The Collect for Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter is:
“Grant, we pray, O Lord, that, as we celebrate in mystery the solemnities of your Son’s Resurrection, so, too, we may be worthy to rejoice at his coming with all the Saints. 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
The prayer makes a request, but attaches a condition to it. That condition is our celebration of Christ’s resurrection. That because the prayer is looking forward to the rest of the Mass celebrated today and asking specifically that this celebration dispose us to receive what we ask for. We ask to be worthy of rejoicing at Christ’s coming. This is because rejoicing at the coming of God, unfortunately, does not come automatically. If we are not disposed to recognize and rejoice and his coming, we will respond with fear and fleeing.
So, for your daily contribution to the Church’s collection of prayer,
Consider how you respond to the idea of Christ’s return. Look at how you respond to the sacrament of Confession, how you react to the idea of a long Mass, and how you feel about being around priests or other churchy-type people. Pray to God that you learn to celebrate spiritual things and look forward to the Second Coming. 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.