The Collect for Thursday of the Second Week of Easter is:
“O God, who for the salvation of the world brought about the paschal sacrifice, be favorable to the supplications of your people, so that Christ our High Priest, interceding on our behalf, may by his likeness to ourselves bring us reconciliation, and by his equality with you free us from our sins. 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
Though a complicated sentence, this prayer is rich in what it says. We start by remembering that God “brought about the paschal sacrifice” to save us. With that in mind, we are confident to ask God to hear our prayers. Also, the prayer takes on a specific focus of being freed from our sins. In order to stir up our faith a little more, we recall that Jesus is our High Priest praying specifically for our forgiveness. Finally, we also remember that Jesus accomplishes our salvation specifically by being both God and man. His “equality with us” means he pray as a human being. His equality with God means he has the needed infinite power to overcome the gap between sinful man and perfect God.
So, for your daily contribution to the Church’s collection of prayer,
Take a moment to recall a particularly powerful experience you have had in confession. If you don’t have any great moments to recall, reflect on the fact that your sins are forgiven regardless of how you felt when it happened. Ponder the humility of Jesus Christ who became man so that he could save you from your sins. Pray to use that gift well and to always make use of confession. Then spiritually unite that prayer to all the Masses throughout the world today. That way, when the priest says “Let us pray,” you can be a part of that “us” even if you don’t get to attend Mass.