_THE COLLECT...

Let us pray:  O God, who through your Word reconcile the human race to yourself in a wonderful way, grant, we pray, that with prompt devotion and eager faith the Christian people may hasten toward the solemn celebrations to come.  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.  Amen.

God so loved the world that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, the Word Incarnate to save humanity from eternal death.  This same God who gave life to all creation calls us constantly to Himself.   Especially during Lent, a time of atonement and spiritual renewal, we are called to surrender to Him, who is Love.   That we come in humble supplication to the cross and fully partake of its fruit is our highest endeavor.   This holy time of Lent, like the spiritual life of all those who are His friends, plunders us into a valley of darkness and at times of desolation, yet it is in this place of solitude that we encounter ourselves before God, and are able to offer Him the small fruits of our daily crosses.  He, our merciful Father, gathers our gifts and receives them with tender affection, and in turn fills us with His grace.  “How precious the gift of the cross, how splendid to contemplate! ...The fruit of this tree is not death,...This tree does not cast us out of paradise, but opens the way for our return ”(from a sermon by St. Theodore the Studite).    Let us hasten to embrace this sacred time with courage and perseverance, trusting always in the Good Lord.  And like St. Therese of Lisieux exclaim, “I do not fear trials sent by Jesus, for even in the most bitter suffering we can see that it is His loving hand that causes it.”  We can trust that He wills only what is best for us and only that which will bring us closer to Him.

_By Maria Delgado-Braun
Administrative Assistant Religious Education Department
St. Joseph's Catholic Church
mbraun@stjmod.com

THE COLLECT...

Let us pray:  O God, author of every mercy and of all goodness, who in fasting, prayer and almsgiving have shown us a remedy for sin, look graciously on this confession of our lowliness, that we who are bowed down by our conscience, may always be lifted up by your mercy.  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.  Amen.

We are a little less than half way through Lent; perhaps, whatever we gave up for Lent is looking really good,  (the girl scout cookies being sold out in front of the grocery store look so tempting).  Resist and stay strong in your Lenten fasting.  It is precisely through fasting, prayer and almsgiving that we grow in holiness, because with these in our lives there is no room for sin.  We fast from material goods of this world, because when we experience detachment we rely completely on God.  Prayer is an upward leap of the heart, an untroubled glance toward heaven, a cry of gratitude and love which I utter from the depths of sorrow as well as from the heights of joy, (St. Therese of Lisieux).  Through almsgiving, we follow the example of Love par excellence - Christ on the Cross, which is what Lent is all about. 

Perhaps some of us have given in to our Lenten fasts.  Resist the temptation to be discouraged.  Don’t give up, start over again.  This Sunday’s collect addresses this point beautifully.  All of us are sinners, even the Saints, but they relied completely in the Mercy of God, which is what we have to do every day. We need to humbly recognize our lowliness before God, and He will indeed lift us when we fall by His Mercy. 

_By Michael Webster
Director of Religious Education
St. Joseph's Catholic Church
mwebster@stjmod.com

_THE COLLECT...

Let us pray:  O God, who have commanded us to listen to your beloved Son, be pleased, we pray, to nourish us inwardly by your word, that, with spiritual sight made pure, we may rejoice to behold your 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.  Amen.

This Sunday’s Collects frame the Mass and invoke the prayers that are sent to the Father through the sublime sacrifice of His Son in the Holy Mass and in the unity of the Holy Spirit.  The gospel of Mark recalls the Mystery of the Transfiguration and witness of the three disciples as Jesus’ divinity is made present to them.   May we recall this Mystery of our faith throughout this time of Lent, when Jesus, the Son of God is presented by Him as the fulfillment of His plan of salvation for humanity.  The Word Made Flesh has entered into human history, He is the fulfillment of all prophecy and the Law.  During the Transfiguration, the words of God the Father are heard, “ This is my Beloved Son; listen to Him.”  And so during this time of Lent and throughout our lives, we are to listen to Jesus’ teaching to His word, and to become His disciples, His followers.  In the second reading, St. Paul tells us “if God is with us, who is against us?  In our journey through Lent, let us shed our darkness and be purified and nourished through the word of God and so continue our way to the New Jerusalem.  In the Collect, the priest, in the name of the Body of Christ, sends our petitions for a fruitful and holy Lent.

By Maria Delgado-Braun
Administrative Assistant Religious Education Department
St. Joseph's Catholic Church
mbraun@stjmod.com

_THE COLLECT...

It is now three months since the English-speaking world began using the new translation of the Mass.  It is important for us to continue to reflect on the changes, the new richness of the words that we hear and say, so that we can continue to grow closer to God in the Holy Mass.  One change that has occurred that perhaps we have not noticed are the opening prayers or the Collects.  The Collect is after the Gloria and the Penitential Act, and is started by the priest saying “let us pray.” The Collect is said by the priest on behalf of the people.  This prayer is very important because it sets the tone for the Mass.  During the Sundays of Lent, we will discover their great spiritual meaning so that we all experience God’s love and mercy in a more profound way. 

The First Sunday of Lent the priest says:  Let us pray:
Grant, almighty God, through the yearly observance of holy Lent, that we may grow in understanding of the riches hidden in Christ and by worthy conduct pursue their effects.  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.  Amen.

Every year we go through Lent, and maybe we have the tendency to just go through the motions but this is a holy time of year.  These 40 days are set apart for us to grow closer to Christ.  Every year Lent comes around and we reflect on how we have become perhaps lazy or too comfortable in our faith.  Lent helps us to remember the great love of Christ and to renew our commitment to Him once again.  Christ’s Passion, Death, Resurrection and Ascension is the key to our salvation.  It is folly to those who are covered in the darkness of our world, but these mysteries are the riches hidden in Christ. During this time of Holy Lent we are called to follow Christ’s example, to be His disciples so that we enter Eternal Life with Him, the Father, and the Holy Spirit.

_By Michael Webster
Director of Religious Education
St. Joseph's Catholic Church
mwebster@stjmod.com

   All the words of Christ are important, but the words of Christ from the pulpit of the Cross, is where He teaches us some of the most profound truths.  It took a great deal of strength to speak while being crucified, so each word of Christ from the cross is  precious.  During Lent, it is beneficial for us to meditate on the seven last words of Christ.
    Jesus says in Luke 23:34, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”  Imagine yourself as the beloved disciple or Mary Magdalene there beneath the shadow of the cross, being angry and sad all at the same time.  Angry at those who were responsible for such a tragedy, nailing your Messiah upon the cross; sad watching your Lord slowly die before your eyes and feeling so helpless.  Then you hear the words Father, forgive them.  What?  Forgive them, how can this be?
    He is God and God is Love. How often are we like the Pharisees and Roman soldiers by abusing Christ or our neighbor with the sins we commit daily? How often do we bring Him sadness because we abandon Him or are indifferent about what He has done for us?  Yet we hear that word forgive. Embrace that forgiveness, trust in His Divine Mercy!  But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).

By Michael Webster
Director of Religious Education
St. Joseph's Catholic Church
mwebster@stjmod.com