COLLECT SERIES
COLLECT
The Mass: Collect Series Icon.
The Collect for the 19th
Sunday of Year B reads as follows:
Almighty
and ever-living God,
whom,
taught by the Holy Spirit,
we
dare to call God our Father,
bring,
we pray, to perfection to our hearts,
the
spirit of adoption as Your sons and daughters,
that
we may merit to enter into the inheritance
which
you have promised.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
In making this Collect
Prayer tangible the following reflection questions emerged:
1.What does calling God our
Father mean to me?
2.Why do I want to pray
for the spirit of adoption as God's children?
3. What does it mean to me
to be a son or daughter of God? What difference will it make in my life this
coming week?
4.Why do I want to merit
Heaven as the inheritance to which I have been promised?
5. What area in my life will
I change this week with God's help ? How I will be a better person by next
Sunday?
GOSPEL REFLECTION
Today's readings are very
helpful to us. In the first reading, Elijah had reached his limit. He had
had enough and told God so. He just wanted to die. I dont know about you,
but there are plenty of times in my life where i have said almost those same
words "God, I have had enough". I may not have voiced the second
phrase, but there are times when dying would have been a great way out at the
time.
However, as we see in the
reading, and hopefully in our lives as well, that God provides for our
weakness, provides us with strength and courage to continue when things are
tough and at times places the right person in our path to help us. We need to
be faithful and persevere and know that God is with us in every moment of
every day. We are a child of God who has been promised the inheritance.
Are we going to merit it or give up?
We don’t need to give up or
lose courage. Jesus tells us in the Gospel today, that He is the bread of
life. In other words, Jesus provides us with food for the journey- not
just any food but Himself under the appearance of bread and wine. We can
go to Mass daily or as often as we can to hear the word of God and to
receive Him in communion.
At Mass, the readings
provide the word of how we are to live. Take for instance the second reading
today. It is quite clear that we are not meant to call each other names or be
jealous. No, we are to walk in love with Jesus by our side. We do not need
to be afraid, lose heart, lack courage as Jesus loves us and, as His children
God will provide for all our needs. Not only, that, when we receive Jesus
in communion, we are together with Him - in union. If we are in union
with God every time,we receive Eucharist at Mass, then all of our weaknesses,
flaws, anxieties, fears etc can be given to Him. We can walk in
courage and faith knowing in hope that Jesus is there always.
So put Jesus first place in
your life every day. Make Jesus your no 1 of your heart and mind.
May you continue to walk the
journey in love and when discouragement and problems come, call out to God,
knowing that He will give your courage and encouragement. God will provide.
May
you have a blessed week
