Collect Series: 31st Sunday of Ordinary Time Year B

COLLECT SERIES

 

The Mass: Collect Series Icon

COLLECT 

The Collect for the Thirty First Year B reads as follows:

Almighty and merciful God,

by whose gift Your faithful offer You right and praiseworthy service,
grant, we pray, that we may hasten without stumbling

to receive the things You have promised.
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 right and faithful service to God mean to me?

2. How will I give God right and faithful service this coming week?

3. What are the things God has promised that I would receive?

4. What are the stumbling blocks which hinder me from fully receiving all the promises that God wants to provide to me?

5. Which of these stumbling blocks in my life will I commit to changing this coming week?

6. Devise a plan/programme for a week/month to work on this area of change.

7. How will I be a better person by next Sunday?

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 GOSPEL REFLECTION

 The Gospel is from St Mark 12:28-34. This Gospel teaches us:

1. The importance of love of God

2. The importance of love of neighbour.

Mark 12:28-34 is a beautiful summary of Jesus’ teachings on love and relationship, where He reveals the heart of God’s commandments. In this passage, a scribe asks Jesus which commandment is the greatest, and Jesus responds by quoting two commands from the Old Testament that form the essence of the Gospel: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength," and "Love your neighbour as yourself."

Jesus emphasizes that the entirety of the law is fulfilled in love—first, a deep, personal love for God, and second, a compassionate love for others. This teaching isn't just a guideline but a call to transform how we live and relate to the world. Loving God with all that we are requires more than religious rituals; it demands surrender, devotion, and daily alignment of our lives with God’s will. Similarly, loving our neighbour means we are to respect, support, and seek justice for others with the same care we would want for ourselves.

 

Practical Application.

From a Catholic perspective, the call to love is rooted in both our relationship with God and how we treat one another. Here are some practical ways to live out this teaching today:

 

1.    Daily Prayer and Sacramental Life: Making time each day to connect with God in prayer, attend Mass, or spend time in Eucharistic adoration is a practical way to nurture our love for God. This spiritual grounding helps us to listen for God’s guidance in all our actions. If we cannot attend Mass in person  every day, why not attend Mass online and/or spend some time in Eucharistic adoration.  Yes it is different attending Mass online, as we do not get the opportunity to receive Jesus in the Eucharist.  However we can make this an opportunity to make a spiritual communion.  It can make us long for Jesus more and help us reflect on the Eucharist.  Again, Eucharistic adoration is different online, but setting aside the time and trying your best to focus as best you can is worthwhile. Jesus sees our efforts and will help you in the way we need.  It is better to try and do this in order to develop our sacramental life than just say I can’t go to Mass or adoration.  There are many places where you can find online Masses. Find one that suits you.  Here is a link for my parish at St Benedicts Parish Burwood.

https://www.youtube.com/stbenedictsburwood

You can  also find the 24/7 Eucharistic adoration.

2. Acts of Service: Showing love for our neighbours means moving beyond words to actions. Volunteer at a local shelter, visit the sick or elderly, participate in parish initiatives, or advocate for social justice issues. Serving others directly demonstrates the love Jesus speaks of. Also, we need to consider that Jesus is often in front of us in those we meet or in close contact such as family or close neighbours. The gift of time to be with a person compassionately is worth so much.  For example, my circumstances have changed dramatically and my situation is overwhelming.  I was actually feeling quite blue, when a friend of mine rang and asked whether I would like to have a coffee.  I cant tell you how beautiful that moment was. She had no idea how I was feeling and yet, God in his goodness, prompted her to ring me. It lifted my spirits significantly and I was able to cope for the rest of that day.

3. Forgiveness and Reconciliation: Jesus calls us to forgive as we have been forgiven. Practicing forgiveness, especially within our families and communities, is a powerful testament to God's love. Regularly seeking reconciliation through the sacrament of Confession is another way to maintain a heart open to God and others.

4. Care for Creation: Pope Francis, in ‘Laudato Si', reminds us that love for God includes stewardship of His creation. We can embody this love by making small choices that protect the environment—reducing waste, conserving energy, and supporting eco-friendly practices.

5. Practicing Compassion and Respect in Everyday Interactions: Whether it’s in our workplaces, online interactions, or personal relationships, we’re called to treat each person with respect and empathy. Listening to others with an open heart and seeking to understand their struggles without judgment can reflect Christ’s love.

6. Living Simply and Giving Generously: We can live out love for God by letting go of excess and sharing our resources with those in need. This might mean donating to charitable organizations, offering financial support to struggling families, or simply making time for those who need our attention and care. Sometimes letting go of things is difficult because it has emotional attachment.  Learning to let go is difficult. For some people it is easier because of their personality and also life experience whilst for others it is incredibly difficult for the same reasons- personality and life experience. I find it incredibly difficult. So if you are wanting to make this change to living simply and giving generously, then maybe start with one item that has no or little emotional attachment and something that has not been used for 10 years/5 years.. put a time line on the object.  Ask yourself when deciding:

1. Do I love it?  Give it a mark out of 10 for how much love you have for that object.
2. Do I need it?

3. Do I use it? Not will I use it.. but do I use it.  If you are unsure test it by putting it on your bench and give yourself a fortnight/month.  If you have not used it in a month then the chances of you really using it are significantly less.

4. If I let go of it, then will it be useful be to someone else? How do I feel about someone else benefiting from me letting go of it.   

Once you decide to let it go, then put it in a bag and put it in the boot of the car so that it is already out of the home and ready for its new owner.  Say a prayer for the new owner of the object and maybe like myself, I give the object a little hug to thank it for the use I had of that object. Giving it a warm farewell might sound silly but it works in the letting go process especially as I am one of those people who find letting go of things difficult.

Start on something that is easier in the process of letting go and warm up to more emotional things unless you are able to go cold turkey.  I have not been able to manage that myself but I wish you all the best in this process of letting go.

A Modern Witness of Faith

Living out this Gospel calls us to be counter-cultural, especially in a world where individualism and materialism are prevalent. Jesus’ message invites us to embrace simplicity, generosity, and compassion, becoming witnesses to His love in our daily lives. When we live with this love at the forefront, we not only fulfill the greatest commandment, but also draw others to the beauty of a life lived with purpose and connection to God.