Collect for Solemnity of Epiphany of the Lord

 

COLLECT SERIES
 

The Mass: Collect Series Icon

COLLECT

 

T

The Collect for Solemnity of Epiphany of The Lord reads as follows:

O God, who on this day

revealed Your Only Begotten Son to the nations by the guidance of a star,

Grant in Your mercy that we, who know You already by faith,

May be brought to behold the beauty of Your sublime glory.

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.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

In making this prayer tangible the following reflection questions emerged:

 

1.              What does the Solemnity of the Epiphany mean to me?

How does God reveal Himself to me?

Do I long to behold God’s glory?

How will I increase my longing for God and the things of God through this week/year?

How will I adore the Lord this coming week/this year? ( Eg set aside a regular time each day/week at exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.  If you are not able to do it in person use the one exposition of the Blessed Sacrament which is 24/7.

How will I keep the message of Christmas alive each day during this year?

 

 GOSPEL REFLECTION

The 3 Kings adoring the Incarnate Baby.

Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Epiphany. "The Lord and ruler is coming; kingship is his, and government and power." With these words, the Church proclaims that today's feast brings to a perfect fulfillment all the purposes of Advent. Epiphany, therefore, marks the liturgical zenith of the Advent-Christmas season.

Epiphany means manifestation. What the Church celebrates today is the manifestation of our Lord to the whole world; after being made known to the shepherds of Bethlehem He is revealed to the Magi who have come from the East to adore Him. Christian tradition has ever seen in the Magi the first fruits of the Gentiles; they lead in their wake all the peoples of the earth, and thus the Epiphany is an affirmation of universal salvation. St. Leo brings out this point admirably in a sermon, read at Matins, in which he shows in the adoration of the Magi the beginnings of Christian faith, the time when the great mass of the heathen sets off to follow the star which summons it to seek its Saviour.

The gospel is from Matthew 2: 1-12.  We see the Magi arriving from the East to do homage to the Incarnate babe of Bethlehem.  They recognise Him because of the signs they were shown and they acted on the signs.  They did not just see the star and that’ that’s nice or that is unusual and then get on with their lives. No, they recognised it as something unusual and they came to do Jesus homage.  We might ask ourselves ‘are we like the Magi’ who recognize the signs of God and act upon them and them action or will we make the resolve for the to look out for the signs of God in our lives and go and do Him homage.

 

What about Herod in this Gospel account?  He probably did want to give God homage at some level but his obsession with his own power made him feel threatened when the Magi arrived asking ‘Where is the newborn king of the Jews’?

He took action to protect his authority by summoning the Magi to a meeting to find out about his perceived enemy in his mind.  However, Herod had made up his mind that the newborn King was a threat to him.  He did not allow the information that the Magi gave him sway his made-up mind even though this information had the potential to change his heart and his perceived fear would have been dispersed.

 

We may wish to ask ourselves how we react when we have a perceived idea of something or more importantly someone?  Is our perceived idea of this person correct or if we were given different information, would it change our minds?  How do we feel when we feel threatened by position of power, of status?  Perhaps someone at work threatens our livelihood or our status in the office. Herod was not interested in changing his attitude but plotting and making his position more secure. What have we done in the past and what attitude will we change this year?

 

This Solemnity therefore challenges us to ask ourselves 

Will we be a Herod in our attitude or

will we seek out God in our lives and look for the signs and follow Him to adore Him?

 

 

 

Collect for Feast of Holy Family Year C

 COLLECT SERIES

The Mass: Collect Series Icon

COLLECT 

 

The Collect for the Feast of the Holy Family Year C reads as follows:

 

O God, who were pleased to give us the shining example of the Holy Family,

graciously grant that we may imitate them in practicing the virtues of family life

and in the bonds of charity,

and so, in the joy of your house, delight one day in eternal rewards.

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:

 

What does the feast of the Holy Family mean to me?

What is the shining example of the Holy Family?

What virtues of family life and bonds of charity will my family practice this coming year?

How will my family celebrate this great feast?

How will my parish family acknowledge and celebrate this great feast?

 

 

GOSPEL REFLECTION

 

ABOUT THE FEAST OF HOLY FAMILY

 The devotion to the Holy Family was born in Bethlehem, together with the Baby Jesus. The shepherds went to adore the Child and, at the same time, they gave honour to His family. Later, in a similar way, the three wise men came from the East to adore and give honour to the newborn King with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh that would be safeguarded by His family.

We can go further to affirm that in a certain sense Christ, Himself, was the first devotee of His family. He showed His devotion to His mother and foster father by submitting Himself, with infinite humility, to the duty of filial obedience towards them. This is what St Bernard of Clairvaux said in this regard, ‘God, to whom angels submit themselves and who principalities and powers obey, was subject to Mary; and not only to Mary but Joseph also for Mary’s sake [….]. God obeyed a human creature; this is humility without precedent. A human creature commands God; it is sublime beyond measure.’ (First Homily on the ‘Missus Est’).

Today’s celebration demonstrates Christ’s humility and obedience with respect to the fourth commandment, whilst also highlighting the loving care that His parents exercised in His keeping. The servant of God, Pope John Paul II, in 1989, entitled his Apostolic Exhortation, ‘Redemptoris Custos’ (Guardian of the Redeemer) which was dedicated to the person and the mission of Saint Joseph in the life of Christ and of the Church. After exactly a century, he resumed the teaching of Pope Leo XIII, for who Saint Joseph ‘...shines among all mankind by the most august dignity, since by divine will, he was the guardian of the Son of God and reputed as His father among men’ (Encyclical Quamquam Pluries [1889] n. 3). Pope Leo XIII continued,‘... Joseph became the guardian, the administrator, and the legal defender of the divine house whose chief he was.[…] It is, then, natural and worthy that as the Blessed Joseph ministered to all the needs of the family at Nazareth and girt it about with his protection, he should now cover with the cloak of his heavenly patronage and defend the Church of Jesus Christ.’ Not many years before, blessed Pope Pius IX had proclaimed Saint Joseph, ‘Patron of the Catholic Church’ (1870)

Almost intuitively, one can recognize that the mysterious, exemplary, guardianship enacted by Joseph was conducted firstly, in a yet more intimate way, by Mary. Consequently, the liturgical feast of the Holy Family speaks to us of the fond and loving care that we must render to the Body of Christ. We can understand this in a mystical sense, as guardians of the Church, and also in the Eucharistic sense. Mary and Joseph took great care of Jesus’ physical body. Following their example, we can and must take great care of His Mystical Body, the Church, and the Eucharist which He has entrusted to us. If Mary was, in some way, ‘the first tabernacle in history’ (John Paul II Ecclesia de Eucharistia, n. 55) then we the Tabernacle in which Our Lord chose to reside in person, in His Real Presence, was also entrusted to us. We can learn from Mary and Joseph! What would they ever have overlooked in the care of Jesus’ physical body? Is there something, therefore, that we can withhold for the right and adoring care of His Eucharistic Body? No amount of attention, no sane act of love and adoring respect will ever be too much! On the contrary, our adoration and respect will always be inferior to the great gift that comes to us in the Holy Eucharist.

Looking at the Holy Family, we see the love, the protection, and the diligent care that they gave to the Redeemer. We can not fail to feel uneasiness, perhaps a shameful thought, for the times in which we have not rendered the appropriate care and attention to the Blessed Eucharist. We can only ask for forgiveness and do penance for all the sacrilegious acts and the lack of respect that are committed in front of the Blessed Eucharist. We can only ask the Lord, through the intersession of the Holy Family of Nazareth, for a greater love for their Son Incarnate, who has decided to remain here on earth with us every day until the end of time.

Taken from www.catholicculture.org

 

 

Happy Christmas.

 

Happy Christmas to all my readers. 

I hope that you receive all the blessings that God has in store for you 

during this blessed season of Christmas- Christmastide.

There is a lot of ponder and contemplate during the Christmas season which starts today on Christmas Day and ends liturgically on Presentation of the Lord ( February 2).  However, most churches end the Christmas season on either solemnity of Epiphany ( when the crib goes away for another year back into storage) or some continue on for another week for Baptism of Our Lord.

Like Advent, Christmastide is a relatively short season.  It can pass with a blink of an eye. 

Why not decide to review your advent goals spiritually and see if any of them need tweeking or decide on a new plan for Christmastide.  In making goals of course, they need to be achievable, so sometimes setting one goal  or perhaps two and working with those goals can be a better course of action.  What ever works for you  in your own unique circumstances is the best course of action.

So perhaps before you go to Mass today or you make some time today plan your Christmastide goals spiritually.   It is such a lovely season and it is this solemnity that we need to hold in our hearts all the year.

My heart goes out to those people in countries where Christmas is not going to be celebrated because of restrictions.  I remembered you in my prayers at Mass today.  I feel your pain.  I remember how I felt when we were in lockdown and could not attend the triduum in person.  It was so very painful spiritually.  I can feel that pain for you not being able attend  Christmas Masses or celebrate Christmas in the way you wish.  

Perhaps for those of us who can celebrate make an effort to do something for our fellow readers who cannot attend church or celebrate at this time.
Suggestions might include:  

• Attend Masses during Christmastide for them.
• Make A visit to Church and pray in front of the crib for them.
• Say a rosary each day in Christmastide.
• Compose a family prayer and say it before meals or sometime during the day with the family to remember people in other countries.  This would be especially important to help children understand that not all children will be playing with toys and having as much fun.  Creating this awareness and helping them think of other people in the world is a great lesson to teach.
• Do something that you wish to do.  

Whether we are near or far, we can always help others in some way.  We all loved to be remembered, to be though of  and be supported.  We can do something for our fellow pilgrims to let them know that God loves them and although they may not be able to celebrate as they wish, we are praying for them and thinking of them.

Personally it was a busy Christmas as I was singing at 3 Masses. It is exhausting too and physically taxing and I felt it a little more this year because my country has had extended lockdown throughout the year.  Obviously I practise regularly singing but it is not quite the same as singing regularly in church every Sunday and attending choir rehearsal weekly.
The voice stays in trim.  However I woke with my usual Christmas eve sore throat.  I was prepared as this happens to me most years.  It makes for a committed effort especially as I was singing O Holy Night as well as a solo.

Anyway,  although the congregation had to wear masks again after a short period of being free of them, it was still good to sing the carols.

May your Christmastide season be truly blessed and 

may we all grow in holiness and love of God who was born for us to save us.

Collect for Fourth Sunday Advent Year C

COLLECT SERIES

 

Advent wreath: Fourth Sunday Advent.

COLLECT

 

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

 

O God, who through the child-bearing of the holy Virgin

graciously revealed the radiance of your glory to the world,

grant, we pray, that we may venerate with integrity of faith

the mystery of so wondrous an Incarnation

 and always celebrate it with due reverence.

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.

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

 

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

 

1.What is my relationship with Mary as mother?

2. What does the Incarnation- the birth of Christ mean to me this Christmas?

3. How do my celebrations of Christmas exhibit due reverence?

4. How can I prepare spiritually for Christmas during this last week of Advent?

5. Make a review of Advent and make a spiritual resolve for Christmastide season.  Remember that Christmastide is a quick season from Christmas Day to Epiphany (about 12 days approx.).  Make Christmastide season count.

 

GOSPEL REFLECTION.

This Gospel from St Luke 1:39-44 highlights Elizabeth (cousin of Mary) and St John the Baptist (in the womb) recognising the Messiah whom Mary was carrying as an expectant mother.  It also highlights Elizabeth’s due reverence and faith and shows her gratitude to Mary for accepting the role of being the ‘mother of my Lord’.

The longer version of the Gospel gives Mary’s response to Elizabeth in the form of Magnificat.  However, it is as though the Church wants our attention to focus on Elizabeth- she was initially barren- something which was a huge disappointment in those days not to be able to have a child.

Then even though she was past child bearing years, she was able to conceive.  Her husband Zechariah doubted and was silence by archangel Gabriel. So Elizabeth had to deal with not only being pregnant in advanced years but her husband being struck dumb for the whole pregnancy.

She also recognises in this encounter how John the Baptist in the womb leapt for joy also.  This is a meeting of John and Jesus in utero for the first time and even at 6 months in utero, John was able to recognise the Messiah- perhaps the  words’ Look there is the lamb of God’ which he said later were formed at that moment in the womb too.

 

The question we need to ask ourselves too I think is how do we react to meeting Christ.and/or Mary?  We can speak with them anytime 24/7 in any place.  We meet Christ in the eucharist- He is truly present.  Do we spend those precious moments at communion time being in communion? Are we like John the Baptist and our souls leap for joy.

Every time we pray we are communing with Jesus and/or with Mary.  We especially speak with her through the Rosary.  Do we talk with our mother every day either in a formal prayer ( such as the Rosary) or spontaneously as son/daughter to our spiritual mother.

 

During this week in the busyness of our preparations for this great feast, why not try to spend a few moments each day reflecting on this Gospel.  There is a lot to offer in this Gospel especially if we sit with it.

 

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?

 

Happy New Year- Year C

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Advent Wreath.

 

It is the start of the new liturgical year - Year C and it is time to enter into more deeply the season of Advent.  Advent recalls the waiting for the Messiah of course, but it is also about the second coming of Christ in all His glory at the end of time.

 

I especially like Advent because it gives me a chance to review my life and make a plan, set goals and have a very good stocktake of myself.   I especially love Year C of Advent because it gives me the opportunity to review the goals I set  at the beginning of Advent last year and see what progress I have made through God’s help during the year.    How many times when you go to an interview is the question asked ''Where do you want to be in 5 years’ time?  I like to ask myself that same question using the 3 year cycle instead.

 

It is always good to acknowledge growth because it can motivate us to know that good has occurred. Reviewing my life is good because it helps me to refocus my attention to what matters.  Setting goals and making an effort to implement them keeps me on track to further progress. Using these tools for my spiritual growth seems an obvious extension.

 

So I ask myself

1. What areas of my life do I want to be different this time next year/ 2 /3 years time?
2. What areas do I want to work on specifically in Advent?
3. Do I need someone else to journey with me to encourage me on my journey- a spiritual director, a Christian counsellor, a spiritual mentor - if so, who might that be?
4. What goals will I set and how will I implement them- in other words I set the goals and then break the goals down into manageable bite size pieces- putting a general time line on these goals is important b/c it keeps me motivated.  However, there is always more with God and His timeline may be different from mine.  So I keep this point firmly in mind- not as an excuse to fail but as a realistic factor in the journey of faith.

Advent too is a penitential season. We are reminded of it with the violet vestments that the priest wears.  Leading up to Christmas can be difficult with various parties to include some fasting.  However, with intention to include it as part of your advent journey, it can be achieved. 

Start small- maybe you fancy another mince pie.  They are a real weakness of mine.!!!!

Going without a second, third or fourth one is a starting point.  Remember though your motive.  Is your motive God related or weight related?  Do you have a tendency towards greed or lack of temperance in food/drink? If so, then start small and make a start to change this vice towards a grace/virtue. We need to stay awake and be on our guard as the Gospel reminds us.

This way you can enjoy celebrating with your family/friends but you can also celebrate your own spiritual growth.

 

Many of us do a good spring clean before Christmas before family and friends come.  What about a spiritual spring clean?  What will do about your soul this advent? Find time to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

 

I encourage you to not let Advent pass you by spiritually.  It is a very quick season liturgically speaking but we are meant to be in an attitude of waiting- waiting expectantly. We need to stay awake and be on our guard.

 

I hope you wait expectantly and with hope during this season of Advent.

 

Happy New Year.

 

Collect for Solemnity of Christ The King

 

COLLECT

The Mass: Collect Series Icon

The Collect for the Feast of Christ the King reads as follows:

Almighty ever-living God,

whose will is to restore all things

in Your Beloved Son, the King of the Universe,

grant, we pray,

that the whole creation, set free from slavery,

may render your majesty service

and ceaselessly proclaim your praise.

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

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

1.  Is Christ, the King of the Universe, the King of my heart?
2.  What areas in my life need to surrender to Christ the King?
3. How can I work with Christ the King to set the whole world free from slavery?
4. What does rendering majestic service mean to me?  How will I render it this coming week?
5.  How will proclaim ceaselessly praise to Christ the King this coming week?
6.  How will this feast make a difference in my life?

7. How has my relationship with Christ grown this year?

GOSPEL REFLECTION

Today is the last Sunday of the liturgical Year as next week we begin with First Sunday of Advent which is the start of liturgical year.  Let us not get ahead of ourselves. 
Today is the Feast of Christ the King and is celebrated not only as a feast, but a Solemnity because it is about Christ Himself.

During Mass, you may wish to think about the year and how you have grown spiritually.  During Mass we may wish to spend some time in prayer thanking Christ the King for all these blessings
 ( and many more we don't recall).

Perhaps as we think about the liturgical year, we may realise that our growth has not been as it needed to be.  I know as i write this post, a number of areas in my life are coming to mind.
Think about the reasons for that- not to blame but to acknowledge our part for our lack of growth and ask God for His forgiveness.  Added to that, we also need to have a firm resolve to do better.  So instead of  naming many areas- we may decide to commit to one or two areas in our lives that we commit to improve for the coming liturgical Year.  God expects us to do our best.  He does for us.

Perhaps you wonder why we have this Feast at all?   Click on the link to read my post on this Feast of Christ the King  that I wrote back in 2010.  It is still as relevant now as it was then.

Christ should be King of our hearts and minds in every area of our lives.  With a strong resolve and commitment and with God's grace, we can make sure that Christ is King of the Universe- our universe- our hearts.

As we celebrate this feast you may wish to listen to some uplifting music such as

Hallelujah Chorus from Messiah by Handel or

Lord every nation on earth shall adore You by Talbot.

Majesty .

How will YOU celebrate this Solemnity of Christ the King?