Collect for the 3rd Sunday in Advent

I never cease to be amazed at the authors of the Propers of the Mass. Some people have not appreciated the newest translation of the Roman Missal, but I find the language fascinating. At first, this week’s prayer seemed fluffy, but, like always, there is so much more to find. I guess that’s why I call it Lectio the Liturgy.

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, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

This week I studied the verb enable. In the Latin form of this prayer, enable (praesta) means to bring to bear, fulfill, make good. 

It means to make someone able to do something, or to make something possible. To ask God to enable us does not mean we ask God to shift us into drive and hit the gas. It means that God gives us opportunities and he gives us the grace to do what he has called us to do.

God enabled Mary to be the mother of the Son. That son, Jesus, enabled us to attain salvation. God becoming man to save us from sin is truly the meaning of our Lord’s Nativity. That should be the reason we celebrate Christmas.

But what does worship and rejoicing look? When we mention praise and worship, sometimes people become afraid. What if someone looks to heaven and raises their hands? Terrifying!

Worship is defined as an act of reverence toward God. Worship can take many forms. As Catholics, we can worship in the Liturgy, in our personal prayer, and when we read and study holy books. We worship God when we surrender to Him and when we trust Him. We also worship God when we serve him.

In every act of worship I could think of, I found a common denominator. It is the most important thing we can do. Want to know what it is? The highest form of worship is when you and I strive to become the person made each of us to be. When I work to become the person God has created me to be, I pray, I serve, I study, I learn, and grow, and become more like Christ.

Lectio The Liturgy: Make a list of what Christmas means to you. Where do you rank forgiveness of sins on your list? Do you find joy when you contemplate your salvation? Also, what one act of worship can you add to your life to become the person God has created you to be?

Thank you for praying with me,
Julie