This week we Lectio the Liturgy with the Collect for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time.
O God, protector of those who hope in you,without whom nothing has firm foundation, nothing is holy,bestow in abundance your mercy upon usand grant that, with you as our ruler and guide,we may use the good things that passin such a way as to hold fast even now to those that ever endure.Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,God, for ever and ever.
As I reflected on this prayer, I noticed that the titles we give God also reveal how He works in our lives.
First, we encounter God as protector. The prayer immediately tells us that His protection means being our firm foundation and the source of holiness in our lives. God has promised to protect us, and He does so in a way that not only keeps us safe but makes us holy.
The prayer also calls God our ruler. In biblical times, a ruler was someone ordained by God to lead, protect, and administer justice. As our ruler, God does the same for us—He leads us along the right paths that lead to heaven.
God is likewise our guide who never leaves us. Life can be traveled in two ways: we can take the self-guided tour and risk getting lost, or we can take the guided tour with the One who stays with us. I’ve been blessed to take three tours of the Scavi under St. Peter’s Basilica. Without a guide, I would have missed so much and surely become lost. Life is the same.
While God protects, rules, and guides, we still have decisions to make. Will we stay on the foundation? Will we follow Him as our ruler? Will we trust that He is always with us as our guide? If we can answer “yes,” then our hope is truly in Him and we are living under His protection.
As we walk through this guided tour of life with Jesus, we will encounter many good things. Notice how the prayer calls them “the good things that pass.” These are the good things of this world, and they must be kept in proper perspective. They are not the goal of life; they are given to us to point us toward the things that ever endure.
Sometimes these passing goods become distractions. They can be so attractive that we forget the greater wonders God has promised. This doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy nice things — but we should hold them loosely so we can keep a firm grasp on what endures.
When I prayed about “the things that ever endure,” I realized these are realities only God can fully see — the things we truly “can take with us.” They include the hope we have in God and the works of mercy we offer others. But they are not only what we give; they are also what we receive. Have you ever sensed God’s closeness in a powerful way? Have you given Him your full attention when receiving Him in the Eucharist? These moments stand out because we are both receiving and giving. Our attention and love are not fixed on fleeting things, but on God Himself.
In the end, these words — protector, ruler, and guide — are more than titles. They tell us how God is actively at work in our world. Have you looked for Him in your life in these ways? I believe that if we intentionally seek Him as protector, ruler, and guide, we will find Him everywhere.