The Collect for Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter is:
“Grant, we pray, almighty God, that, celebrating the mysteries of the Lord’s Resurrection, we may merit to receive the joy of our redemption. 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
We pray for God to make fruitful our efforts to celebrate the mysteries of the Lord’s resurrection. And we must not overlook the use of the word “mystery.” The resurrection is not merely a fact we know, but a mystery we encounter. It is something we gradually come to know in a way that is very similar to how we come to know a person; it really not possible to adequately sum them up. Then we have the word “merit,” which is greatly disliked among our separated brethren and even by some within the Church. Previous translations avoided the word altogether. Nonetheless, it is a central part of the faith that emphasizes the importance of effort even though everything ultimately depends on God.
So, for your daily contribution to the Church’s collection of prayer,
Reflect on how it is that you “celebrate” the resurrection in your life. When is the last time you really pondered this reality and experienced it not just as an historical fact, but as a mystery? Does the joy of the resurrection motivate you to do all things well for the sake of God, to try to please him? Do you try to “merit” more grace by your faithful efforts? Pray for the grace to never become bored with the faith and to live accordingly. 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.