The Collect for Wednesday of the Third Week of Easter is:
“Be present to your family, O Lord, we pray, and graciously ensure those you have endowed with the grace of faith an eternal share in the Resurrection of your Only Begotten Son. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.”
Reflection
By Baptism, we become the adopted family of God. Thus, the prayer starts by recalling this fact in order to stir up our faith and confidence. Then, we ask for a share in the Resurrection of His begotten Son. We ask specifically for this to be given to those who have already received “the grace of faith.” This is a way to remind ourselves both that God has been generous to us already and that we need to stay close to this gift in order to receive the rest.
So, for your daily contribution to the Church’s collection of prayer,
Remember that God is your Father. Reflect especially on the fact that, by your baptism, your relationship to Him is more profound than without Baptism. Try speaking to God about your gratitude for His fatherhood. Or, if you’ve had bad experiences with your earthly father, speak to Him about those pains and concerns and how it affects your spiritual life. Pray for the grace to more deeply appreciate what it means to be adopted by God. Say an Our Father slowly, savoring the meaning of the words. 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.