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.

Third Sunday of Advent

Posted on by Father Albert
Collect taken from the Third Sunday in Advent, Gaudete Sunday. Collect: O God, who see how your people faithfully await the feast of the Lord's Nativity, enable us, we pray, to attain the joys of so great a salvation and to celebrate them always with solemn worship and glad rejoicing. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son... "O God, who see how your people faithfully await the feast of the Lord's Nativity" - This prayer takes for granted that, as Christians, we are actually anticipating a celebration of the Lord's birth rather than looking forward to parties and gifts (or already acting...Read More

St. John of the Cross

Posted on by Father Albert
Collect taken from the memorial of St. John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor of the Church. Collect: O God, who gave the Priest Saint John an outstanding dedication to perfect self-denial and love of the Cross, grant that, by imitating him closely at all times, we may come to contemplate eternally your glory. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son... "O God, who gave the Priest Saint John an outstanding dedication to perfect self-denial and love of the Cross" - Saint John's dedication to the cross was indeed outstanding and surely could not have been possible for a mere man. This...Read More

St. Lucy

Posted on by Father Albert
Collect taken from the memorial of St. Lucy, virgin and martyr. Collect: May the glorious intercession of the Virgin and Martyr Saint Lucy give us a new heart, we pray, O Lord, so that we may celebrate her heavenly birthday in this present age and so behold things eternal. Through our Lord Jesus Christ... "May the glorious intercession of the Virgin and Martyr Saint Lucy give us a new heart, we pray, O Lord," - We echo the many places in Scripture that ask for a new heart or promise one to those who seek God. The implication is of course that our...Read More

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Posted on by Father Albert
Collect taken from the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Collect: O God, Father of mercies, who placed your people under the singular protection of your Son's most holy Mother, grant that all who invoke the Blessed Virgin of Guadalupe, may seek with ever more lively faith the progress of peoples in the ways of justice and of peace. Through our Lord Jesus Christ... "O God, Father of mercies, who placed your people under the singular protection of your Son's most holy Mother,," - It is God's design that we are helped by the intercession and protection of Mary. Far from taking away...Read More

Second Sunday of Advent

Posted on by Father Albert
Collect taken from the Second Sunday of Advent Collect: Almighty and merciful God, may no earthly undertaking hinder those who set out in haste to meet your Son, but may our learning of heaven wisdom grain us admittance to his company. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son... "Almighty and merciful God, may no earthly undertaking hinder those who set out in haste to meet your Son" - In seeking to live the Christian life, a person is called to "set out in haste" to meet Christ in their daily living. Remembering that our home is ultimately in heaven, we pray not only...Read More

St. Juan Diego

Posted on by Father Albert
Collect taken from the optional memorial of St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin. Collect: O God, who by means of Saint Juan Diego showed the love of the most holy Virgin Mary for your people, grant, through his intercession, that, by following the counsels our Mother gave at Guadalupe, we may be ever constant in fulfilling your will. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son... "O God, who by means of Saint Juan Diego showed the love of the most holy Virgin Mary for your people," - In line with His great love of the humble and lowly, God took this unimportant man and used...Read More

St. Nicholas

Posted on by Father Albert
Collect taken from the optional memorial of St. Nicholas, bishop. Collect: We humbly implore your mercy, Lord: protect us in all dangers through the prayers of the Bishop Saint Nicholas, that the way of salvation may lie open before us. Through our Lord Jesus Christ... "We humbly implore your mercy, Lord: protect us in all dangers through the prayers of the Bishop Saint Nicholas," - God already wants to protect us. We can and do ask him directly for that protection. But, we learn from God that he prefers to include us in his works. So, we pray that that protection be given...Read More

Tuesday of the 1st Week of Advent

Posted on by Father Albert
Collect taken from the Tuesday of the 1st Week of Advent Collect: Look with favor, Lord God, on our petitions, and in our trials grant us your compassionate help, that, consoled by the presence of your Son, whose coming we now await, we may be tainted no longer by the corruption of former ways. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son... "Look with favor, Lord God, on our petitions, and in our trials grant us your compassionate help," - We make a direct appeal to God's compassion, knowing that he is kind and generous because he's already given his Son to us. "that,...Read More

St. John Damascene

Posted on by Father Albert
Collect taken from the optional memorial of St. John Damascene, priest and doctor. Collect: Grant, we pray, O Lord, that we may be helped by the prayers of the Priest Saint John Damascene, so that the true faith, which he excelled in teaching, may always be our light and our strength. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son... "Grant, we pray, O Lord, that we may be helped by the prayers of the Priest Saint John Damascene" -  By invoking St. John Damascene specifically as a priest, the Church is alluding to the reality that each of us participates in the work of...Read More

First Sunday of Advent

Posted on by Father Albert
Collect taken from the First Sunday of Advent Collect: Grant your faithful, we pray, almighty God, the resolve to run forth to meet your Christ with righteous deeds at his coming, so that, gathered at his right hand, they may be worthy to possess the heavenly Kingdom. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son... "Grant your faithful, we pray, almighty God, the resolve to run forth to meet your Christ with righteous deeds at his coming," - Focusing especially on the second coming of Christ, we pray to be prepared for his arrival. This preparation means performing righteous deeds which we need grace...Read More