Collect for 22nd Sunday of Year B:

COLLECT SERIES

The Mass: Collect Series Icon.

COLLECT

The Collect for the 22nd Sunday of Year B reads as follows:

God of might, giver of every good gift,

put into our hearts the love of Your name,

so that, by deepening our sense of reverence,

You may nurture in us what is good,

and by Your watchful care,

keep safe what You have nurtured.

 REFLECTION QUESTIONS

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

1.Name the good gifts God has given you this week/fortnight/month.  (This is particularly useful when we are feeling down and/or life feels on top of us.  It is also useful to do to nurture grace of gratitude.).

2. What does the name of God mean to you?

3. How do you feel when I misuse the name of God and when others misuse it?

4. What can I do when God's name is misused?

5. What does a sense of reverence mean to me- are you fearful what others may think of you when you have a sense of reverence?

6. Name the areas in your life that God has nurtured good in you?  How do you want Him to continue to nurture these areas?

7. How can God keep safe what He has nurtured that is good in me?

GOSPEL REFLECTION

When it comes to God's name being used irreverently, we may feel that we have to keep quiet and cannot speak out.  We may fear what others might say to us if we politely correct them.  So, before you embark on improving this aspect and highlighting in your circle of friends, family, parishioners, colleagues, strangers etc. you may wish to listen carefully to oneself first.  How often do I take the name of the Lord in vain- do i even give it a thought?  Expressions such as OMG comes to mind.

Listen to yourself over a day or two and see what happens? What are the expressions I use myself which are irreverent to God?

During this coming week, why not join me in an experiment:  listen to conversations that we have, with ourselves, family, colleagues at work, watch the TV, read the paper, notice billboards and count up the number of times the name of God and the things of God are spoken or written about irreverently.  Perhaps if this seems too much just focus on one of these areas. 

Then for every time that God's name is irreverently used,  say a prayer- a Glory Be would be great as it praises God or Our Father or Hail Mary or your own prayer. Any prayer that praises God said with love and reverence offers reparation for the sin.  Remember the second commandment

 "' You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.(Deut 5:11) 

Jesus reminds us also  when He said  ''You have heard that it was said to the men of old, "You shall not swear falsely. . But I say to you, Do not swear at all.(Mt 5:33-34).

Jesus in today's Gospel of Mark that we forget the commandments of God and hold on to human traditions. You may wish to check out my thoughts on this Gospel chapter 7 from my Mark Series.  The Gospel also used 14-15,21-23 from chapter 7.

The second reading of James invites us to be doers of the word.  Like James, I invite us to join together to be doers of the word this week in whatever way we can.

Once we have examined our own use of God's name, we may wish to read Compendium of the Catholic Church and revise the Second Commandment.  Examine how it affects you personally as you read it.  Then be prepared to find your own ways to give God's name honour and reverence.

I can tell you a personal story of how I approached it myself.  I take an older lady shopping regularly.  She is not a catholic.  At first, I noticed how many times she used bad language and irreverent use of God's name. I used to cringe and wanted to say something, but thinking that she is not a Catholic and she is an elderly lady, I decided it was inappropriate.  First mistake: Every time someone misuses God''s name, it is belittling God, and the things of God. I , as a Catholic should stand up for what I believe and hold dear.

This went on for some time as I felt weak to say something.  Then one day, I decided, after some prayer on the matter, to say something.  I calmly said "' I would prefer you not to use God's name that way as it is offensive to my beliefs''.  She looked at me with great surprise- I felt sick but also happy. Then the biggest surprise of all- she said "' thank you for stopping me- I have got into a bad habit and have not been able to stop it''.

Years later, I still take that lady shopping and I seldom get an irreverent word from her- an occasional one slips out from time to time. There is always a very quick apology.

So, if we as Catholics do not stand up for what we hold dear ( provided of course we do), then we cannot expect society to take us seriously either.  We must stand up and be counted.

Start of course with ourselves of course because it is often easier to find the splinter in the eye of another and not the plank in our own as Jesus warns us.  However with God's help, this plank can be removed and with our constant love for Him and our efforts through the grace of God.

Perhaps you might like to start something like this or a version of this in your parish- pick an issue which as as parish you can work on together.  It starts with one person- and the ripple effect will take hold.