My Collect

This summer I'm taking an e-course for lay ministers from the University of Notre Dame.  The course is on Biblical Literary Forms and the assignment for this week is to write our own "Collect"---otherwise known as the Opening Prayer at Mass.  Before taking this course I had no idea there was a "formula" for this prayer.   

From my course notes, written by Rev. Michael Driscoll:

The form of this prayer can be summarized by these words: you, who, do, to, through.

The you is the addressee -- an invocation of God.
The who is in apposition to the addressee -- a kind of extension of the invocation -- "You who made heaven and earth."
The do is the petition -- "hear the prayers of your people."
The to is the purpose or result clause -- "so that we who have received your gift of faith may share for ever in the new life of Christ."
The through is the close where we make our prayer through the Trinity -- "Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and Holy Spirit, one god, for ever and ever."

This morning A & J were super cranky.  It was their first year to stay up for the 4th of July fireworks and I think we're still overcoming it 2 days later.  So it was a great time to pray:

Collect of a Mother of Twin 7 year-old Girls

who both just happen to be in a very sulky, cranky, teary mood this morning

You, who created the children of my heart,
 and delivered them into my arms to care for and nurture,
hear my prayers this morning
 as I struggle to embody your compassionate mercy and ever-abundant love,
so that through your grace I may be a graced mother,
through Jesus our brother and Savior, 
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, 
one God for ever and ever.  Amen. 
 

I love new ways to pray!  Or really old ways that seem new when you make them your own.  Go ahead, write your own Collect!