Collect taken from Sixteenth Week of Ordinary Time.
Collect: Show favor, O Lord, to your servants and mercifully increase the gifts of your grace, that, made fervent in hope, faith and charity, they may be ever watchful in keeping your commands. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son…
“Show favor, O Lord, to your servants and mercifully increase the gifts of your grace,“
-We deserve nothing from God, so for Him to give us grace is both a sign of favor and an act of mercy. But, confident in God’s mercy and His promises, we ask without any attempt to justify why we deserve it.
“that, made fervent in hope, faith and charity, they may be ever watchful in keeping your commands.”
– Chief among these gifts are the three theological virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity. With these gifts, we are able to know God and his commands, to take seriously his promises of eternal reward, and act accordingly not only out of duty, but out of love and desire for what is truly good.
Questions & Advice: Do you feel that God owes you something? How often do you reflect on the gifts God has promised to give and has already given? Do you seek faith, hope, and charity above all or only as an afterthought?
Read about the theological virtues in the Catechism (1812-29). Spend some of your prayer time asking for a deeper appreciation of and desire for this gifts. Consider using the words of Scripture “I believe, help my unbelief.” These can be adapted for the other two as well: “I hope in you, Lord, help my lack of hope” and “I love you, Lord, help my lack of love.”
