Province of St. Albert the Great, USA

A Word of Hope

15 December • Reflecting on the Collect

Remote video URL

Join Fr. Samuel Hakeem, OP in Albuquerque, New Mexico, for today's "A Word of Hope." On this Monday of the Third Week of Advent, Fr. Samuel breaks down the rich theology found in the Collect—the opening prayer of the Mass—specific to this day.

In this reflection, we explore what it means to ask God to "incline a merciful ear to our cry." Fr. Samuel explains how the grace of Jesus Christ not only casts light on the darkness of our hearts to reveal where we need repentance but also brings the necessary healing to restore us. As we prepare for the coming of our Savior, discover how this prayer invites us into a deeper relationship with God through mercy, forgiveness, and reconciliation.

📅 **Video Timeline:**
0:00 - Introduction from Albuquerque
0:14 - The Richness of the Collect (Opening Prayer)
0:27 - Reading Today’s Prayer
0:46 - Analysis: "Incline a Merciful Ear"
1:09 - Analysis: "Casting Light on the Darkness"
1:33 - The First Move of Grace: Identifying Sin
1:47 - The Grace of the Son: Bringing Healing
2:14 - Conclusion & Blessing

**Hashtags:**
#Advent #AWordOfHope #Catholic #Prayer #FrSamuelHakeem #AdventReflection #Mercy #Christianity #SpiritualGrowth #Grace

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