Collect for 21st Sunday Year B

 COLLECT SERIES.

The Mass: Collect Series Icon.

COLLECT

The Collect for the Twenty First Sunday Year B reads as follows:

O God, who cause the minds of the faithful to unite in a single purpose,

Grant your people to love what You command

and to desire what You promise,

that, amid the uncertainties of this world,

our hearts may be fixed on that place where true gladness is found.

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 is the single purpose that God is causing in my mind?
2. What are the commands of God that I need to love this coming week?
3. How will l live out these commands?
4. What does God promise?  What does God promise me this coming week?
5. What are the uncertainties, concerns, anxieties, worries that pull my heart away from God?
6. How will I keep my heart fixed on God this coming week? 

 

 

GOSPEL REFLECTION

The Gospel for today is from Mk 6: 60-69.   This Gospel is in the context of Jesus telling his listeners about the Eucharist and teaching them about His real presence.  Just as many of His listeners turned away since they did not have sufficient faith to believe- they could not accept that Jesus would give them His own body and blood to eat and drink, we too can suffer the same fate as them and turn away from Jesus.

 

This gospel is therefore a wonderful opportunity to consider what is our own attitude to the Eucharist.  We may wish to ponder:

1. Do we receive communion with desire to receive Jesus body, blood, soul and divinity into our body, mind and spirit? 
2. Do we receive communion with our earthly concerns on our mind or unthinkingly?
3. What have we experienced during a lockdown when we were not able to receive Jesus sacramentally- did we hunger for Jesus, feel deprived, long to receive Him again sacramentally?
4. What difference has making a spiritual communion made during lockdown when we were not able to receive Jesus sacramentally? 

What we really need to ask ourselves is I think, can we say like, Peter: Lord, who else do we turn to, You have the words of everlasting life.

 

Hopefully, we will turn to Jesus this week first before we engage in worry, anxiety and stress and with an act of faith in Jesus in our hearts say each day/during the morning, during the afternoon or evening or on the hour”

 

 Lord who shall we turn to, You have the Words of everlasting life.