Category: The Daily Collection

The Daily Collection is a series of reflections based on the “Collect” of the Mass, which most people call the opening prayer. This section breaks down that prayer and provides a few points of reflection on that prayer. Maybe the reflection will be profound and helpful, maybe it will seem kind of hum-drum, and maybe you’ll have your own insights that are better than mine – great! The goal is to get you to notice the prayer in the first place. They are often beautiful, if not a little dense, and starting to recognize their existence and meaning is just one more way to achieve the “Full, Conscious, Active participation” at Mass called for by the Second Vatican Council. It’s a small way to help you on your way to ordinary holiness.

Daily Collection: The Ascension

Posted on by Father Albert
The Collect for the Solemnity of the Ascension is: "Gladden us with holy joys, almighty God, and make us rejoice with devout thanksgiving, for the Ascension of Christ your Son is our exaltation, and, where the Head has gone before in glory, the Body is called to follow in hope. 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 do not look for a merely earthly joy or worldly form of celebration. Rather, we ask to rejoice with devout thanksgiving. As we ask...Read More

Daily Collection: Memorial of Sts. Nereus and Achilleus

Posted on by Father Albert
The Collect for the Memorial of Sts. Nereus and Achilleus, Martyrs: "Grant, we pray, almighty God, that we, who know the great courage of the glorious Martyrs Nereus and Achilleus in confessing you, may experience their loving intercession for us in your presence. 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 Besides the fact that they were martyrs who were loved by the early Church, we know almost nothing about Nereus and Achilleus. Some stories say they were Roman soldiers who...Read More

Daily Collection: Friday before Ascension Sunday

Posted on by Father Albert
The Collect for the Friday before Ascension Sunday: "Hear our prayers, O lord, so that what was promised by the sanctifying power of your Word may everywhere be accomplished through the working of the Gospel and that all your adopted children may attain what the testimony of truth has foretold. 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 What was promised by the sanctifying power of God's Word? It is the repentance of sinners and the salvation of souls. So, we...Read More

Daily Collection: Memorial of St. Damien of Molokai

Posted on by Father Albert
The Collect for the Memorial of St. Damien of Molokai, Priest: "Father of mercy, who gave us in Saint Damien a shining witness of love for the poorest and most abandoned, grant that, by his intercession, as faithful witnesses of the heart of your Son Jesus, we too may be servants of the most needy and rejected. 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 St. Damien de Veuster, more commonly known and "Damian of Molokai," dedicated his life to serving...Read More

Daily Collection: Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter

Posted on by Father Albert
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...Read More

Daily Collection: Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter

Posted on by Father Albert
The Collect for Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter is: "Grant, almighty and merciful God, that we may in truth receive a share in the Resurrection of Christ your Son. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever." Reflection We invoke God as almighty because we know he has the power to make us share in Christ's resurrection. We already know for certain that everyone will rise from the dead on the last day, but some will rise to face eternal punishment. For that reason, we invoke God...Read More

Daily Collection: Monday of the Sixth Week of Easter

Posted on by Father Albert
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,...Read More

Daily Collection: Sixth Sunday of Easter

Posted on by Father Albert
The Collect for the Sixth Sunday of Easter is: "Grant, almighty God, that we may celebrate with heartfelt devotion these days of joy, which we keep in honor of the risen Lord, and that what we relieve in remembrance we may always hold to in what we do. 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 are still in the Easter season, which means we are still celebrating the risen Lord. Such a long season can become boring to us, so we...Read More

Daily Collection: Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter

Posted on by Father Albert
The Collect for Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter is: "Almighty and eternal God, who through the regenerating power of Baptism have been pleased to confer on us heavenly life, grant, we pray, that those you render capable of immortality by justifying them may by your guidance attain the fullness of glory. 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 Continuing our Easter theme, this prayer begins by reminding us that Baptism allows us to enter into heavenly life.  Then,...Read More

Daily Collection: Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter

Posted on by Father Albert
The Collect for Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter is: "Grant us, Lord, we pray, that, being rightly conformed to the paschal mysteries, what we celebrate in joy may protect and save us with perpetual power. 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 Conformity to the paschal mysteries is the means or the foundation for what we are asking of God. By conformity, we mean that our way of looking at the world should reflect the fact that we...Read More