Collect taken from Monday of the fourth week of Easter.
Collect: O God, perfect light of the blessed, by whose gift we celebrate the paschal mysteries on earth, bring us, we pray, to rejoice in the full measure of your grace for ages unending. Through our Lord Jesus Christ…
“O God, perfect light of the blessed, by whose gift we celebrate the paschal mysteries on earth“
– Psalm 36 prays to God “in your light we see light.” Because God is the source of all existence and the ultimate meaning of existence, knowing God gives us a clearer picture of reality. The “blessed” are those who know God and especially those in heaven – these blessed have the light to see and rejoice in God’s goodness, which is expressed most of all in the Paschal Mystery that redeemed us.
“bring us, we pray, to rejoice in the full measure of your grace for ages unending.”
– The “full measure” of grace is beatitude in heaven, so we pray to come to that eternal joy. We also recognize that we begin “filling up” with that grace here and now. We are working toward an infinite and eternal goal, but that in no way changes that fact that we take concrete steps now to increase in grace.
Questions & Advice: Do you look at the world in the light of God? If our faith is true, then what does that say about the world? The universe? What are your daily goals? Do they include increasing in grace today? Would you run a marathon without training? Why would we expect to complete the full measure of grace without training?
Read the Catechism’s teaching on man’s capacity for God and his need for God in order to shed light on existence. Spend some of your daily prayer time reflecting on ways to grow in grace on a daily basis.
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| Lighting of the Paschal Candle |