Collect for First Sunday Advent Year C

 COLLECT SERIES

the Mass; Collect Series Icon.

The Collect for the First Sunday of Advent Year C reads as follows:

 

Grant your faithful, we pray, Almighty God,

the resolve to run forth to meet your Christ

with righteous deeds at his coming,

so that, gathered at his right hand,

they may be worthy to possess the heavenly Kingdom.

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 for during the week the following reflection questions emerged:

 

1. As we begin Advent, what is my resolve spiritually?

2. How do we intend to carry out my resolve during Advent- what is my plan?

3. How do I want to meet Christ at Christmas in a different way than last year?

4. Take time to make a spiritual stock take and consider my current level of spirituality and what areas I need to address?

5. What righteous deeds might I carry out this coming week that will be pleasing to God?

 

 

GOSPEL REFLECTION

 

The First Sunday of Advent marks the new Liturgical Year, and the Church shifts into a new Lectionary Cycle for Sundays, with 2021-22 from Year C, the Gospel of St. Luke. In the Sunday Gospel (Luke 21:25-28, 34-36) Jesus invites us to recognize the signs of the last days. We are reminded therefore that  Advent not only looks back at the first coming of Christ at Christmas, but our it is our opportunity for our own personal preparation for His Second Coming: "Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man."

The traditional Collect of the last Sunday of the Church year began "Stir up the wills of Thy faithful people, we beseech Thee, O Lord..." With this request to God to "stir up" our wills, this day was traditionally called Stir-Up Sunday.
"Stir-Up Sunday" can now be the First Sunday of Advent. The traditional Collect of the First Sunday is asking God to stir up His might: "Stir up Thy might, we beg Thee, and come."  Our updated Collect invites us to have the resolve- again stirring us into action.

Many families create a traditional plum pudding or fruit cake or some other recipe that all the family and guests can "stir-up." This activity of stirring-up the ingredients is symbolic of our hearts that must be stirred in preparation for Christ's birth.

What needs stirring in my heart this Advent?  How will I stand ready and stay awake?