Collect for 13th Sunday Ordinary Time

COLLECT SERIES. 

The Collect for the 13th Sunday of Year A reads as follows:

O God, who through the grace of adoption chose us to be children of light,

grant, we pray, that we may not be wrapped in the darkness of error

but always be seen to stand in the bright light of truth.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God, for ever and ever.

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

1.    What does the grace of adoption mean to me?

2.    How have I chosen to be a child of the light in this last week?

3.    How will choose to be a child of God and live in His light this week?

4.    How self-aware of my fragilities, weaknesses, and sinfulness?

5.    In what ways will I repent this week and ask God’s forgiveness?

6.    In what areas of my life am I still wrapped in the darkness of error?

7.    What resolve do I need to make about standing in the bright light of truth?.

 

 GOSPEL REFLECTION

This passage is a profound teaching of Jesus Christ, where He delineates the essence of discipleship and underlines the principle of hospitality.

The first part of the passage establishes the concept of self-sacrifice in the path of discipleship. When Jesus says, "Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me," He is referring to a metaphorical cross that each of us must carry. This involves accepting and enduring the challenges, hardships, and personal sacrifices that may come with following Christ's teachings. It is an invitation to place the spiritual journey and the

pursuit of righteousness above our personal desires and comfort.

The passage then delves into a paradoxical statement about life: "Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it." This can be seen as a call to shift our focus from materialistic and temporal gains to a more transcendent understanding of life that includes service, sacrifice, and spiritual growth. Those who 'lose' their life by dedicating it to Christ's teachings will, paradoxically, 'find' a deeper, more

meaningful existence.

In the second part of the passage, the emphasis is on the virtue of hospitality and the reciprocal nature of kindness. Christ teaches that the act of welcoming His disciples is tantamount to welcoming Him and God the Father, implying the interconnectedness of all those who pursue righteousness. The reference to giving a cup of cold water to one of the little ones stresses the importance of even the smallest act of kindness. It underscores that rewards in the Kingdom of Heaven are not solely based on grand acts but also on simple, everyday acts of love and kindness.

In summary, this passage from Matthew encapsulates the essence of Christian discipleship: it demands self-sacrifice and self-denial, values spiritual and eternal gains over material ones, and emphasizes the significance of hospitality and kindness, even in the smallest of actions.