The Collect for Monday of the Sixth Week of Easter is:
“Grant, O merciful God, that we may experience at all times the fruit produced by the paschal observances. 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
A single sentence and a simple request are all we have today. By asking to experience the “fruit” at “all times,” the Church is inviting us to a deeper understanding of what that “fruit” really is. If we are seriously asking, in a liturgy, to experience it at all times, then we must have some understanding that such a thing is really possible. We usually emphasize joy and celebration in Easter, but that is not the only fruit of the paschal observances. It also includes those aspects of life that are less than enjoyable. In other words, we also hope to recognize these fruits in our trials and pains. Ultimately, the greatest fruit is growth in holiness. The trick, then, is to recognize that we can grow in holiness through joy and suffering, times good and bad. This is not just a prayer for something different to happen in our lives, but also a prayer to change how we see and interpret those events.
So, for your daily contribution to the Church’s collection of prayer,
Remind yourself of this important truth: “All things work for the good of those who love the Lord.” Resolve to continue to love the Lord and pray for the grace to recognize how God uses even your weaknesses and failures for your good. Pray to see how everything in your life can be, in some way, the fruit of the paschal mystery. 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.