COLLECT SERIES
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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?
.
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.
