Collect Series Twenty Fifth Sunday of Year C

 Collect Series

The Mass: Collect Series Icon.

 

COLLECT

 

The Collect for the 25th Sunday of Year reads as follows:

 

O God, who founded all the commands of Your sacred Law

upon love of You and of our neighbour,

grant that, by keeping Your precepts,

we may merit to attain eternal life. 

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.    What is the state of my relationship with God right now?
2.    What is my relationship with my neighbour?
3.    What is my relationship with myself- do I love myself as God loves me as a child of God?
4.    What do I need to do to know the precepts of the Catholic Church to make them my own? Do I know them and can apply them in my life?
5.    How badly do I want to attain eternal life?

 

GOSPEL REFLECTION

Luke 16:1–16

This passage might  puzzle us because at first glance it seems as though Jesus is praising dishonesty. In reality, He is commending the steward’s shrewdness—his ability to act decisively in a crisis—not his dishonesty.

The steward realized he was about to lose everything, and so he acted with urgency to secure his future. Jesus points to this as a lesson: if people can be so resourceful for worldly survival, how much more should disciples be intentional and creative in pursuing the Kingdom of God. We are called to use wisely what has been entrusted to us—our time, talents, and even material wealth—not to cling to them, but to invest them in what truly lasts: relationships of love, justice, and faithfulness.

Jesus then contrasts “the children of this world” with “the children of light.” The former act with determination for temporary gain, while the latter sometimes act half-heartedly toward eternal life. The challenge here is to bring the same energy, planning, and dedication to our spiritual life as we might to our career, finances, or hobbies.

He also reminds us that money and possessions are a test of faithfulness. If we cannot be trustworthy in small things like earthly wealth, how can God entrust us with the true riches of His Kingdom? This is not simply about honesty but about where our loyalty lies: “You cannot serve both God and mammon.”

Finally, verses 14–16 show the Pharisees sneering at Jesus because they loved money. Jesus warns them—and us—that God knows the heart. What people glorify is often meaningless before God. The Kingdom requires single-heartedness: to seek God first, with everything else falling into its rightful place.

This gospel then invites us to consider how we may apply it personally. We may wish to:

Personal Application

• Examine my priorities: Where do I put my best energy—into things that pass away, or into what is eternal?
• Be resourceful for the Kingdom: Use my gifts, creativity, and even my material resources to build up others and draw them toward Christ.
• Choose your master: Money can be a tool, but it is never the goal. Jesus asks for an undivided heart.
• Act decisively: Like the steward, recognize the urgency of life. Eternity is at stake—let us not procrastinate in responding to God’s call.
• Being Faithful: It is in the daily moments and choices we make that we develop our spiritual muscle and build good habits so that we can draw on this fruit of the Holy Spirit when required.   It becomes part of who we are.  It  is in the daily choices of doing the small tasks  well with love for Jesus and our neighbour in our hearts. Teaching our children to do the small tasks well for the right reason of showing love for God and our neighbour is helping them develop their spiritual muscle.  Want to know more about the fruit of faithfulness. You may wish to explore more here in my Come Holy Spirit series.

 

In short: The steward was shrewd in preparing for the future. Jesus invites us to be just as intentional, not for earthly security, but for eternal life with God.