This week we Lectio the Liturgy with the Collect for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

O God, who in the abasement of your Son have raised up a fallen world, fill your faithful with holy joy, for on those you have rescued from slavery to sin you bestow eternal gladness. 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 was praying with this week’s Collect, I began to wonder about the definition of being raised up. To find the answer, I went to the definition of abasement.

In the Latin form of the prayer, for abasement, we find the word humilitate, which means lowness. The lowest events in Jesus’ life were the scourging, carrying the cross, crown of thorns, and crucifixion. God, who knew no sin, bore our sin and took on the punishment for our sin. This is where we come into the picture because this is the place from where we were raised up. 

As I prayed into it, I had a sense of all of us standing in a line which led to us receiving punishment for our sins. Just as you get to the front of the line, Jesus cuts ahead of you and tells you that He has already given HIs entire self for you. He has been scourged, bore the crown and died for you, you are free to follow him instead of taking that one more step. You say “yes,” and just like that, you are raised “up with him, and seated us with Him in the heavens.” (Eph 2:6) 

As He raises us up, Jesus also rescues us from the slavery to sin. With Jesus we no longer chain ourselves to worldly things. Often we think these things are our right to possess and just as often, they take precedence over God and others but God wants us free to choose Him.

In the prayer we are asking for holy joy and eternal gladness. How is holy joy different than regular joy? Holy joy is rooted not in what we can do for God, but what He has done, and is still doing, for us. Not only did He rescue us by dying on the cross, He continues to rescue us each day through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Eternal gladness is a deep happiness that is found in union with God. It transcends time. Not only is it fulfilled in heaven, it can be enjoyed today when we accept His offer of salvation and His assurance of eternal life.

Jesus raises up a fallen world one person at a time. Each of us has the opportunity to reject sin, to seek repentance, and when we do, we are no longer next in line. Our holy joy and eternal gladness become beacons of light and hope all those around us.