Opening Prayer Series: Collect 3rd Sunday of Year B

The Collect for the Third Sunday of Year B reads as follows:

Let us pray,

Almighty and ever-living God,

direct our actions according to Your good pleasure,

that in the name of Your Beloved Son 

we may abound in good works.

through our Lord Jesus Christ Your son,

who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit 

one God for ever and ever.

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

1. Why do I wish to pray that God dircts my actions this coming week?
2. What actions in my life need God's direction?
3. What specifc actions in my life will I work on with God's assistance this coming week?
4. Why do I need to direct my actions to God's good pleasure?
5. Define what ''good works"' means to me?
6. How will abound in good works in my family, workplace, parish and those I meet this coming week?

In the opening two sentences of today's Gospel we are given two clues: (1)John had been arrested and (2) Jesus proclaims the Good News from God.  In this opening sentence, with John's arrest, John's task of pointing the way to Jesus is over and now, Jesus begins His mission, not just any mission, but to proclaim the Good News from God. The message Jesus proclaimed to His listeners is just as relevant amd stark today as it was then '' Repent and believe the Good News".  We are to do this, not because we feel like it or it is fashionable but remember the second sentence "There He proclaimed the Good News from God".   So we have a choice to follow God's advice or ignore it at our own peril.

 

We also need to consider God's message to us '' Repent and believe the Good News".  Repentance is not just going to confession and then forgetting all about God's message until the next time we participate in the sacrament of Reconciliation. No, one we have repented, we are given the task to believe the Good News.  This requires us to know what the Good News is. We may need to take some time to study the Good News and lovingly come to know God more. Then as we are given greater understanding, then we can take the next step to believe.  The point is, wherever we are at in our lives today as we hear this Gospel, we have the choice to "'Repent and believe the Good News".

The third aspect of the Gospel is the calling of the disciples. They hear the call of Jesus and leave their employment to follow Him. Again these disciples, like us had to make a choice. They could have said '' no or not now Lord''. They heard the call and answered it.  

 

We too need to hear the call, but we need to be listening as well and provide an environment which enhances the possibility of us hearing the call.  We need to remember in our prayer time that we have two ears and one mouth.  This is easy to forget when we have alot to share with our loving God. I have been guilty of this lately with so many life changing decisions to be made in my life that I have been yakking and yakking and yakking with Jesus. I have to remind myself to stop and listen and wait for the answer.

Let us make a resolve this week to " Repent and believe the Good News" and to be listening with our heart to hear the  call Jesus may give us.