10th Sunday of Year B Collect Series.

COLLECT SERIES

The Mass Collect series icon.

COLLECT

The Collect of the 10th Sunday of Year B reads as follows:

O God, from whom all good things come,

grant that we, when we call on You in our need,

may at Your prompting discern what is right

and by Your guidance do it.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

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

1. How often do we acknowledge all that God gives us?

2. How might I express gratitude to God and others during this week?

3. What is my prayer life like?  Do I only call on God when I am in need?

4. How does God help us discern what is right?  

5. How does God guide us in doing what is right?

GOSPEL REFLECTION

WHAT IS ORDINARY TIME?

Now that we have completed Christmas, Lent and Eastertide seasons, we start again now into the Ordinary Season of the Year. Of course, Ordinary does not mean it has to be ordinary. We want this Ordinary season to be extraordinary.  What is Ordinary time?

Ordinary Time, or the season in the liturgical calendar outside of Advent, Lent, Christmas and Easter Seasons, is a time when the church focuses on the life and ministry of Jesus.  The season celebrates the mysteries of Christ's life and death and looks to the salvation and eternal life that He brings.

Green represents hope-like the hop we feel when we see the first buds in springtime- and it is fitting that green is the liturgical colour that marks this season.

In the earliest church, most priests probably wore white. The original vesture for Mass in the West was simply the formal attire of Roman gentlemen, which was white. As time went on and Christianity spread, the vestments worn by priests gradually grew more elaborate. The liturgical year developed, and colours came to be associated with different feasts and seasons. These colours varied, however, based on culture, the availability of coloured dyes, and local traditions.

It wasn’t until the early 13th century that Pope Innocent III established four official liturgical colours: green, white, red, and black. Rose and violet (purple) were added in the 16th century, after the Council of Trent. These decrees affirmed colours that were already in use, and probably excluded others that regional churches or dioceses had been using. After the Second Vatican Council, these same colours were kept.  A few countries have additional approved colours due to their own ancient traditions. (Eastern Catholic and Orthodox Churches, for example, are two churches that have their own traditions and colours.)

We will be reading from Mark for the remainder of Ordinary time, although on occasional Sundays, we hear the Gospel of John. Today's Gospel is from Mark3:20-35.   Follow the link to read a reflection on today's Gospel. It is not an easy Gospel to understand in isolation. Reading the section before and after this section gives us the message that there is growing opposition to Jesus from the Pharisees and Sadducees as their power and authority is being perceived by them as being threatened by Jesus. Jesus is not there to threaten their power but to give salvation to all.  May we hear His message as we hear the Gospel read today.

The psalm is also a very well-known one and can be used at any time we wish to pray it.   However, as we pray it, feel the intensity and the mood.  Do we pray with this intensity at all times or only when we need something for ourselves or loved ones?   I particularly love the line: Lord hear my voice.  Sometimes when I am praying for something/someone, there can be moments where i wonder whether God is even hearing me.  This line and the remainder of the verse is always reassuring. Oh let your ears be attentive to the sound of my pleading.

As we begin again Ordinary Time, it is always a good idea to have a stocktake of our spiritual lives.  What is working well and what part of your spiritual life needs urgent attention?  Let us set out your goals and desires through the discernment of Jesus (as our Collect prayer suggests) and let us, through God's guidance do it.

Suggested reflection questions to springboard your thoughts/actions towards a renewed spiritual life during Ordinary time.

1. Review our spiritual life: e.g. prayer life. are we a regular at prayer or only when our need something or are worried?

(b) if we are regular at prayer. then has our prayer become routine.. how will we freshen it and give it new life?  (e.g. change style of prayer/ experiment with different types of prayer styles)

2.What about our sacramental life?  Are we regular in attending Sunday Mass?  What is our attitude when we are at Mass? Are we there because of obligation or because we love Jesus and want to grow in His grace?
(b) are we able to attend weekday Mass at least once during the week?
(c) are we able to attend exposition of the Blessed Sacrament during the week/month? Even if it is not in your parish, it may be held in a parish near you?
(d) What about receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation at least once a month?

3. What help can we provide to those in our family, parish, neighbourhood that are less fortunate than we may be?  How can we share the good that God has given us?
(b) What can we do to encourage our young people to think of others and to share the good God has given them?  (e.g have a family discussion of what they are prepared to do to express their love for God).

We can only change ourselves with the grace of God not others so we need to put our own house in order.  However, in the process of doing that, it does not mean we cannot encourage others as well to try as well.  Every one's journey is different.  Encouragement needs careful, thoughtful words so do think about what and how you encourage another person before doing it as unhelpful words can move a person further away. We can ask Jesus to give us the right words and the right timing for the person we are thinking about, and should the occasion arise naturally, we may have the courage to encourage.

Let us make this Season of Ordinary Time extraordinary.