guidance?
• How can I seek God’s will in the ordinary moments of my day?
• What small step of trust might God be inviting me to take?

 

This fits beautifully alongside our Lenten series. While the antiphon calls us to seek,
St Joseph shows us how: quietly, faithfully, one step at a time

 

Prayer

St Joseph,
quiet and faithful servant of God,
teach me to seek the Lord with a trusting heart
and to walk in His ways.

 

Praying the Communion Series: Wednesday Fourth Week of Lent

 Praying the Communion Antiphon Series

Praying the Communion Antiphon 

A Time Set Apart: Wednesday Fourth Week of Lent

Sent to Save

Communion Antiphon (John 3:17)

God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world,

but that the world might be saved through him.

 

Thinking About the Words

“God did not send his Son… to judge the world…”

This is striking. Often, we  can instinctively associate God with judgment. Yet this verse shifts the focus completely.

The mission of Jesus is not primarily condemnation. It is salvation.

“But that the world might be saved through him.”

The word world is important.

Not just a few.  Not only the righteous, but the whole world.

The word saved carries a deep meaning:

• healed
• restored
• brought back into relationship

This is the purpose of Christ’s coming.

 

A Deeper Insight

This verse comes just after the well-known:

“God so loved the world so much …” (John 3:16)

So, the movement is:

Love to Sending to Salvation

God sends the Son not because the world is perfect, but because it is in need of healing.

have you ever sat with the words 'so much'. and really contemplated it deeply. 

The Lenten Connection

This fits beautifully with what we reflected on yesterday.

• We ask for mercy
• We receive mercy
• We begin to proclaim mercy

Now we are reminded of the source:

God’s desire to save, not condemn

Lent is not about proving ourselves worthy.

It is about allowing ourselves to be found, healed, and restored.

 

Connection to the Gospel

Today’s Gospel (John 5:17–30) speaks of Jesus acting with the authority of the Father.

The people struggle because Jesus heals on the Sabbath.

They see rule-breaking.

But Jesus reveals something deeper:

He is doing the work of the Father — the work of giving life.

So again we see the contrast:

• Human tendency: to judge and restrict
• Divine action: to give life and save

 

At Communion

As we receive the Eucharist, this truth becomes very personal.  Christ comes to us not to condemn us, but to bring life within us.  Communion becomes a moment of quiet assurance:

God desires my healing.  God desires my life.

 

Reflection

• Do I tend to see God as one who judges or one who saves?
• Where in my life do I need to receive God’s healing?
• Am I open to the life that Christ offers me?
• How might I reflect God’s saving love to others?

 

There is something very gentle in today’s antiphon.

After all the reflections on sin, repentance, and the path,the Church quietly reminds us:

God’s deepest desire is not to judge…
but to save.

That is the heart of Lent

 

Prayer

Lord,
you came not to condemn but to save.
Help me to trust in your mercy
and to receive the life you offer.

 

Praying Communion Series: Tuesday Fourth Week Lent

Praying Communion Antiphon 

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A Time Set Apart : Tuesday Fourth Week of Lent

Two Paths Today

 

Option 1: Lenten Day (Tuesday, Week 4)

Communion Antiphon (cf. Psalm 20:4–5)
O Lord, grant the desires of those who entreat you
and fulfil the prayers of those who hope in you,
so that we, who rejoice in your saving power,
may exult in the name of our God.

 

Thinking About the Words

“Grant the desires of those who entreat you…”

This is a bold prayer.

It assumes that the heart is already being shaped by God.
Because not every desire leads to life — but a heart turned toward God begins to desire what is good.

“Fulfil the prayers of those who hope in you…”

Hope is key.  This is not demand, but trustful waiting.  The psalm speaks of a relationship where prayer is offered in confidence that God hears and responds.

“We rejoice in your saving power…”

The focus shifts from our desires to God’s action.  Joy comes not simply from receiving what we ask, but from recognising what God is doing.

 

Connection to Lent

Lent refines our desires.

We begin by asking for many things,
but gradually our prayer becomes simpler:

“Lord, shape my heart to desire what leads to life.”

 

Option 2: Solemnity of St Patrick

For those celebrating today, the Communion Antiphon (depending on the Mass) often reflects mission and proclamation.

St Patrick’s life embodies this line:

God fulfils the desires of those who hope in Him.

Patrick desired to return to Ireland — the very place of his captivity — not out of obligation, but out of mission.

 

A Brief Insight into St Patrick

• Once a slave in Ireland
• Escaped and returned home
• Then felt called by God to go back
• Became a missionary bishop
• Proclaimed the Gospel with courage and simplicity

His life shows a beautiful transformation:

From fear which led to calling. This then led to mission and proclamation

 

The Connection Between the Two

The Psalm says:

“Grant the desires of those who hope in you.”

St Patrick shows us what happens when:

• desire is purified
• hope is deepened
• and God’s will becomes our own

His desire was no longer self-protection, but the salvation of others.

 

Reflection

• What desires am I bringing to God at this stage of Lent?
• Are my desires being shaped by prayer and trust?
• Where might God be inviting me to hope more deeply?
• Like St Patrick, am I open to God transforming my desires into mission?

 

This is a beautiful day liturgically.  Whether through the quiet unfolding of Lent
or the bold witness of St Patrick, the message is the same:

God takes the desires of the heart… and transforms them into something life-giving

 

Prayer

Lord,
shape my desires according to your will.
Teach me to hope in you
and to trust in your saving power.

 

 

Praying the Communion Antiphon Series: Monday Fourth Week of Lent

Praying the Communion Antiphon Series

Praying the Communion Antiphon

A Time Set Apart:  Monday Fourth Week of Lent

Singing of Mercy

Communion Antiphon (Psalm 31:7–8)
I will sing for ever of your mercies, O Lord;
through all ages my mouth will proclaim your truth.

 

Today we begin Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent, and you may notice that the tone of the readings begins to shift slightly — Lent is still a season of conversion, but light and hope start to appear more clearly.

  Thinking About the Words

“I will sing for ever of your mercies, O Lord.”

The Psalm moves from quiet prayer into praise. The psalmist recognises that God's mercy is not temporary or limited — it extends across time and through every generation.

Mercy is one of the deepest characteristics of God. Again and again in Scripture we see that God remains faithful even when His people struggle to remain faithful.

“Through all ages my mouth will proclaim your truth.”

The psalmist does not keep this experience private. Mercy becomes something to proclaim.

God’s truth is not merely an idea or a rule; it is revealed in His faithful love.

When someone encounters mercy, it naturally becomes something they want to share.

 

The Lenten Connection

Earlier in Lent we reflected on repentance and asking for mercy, especially in the prayer of the tax collector:

“God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”

Now we see the other side of that movement.

Once mercy is received, the heart begins to sing of it.

Lent does not end in sorrow. It leads toward gratitude and praise.

At Communion

This antiphon is prayed as we receive the Eucharist.

The Eucharist itself is the greatest sign of God's mercy — Christ giving Himself for the life of the world.

Receiving Him fills the heart with the desire to proclaim God's goodness.

 

Reflection

• When have I experienced God’s mercy in my life?
• Do I take time to recognise and give thanks for that mercy?
• How might my words and actions proclaim God’s truth to others?
• What would it mean for me today to “sing of God’s mercy”?

 

There is a beautiful movement here in Lent.

On Saturday of the third week of Lent  we prayed:

“God, be merciful to me.”

Now as we begin fourth week of Lent, the Psalm begins to say:

“I will sing of your mercy.”

Mercy received becomes mercy proclaimed

 

Prayer

Lord,
you are rich in mercy.
Fill my heart with gratitude
so that my life may proclaim your truth.

 

TAKING THIS FURTER

Today the connection is actually very beautiful and quite direct.

The Gospel for Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent is John 4:43–54, the healing of the royal official’s son.

Let’s place the two side by side.

 

1. The Antiphon: Proclaiming God’s Mercy

The Psalm says:

I will sing for ever of your mercies, O Lord;
through all ages my mouth will proclaim your truth.

The emphasis here is recognising God’s action and speaking about it.

Mercy experienced becomes testimony.

 

2. The Gospel: A Household That Believes

In the Gospel, a royal official comes to Jesus because his son is dying.

At first Jesus simply says:

“Go; your son will live.”

The man believes the word Jesus spoke and begins the journey home.

Later his servants meet him and confirm that the boy recovered at the exact hour Jesus spoke.

Then something very significant happens:

“He himself believed, along with his whole household.”

 

3. The Connection

Now the Psalm makes sense in light of this story.

The official experiences the mercy of God through Jesus.

What happens next?

That experience spreads.

The whole household comes to faith.

This is exactly what the Psalm describes:

God’s mercy is not meant to remain hidden — it becomes something proclaimed and shared.

 

4. The Journey of Faith

There is also a quiet movement in the Gospel:

1. The official asks for help.
2. He trusts Jesus’ word.
3. He discovers the healing.
4. His whole household believes.

Mercy leads to faith.

Faith leads to proclamation.

 

5. A Lenten Insight

 At the end of the third week of Lent  we saw the prayer:

“God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”

Today as we begin week 4 of Lent , we see what happens when mercy is received.

It creates faith and witness.

The official probably spent the rest of his life telling that story.

In other words, his life became exactly what the Psalm says:

“My mouth will proclaim your truth.”

:

In the Gospel a father experiences the mercy of Jesus when his son is healed. That mercy leads not only to his own faith but to the faith of his whole household. The Psalm invites us to do the same: when we experience God’s mercy, we are moved to proclaim it.

There is something quietly appropriate about this appearing at Communion.

At the Eucharist we receive the greatest sign of God’s mercy. Like the royal official, we are sent back into our lives carrying the story of what God has done.

Mercy received becomes mercy remembered and shared.