Collect for Easter Sunday Year B.

 

COLLECT SERIES

 

The Mass: Collect Series Icon.

COLLECT

 

The Collect for Easter Sunday Year B reads as follows:

O God who on this day,

through Your Only Begotton Son have conquered death, 

and unlocked for us the path to eternity,

 grant, we pray, that we who keep the solemnity of the Lord's Resurrection 

may through the renewal brought by Your Spirit,

 rise up in the light of life 

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. 

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

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

 

1. What does it mean to me that God, through His Son, Jesus has conquered death?
2. How would I explain the presence of death when Christian say that Christ has conquered it?
3. What does it mean to me to have the path of eternity unlocked for me?
4. How am I renewed by the Holy Spirit?
5. What does the Solemnity of Easter day mean and the 50 days of Eastertide?
6. What spiritual plan will I implement for Eastertide?
7. How have my Lenten penances helped me and how will these penances continue to make spiritual progress during Eastertide?

GOSPEL REFLECTION

Jesus is Risen Alleluia.

The Women went to the tomb in grief and yet, they wanted to honour Jesus and give his body a proper burial by anointing with the spices.  They were also practical because in Mark’s Gospel they ask each other ‘who is going to roll the stone away for us’. We would probably have thought the same thing if we were in their shoes.

When they get there, they see an angel who tells them that Christ is Risen and that He would go before them to Galilee.  The Angel also commands them to go and tell the disciples. 

They were stunned and probably shock had set in as well. Remember they were already grieving. So, they were frightened and in Mark’s account did not go and tell the disciples immediately as the angel commanded.

 

What does this Gospel say to us.  When Jesus gives us a mission, a command or a purpose in our lives, do we follow it out immediately or do we dismiss it as our own thoughts, desires or ego.  Do we ignore Jesus when He speaks to us through the angels in our lives.?  They probably thought that the disciples would not believe them.  Even though the disciples except John had all run away at the crucifixion, they would have known that Jesus was crucified. So, if the women had come to them and said that Jesus is alive and has risen would the disciples believed them?  The disciples would have also considered that the women were in grief and although probably not psychologically aware as we are in 2021, they probably had an innate sense of reactions to grief.   After all, what would we have thought in the same situation?  Thankfully we have faith and the Gospel to hear the Good News.  However, the same demand is made- we need to make a choice to believe.

 

 

 

May the blessings and joy of Easter be with you today

and throughout the whole of the next 50 days of Eastertide.

HAPPY EASTER TO YOU ALL.