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.

St. Paul of the Cross

Posted on by Father Albert
Collect taken from the optional memorial of St. Paul of the Cross, priest. Collect: May the Priest Saint Paul, whose only love was the Cross, obtain for us your grace, O Lord, so that, urged on more strongly by his example, we may each embrace our own cross with courage. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son... "May the Priest Saint Paul, whose only love was the Cross, obtain for us your grace, O Lord," -- As Paul loved the Cross on earth, s he continues to love it as one of the blessed in heaven. Relying on that love of the cross,...Read More

St. Hedwig

Posted on by Father Albert
Collect taken from the optional memorial of St. Hedwig, religious. Collect: Grant, we pray, almighty God, that the revered intercession of Saint Hedwig may bring us heavenly aid, just as her wonderful life is an example of humility for all. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son... " Grant, we pray, almighty God, that the revered intercession of Saint Hedwig may bring us heavenly aid," -- The saints are real to us, and we genuinely look for their help. As residents of heaven, their intercession is a reliable means to obtain help from heaven. "just as her wonderful life is an example of humility...Read More

Margaret Mary Alocoque

Posted on by Father Albert
Collect taken from the optional memorial of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, Virgin Collect: Pour out on us, we pray, O Lord, the spirit with which you so remarkably endowed Saint Margaret Mary, so that we may come to know that love of Christ which surpasses all understanding and be utterly filled with your fullness. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son... "Pour out on us, we pray, O Lord, the spirit with which you so remarkably endowed Saint Margaret Mary" -- We recognize that the remarkable holiness of St. Margaret Mary is not due to her own power, but comes from the gift...Read More

Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

Posted on by Father Albert
Collect taken from Twenty-Eighth Week of Ordinary Time. Collect: May your grace, O Lord, we pray, at all times go before us and follow after and make us always determined to carry out good works. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son... " May your grace, O Lord, we pray, at all times go before us and follow after" - As St. Therese once said "all is grace." Without grace, we can do nothing that will last so we ask to be enveloped in that gift of God. "and make us always determined to carry out good works." - God's grace is not...Read More

St. Callistus I

Posted on by Father Albert
Daily Collection taken from the optional Memorial of St. Callistus I, Pope and Martyr Collect: O God, who raised up Pope Saint Callistus the First to serve the Church and attend devoutly to Christ's faithful departed, strengthen us, we pray, by his witness to the faith, so that, rescued from the slavery of corruption, we may merit an incorruptible inheritance. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son... "O God, who raised up Pope Saint Callistus the First to serve the Church and attend devoutly to Christ's faithful departed" --  We praise God by praising his work as seen in Callistus. In particular, Callistus...Read More

Twenty-Seventh Week of Ordinary Time

Posted on by Father Albert
Collect taken from Twenty-Seventh Week of Ordinary Time. Collect: Almighty ever-living God, who in the abundance of your kindness surpass the merits and the desires of those who entreat you, pour out your mercy upon us to pardon what conscience dreads and to give what prayer does not dare to ask. Through our Lord Jesus Christ... "Almighty ever-living God, who in the abundance of your kindness surpass the merits and the desires of those who entreat you," -We must acknowledge that we can never earn or merit the kind of Love and generosity God shows to us. Not only that, God wants...Read More

St. John Leonardi

Posted on by Father Albert
Collect taken from the memorial of St. John Leonardi, priest. Collect: O God, giver of all good things, who through the Priest Saint John Leonardi caused the Gospel to be announced to the nations, grant, through his intercession, that the true faith may always and everywhere prosper. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son... "O God, giver of all good things, who through the Priest Saint John Leonardi caused the Gospel to be announced to the nations," - God does indeed give all good things, but he prefers to do so through us. In this way, we recognize that God spreads the...Read More

Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos

Posted on by Father Albert
Collect taken from the memorial of Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos. Collect: O God, who made your Priest Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos outstanding in love, that he might proclaim the mysteries of redemption and comfort those in affliction, grant, by his intercession, that we may work zealously for your glory and for the salvation of mankind. Through our Lord Jesus Christ... "O God, who made your Priest Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos outstanding in love, that he might proclaim the mysteries of redemption and comfort those in affliction" - Proclaiming the mysteries of redemption and comforting the afflicted are not actions we human...Read More

The Guardian Angels

Posted on by Father Albert
Collect taken from the memorial of the Guardian Angels, priest. Collect: O God, who in your unfathomable providence are pleased to send your holy Angels to guard us, hear our supplication as we cry to you, that we may always be defended by their protection and rejoice eternally in their company. Through our Lord Jesus Christ... "O God, who in your unfathomable providence are pleased to send your holy Angels to guard us," - In every aspect of God's providence we see that He is eager to have others love. Since love is a self-gift and leads to service, that love means...Read More

Twenty-Sixth Week of Ordinary Time

Posted on by Father Albert
Collect taken from Twenty-Sixth Week of Ordinary Time. Collect: O God, who manifest your almighty power above all by pardoning and showing mercy, bestow, we pray, your grace abundantly upon us and make those hastening to attain your promises heirs to the treasures of heaven. Through our Lord Jesus Christ... "O God, who manifest your almighty power above all by pardoning and showing mercy, bestow, we pray, your grace abundantly upon us" - God, infinitely powerful, beyond time and space, creator of the universe has chosen to be merciful toward small, impudent, sinful human beings. God's mercy on us is truly the...Read More