Fifth Sunday Year A

The Collect of the 5th Sunday of Year A reads as follows:

 

"Keep your family safe. O Lord, with unfailing care,

that, relying soley on the hope of heavenly grace,

they may be defended by your protection".

 

 

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

1. Why do I need to ask God for my safety?
2. What does God's unfailing care mean to me this week?
3. Why do I need to rely soley on the hope of heavenly grace?
4. What does the hope of heavenly grace mean to me?
5. What does it mean to be defended by God's protection?
6. What reasons might I give to someone who asked why does the Church use this Collect  as the Opening Prayer for Mass on the 5th Sunday of Ordinary Time?

Today's Gospel from Matthew offers us some challenges or we may even feel quite challenged and confronted by it.  When a person feels hesitant about himself/herself or about the Church, it is tempting to retreat to a private world, where his/her faith is his/her business and no one else’s.  It is safer or so it seems.  It is riskier putting the lamp on the lamp stand as it might fall and break or we may fear that other people's criticism may break our personal spirit.    But the risk has to be taken if the lamp is to give light…. God’s light.  But radiating God’s light is not just an end in itself.  We need to radiate God’s light, so that others may give glory, not to us, but where the glory truly belongs- Your Father who is in Heaven. 

 

Are you going to be salt of the earth or a light to the world this week in your life? 

 

Of course we need to be seasoned  and salty in our faith if we hope to be salt of the earth to others for God's honour and glory.  That means keeping our own faith flavoursome.  Remember in the time of Jesus, salt was a key ingredient to keep things fresh, seasoned and flavoursome. 

 

Yesterday I had the good fortune of attending a seminar-Thomas Aquinas symposium.  There were 4 fabulous speakers who had different topics related to our faith and what St Thomas said about them.  It took some effort to arrange my calendar and go interstate to attend.  However, today I feel seasoned and refreshed because of all the words presented yesterday I came home with a key point from each presentation that I can apply to my life.  It has not only refreshed my soul but whilst sitting there yesterday listening, I realised what I needed to do to apply them to my life.

 

So we need to continue to nourish our faith, keep the light lit and keep it seasoned and fresh. Sometimes it might mean we spend a retreat day to hear good speakers on faith topics that interest us. Maybe it means attending week day mass with a different attitude- perhaps a more tuned in response to Mass or it might mean we make a decision to dwell on the scripture- either scripture read during the week at Mass or we focus on the Sunday readings and keep them seasoned in our hearts during the week.   Perhaps it might mean seeking out some quiet time in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament.  Whatever you choose, choose something. 

 

Even taking a stocktake of your faith is a great start. It is looking at the stale, the tried and tested which perhaps were relevant for you in earlier years but has become just a habit not a real refreshed help anymore.  It is about being discerning as to what is still refreshing and useful for you and what has just become stale and shows you no more light.

Go to Mass next Sunday knowing that you have tried to live out this Gospel this week.

 

The other challenge is to examine our motivation. It is always lovely to receive compliments and positive feedback. We need to receive this and should accept it graciously. Graciously because it is through the power of God who has made it possible for us to do our task well.  We can thank the person for their kind words but we also can thank God in our hearts as well with a simple Thank you God.

If our ministry or good works is for own honour and glory then it may be wise to think again in the light of today's gospel.  So examining our motivation, attitudes and our way of being is vital if we are to sort out our chaff within ourselves.  Ask the Holy Spirit to show us what we need to see and hear about ourselves this week.

It is interesting to note that World Youth Day in 2002 had as its theme this very Gospel passage.  Perhaps you might like to listen to the theme song from WYD 2002.

 

What will you do to keep your faith refreshed and salty

so that you can be salt of the earth for others? 

 

How will you keep your faith shining brightly as a light to the world this week?