COLLECT SERIES
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The Mass: Collect Series. |
COLLECT SERIES
COLLECT
The Collect for the Twenty Eighth Year B reads as follows:
May Your Grace, O Lord, we pray,
At all times go before us and
follow after
And make us always determined
To carry out good works.
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 Grace?
2. How has God’s grace been with you
this last week?
3. What areas in my life need God’s
grace to go before me this coming week?
4. How can I be a gift of God’s grace
to my family, parishioners, work colleagues and to all I meet this coming week?
5. Am I determined to carry out good
works this coming week?
6. What good works will I carry out
through God’s grace this coming week?
.
GOSPEL REFLECTION
The Gospel is from St Mark 10:17-30. This Gospel
teaches us:
1. Come to Jesus with our problems. Jesus is ready to listen.
2.Over attachment to worldly goods is a big obstacle to entering
Heaven. In our modern day we talk about decluttering so we can be freer. Jesus
gives us today in the Gospel a very good reason to not only declutter our homes
but more importantly declutter our souls in the sacrament of Reconciliation.
Jesus will set us free.
3. Have an open heart and keep the commandments but to be a closer
follower of Jesus- to have a true relationship with Him.
4. Value the goal and be determined to live a life worthy of
eternal life in this world. Do we want
to be like the rich man and be so attached to our life here on earth that we do
nothing to prepare for our eternal life?
We are on earth to live but to live with a purpose, to live for eternal
life. Being with God in Heaven is our goal. The price may be high at times in
what Jesus asks of us. Are you willing to pay the price for the sake of eternal
life?
Mark 10:17-30 recounts the
story of the rich young man who approaches Jesus, asking what he must do to
inherit eternal life. Jesus first reminds him of the commandments, which the
man claims to have followed since his youth. Then, Jesus challenges him to go
further by selling all he owns, giving the money to the poor, and following
Him. The man leaves saddened because he has many possessions. Jesus uses this
moment to teach His disciples about the difficulty for the rich to enter the
kingdom of God, comparing it to a camel passing through the eye of a needle.
The passage concludes with a promise: those who give up everything for Jesus
and the gospel will receive even more in this life and eternal life in the age
to come.
This passage invites a deep reflection on attachment to wealth and
the demands of discipleship. The young man’s question—“What must I do to
inherit eternal life?”—reveals a desire for something more than just following
the rules. Jesus’ response goes beyond the letter of the law and asks for a
radical commitment: to give up material wealth and follow Him.
At the heart of this story is the challenge of prioritizing God
over earthly possessions. The rich man’s sadness reveals how deeply he is bound
by his wealth. Jesus' call to sell everything and give to the poor is not just
about giving up money; it's about freeing oneself from attachments that hinder
a complete relationship with God. The wealth in the story symbolizes anything
that keeps us from fully surrendering to God's will—be it status, comfort,
security, or even self-sufficiency.
But the passage does not end in despair. When the disciples ask,
"Who then can be saved?" Jesus’ response is one of hope: “With man
this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” This
highlights the necessity of God’s grace in salvation—it is not something we can
earn or achieve on our own.
Finally, the promise of reward for those who give up everything to
follow Jesus is profound. It assures us that the sacrifices made for the sake
of the Gospel are not in vain. Jesus promises that those who surrender their
attachments in this life will receive abundant blessings—both in this life and
in the life to come. However, these blessings are not necessarily material;
they include spiritual richness, community, and the joy of living in alignment
with God’s purpose.
APPLICATION OF THE GOSPEL
Detachment from Wealth: This story invites us to
examine what we are attached to—whether wealth, comfort, or other
securities—and consider how they might be hindering our relationship with God.
It challenges us to ask, “What am I unwilling to give up for the sake of
following Jesus?”
Faith Over Security: In a world where financial
security is often equated with success, this passage reminds us that true
security comes from reliance on God, not our wealth or achievements.
Radical Discipleship: Jesus' call to “follow me”
asks for a radical kind of discipleship, one that may require great personal
sacrifice. However, it also promises a rich reward, both in this life and in
the life to come.
God’s Grace: Ultimately, this passage points to the
necessity of God’s grace in our lives. It is through His power, not our
efforts, that we enter the kingdom of God.
Today’s Gospel therefore reminds us
that the true Christian, a true follower of Christ whose principal purpose in
life is to serve God, will not overburden himself/ herself with unnecessary pieces of luggage; instead he/she
will travel light and be ever ready to help others also to carry their burdens.
The other aspect of travelling light is
not carrying the burden of sin with us.
Jesus is wanting to be merciful to us.
However, we can come to God each
day and ask His forgiveness. We can
prepare too for that encounter in the Sacrament by being ready for the
sacrament. We may want to really take a
good look at ourselves in the light of the Gospel and in the light of this
Gospel.
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