The Collect for the Fourteenth Week of Ordinary Time:
[During Ordinary Time, the masses during the week use the same collect as the previous Sunday]“O God, who in the abasement of your Son have raised up a fallen world, fill your faithful with holy joy, for on those you have rescued from slavery to sin you bestow eternal gladness. 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
This world is fallen. The sin of Adam and Eve affected all of creation. In order to raise up that fallen world, God sent His Son to abase” himself by becoming man. Remembering this, we pray to be filled with joy. We even recall why we should have joy: because Jesus Christ’s “abasement” rescues us from slavery to sin. Not only that, this joy extends into eternity if we continue in that freedom which he won for us.
So, for your daily contribution to the Church’s collection of prayer,
Reflect on humility. Recognize the humility of God in becoming man just to save us. Realize that this becomes a paradigm for helping others; We are to humble ourselves and offer freedom from slavery to sin. Give thanks to God for His humility and pray for that grace in yourself. 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.