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The Holy Trinity

Trinity Sunday (and the Trinity season)

Trinitarian Mystery

HaSheeloosh HaKadosh: The Holy Trinity

MARY’S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE TRINITY

The Divine Trinity

June Devotion: The Sacred Heart

Sacred Heart Of Jesus

Efficacious Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

From: Deuteronomy 4:32-34, 39-40

The Lord's Special Providence Towards His People

(Moses said to the people,) [32] "For ask now of the days that are past,
which were before you, since the day that God created man upon the earth,
and ask from one end of heaven to the other, whether such a great thing as
this has ever happened or was ever heard of. [33] Did any people ever hear
the voice of a god speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard,
and still live? [34] 0r has any god ever attempted to go and take a nation
for himself from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by
wonders, and by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great
terrors, according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before
your eyes? [39] know therefore this day, and lay it to your heart,
that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there
is no other. [40] Therefore you shall keep his statutes and his
commandments, which I command you this day, that it may go well with
you, and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your
days in the land which the LORD your God gives you for ever."

Commentary:

4:32-40. The end of this first discourse carries an important theological
message: the profound notion of one God (monotheism); the election of Israel
as God's specific people; his special and kindly providence towards this
people; the might of God, as manifested in the prodigious works he does in
favor of the chosen people; and the consequence of all this--Israel's duty
to be faithful to the one and only God, keeping his commandments and
offering due cult only to him; by so doing, Israel will continue to enjoy
his protection.

Reading this and other passages in the sacred books shows the efforts the
inspired writers made to update the teaching of religious traditions and
apply it to the situation and needs of Israelites in later periods; this is
perhaps the reason for the frequent calls to fidelity to the Covenant. "In
the course of its history, Israel was able to discover that God had only one
reason to reveal himself to them, a single motive for choosing them from
among alt peoples as his special possession: his sheer gratuitous love (cf.
Deut 4:37; 7:8; 10:15). And thanks to the prophets Israel understood that it
was again out of love that God never stopped saving them (cf. Is 43:1-7) and
pardoning their unfaithfulness and sins (cf. Hos 2)" ("Catechism of the
Catholic Church", 218).

The Deuterononiic formula of "the Lord is God ["ha-Elohim", that is, the
only God] and there is no other besides him" (v. 35), which occurs often
(cf. 4:39; 6:4; 32:39; etc.) is also the essence of the Prophets' message
(cf. Jer 2:11-33; Is 41:2-29; 44:6; 46:9). The Prophets strove to draw
Israel towards or maintain it in fidelity to the One and Only God who
revealed himself to the patriarchs and to Moses, and helped to develop and
deepen an appreciation of monotheism, of the universality of the power of
Yahweh, of his moral demands, etc. But the core of all this teaching is to
be found expounded, profoundly and very specifically, in the book of
Deuteronomy. This teaching builds up the notion of the Lord as a jealous
God" (cf. Ex 20:5) who requires his adherents to be totally obedient to him;
it is a notion incompatible with worshipping the divinities adored by other
peoples (cf. Ex 20:3).

Being good, obeying the commandments of the Law of God, brings life (v. 40),
initially understood as longevity; whereas sin often brings with it
misfortune or death, as a punishment fro, God (cf. Ezek 18:10-13,19-20;
etc.). The fact that God is just in his treatment of man, rewarding him or
punishing, sooner or later, for the good or the evil he does, is a message
that runs right through the Old and New Testaments. In ancient texts, the
accent is on reward or punishment in this present life. In the New Testament
more emphasis is put on divine retribution in the future life. It is not
surprising that there should be this line of development in the biblical
ethic: God takes account of time and grace to lead men to the fullness of
truth.

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

From: Romans 8:14-17

Christians Are Children of God

[14] For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. [15] For
you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but
you have received the spirit of sonship. When we cry, "Abba! Father!"
[16] it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we
are children of God, [17] and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and
fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we
may also be glorified with him.

Commentary:

14-30. The life of a Christian is sharing in the life of Christ, God's
only Son. By becoming, through adoption, true children of God we have,
so to speak, a right to share also in Christ's inheritance--eternal
life in heaven (vv. 14-18). This divine life in us, begun in Baptism
through rebirth in the Holy Spirit, will grow under the guidance of
this Spirit, who makes us ever more like Christ (vv. 14, 26-27). So,
our adoption as sons is already a fact--we already have the
first-fruits of the Spirit (v. 23)--but only at the end of time, when
our body rises in glory, will our redemption reach its climax
(vv. 23-25). Meanwhile we are in a waiting situation--not free from
suffering (v. 18), groans (v. 23) and weakness (v. 26)--a situation
characterized by a certain tension between what we already possess and
are, and what we yearn for. This yearning is something which all
creation experiences; by God's will, its destiny is intimately linked
to our own, and it too awaits its transformation at the end of the
world (vv. 19-22). All this is happening in accordance with a plan
which God has, a plan established from all eternity which is unfolding
in the course of time under the firm guidance of divine Providence
(vv. 28-30).

14-15. Monsignor Escriva taught thousands of people about this
awareness of divine filiation which is such an important part of the
Christian vocation. Here is what he says, for example, in "The Way",
267: "We've got to be convinced that God is always near us. We live as
though he were far away, in the heavens high above, and we forget that
he is also continually by our side.

"He is there like a loving Father. He loves each of us more than all
the mothers in the world can love their children--helping us,
inspiring us, blessing...and forgiving.

"How often we have misbehaved and then cleared the frowns from our
parents' brows, telling them: I won't do it any more!--That same day,
perhaps, we fall again...--And our father, with feigned harshness in
his voice and serious face, reprimands us while in his heart he is
moved, realizing our weakness and thinking: poor child, how hard he
tries to behave well!

"We've got to be filled, to be imbued with the idea that our Father,
and very much our Father, is God who is both near us and in heaven."

This awareness of God as Father was something which the first
chancellor of the University of Navarre experienced with special
intensity one day in 1931: "They were difficult times, from a human
point of view, but even so I was quite sure of the impossible--this
impossibility which you can now see as an accomplished fact. I felt
God acting within me with overriding force, filling my heart and
bringing to my lips this tender invocation--'Abba! Pater!' I was out in
the street, in a tram: being out in the street is no hindrance for our
contemplative dialogue; for us, the hustle and bustle of the world is a
place for prayer" (S. Bernal, "Monsignor Josemaria Escriva de
Balaguer", p. 214).

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

From: Matthew 28:16-20

Appearance in Galilee. The Mission to the World

[16] Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which
Jesus had directed them. [17] And when they saw him they worshipped
him; but some doubted. [18] And Jesus came and said to them, "All
authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. [19] Go
therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] teaching them
to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always,
to the close of the age."

Commentary:

16-20. This short passage, which brings to a close the Gospel of St
Matthew, is of great importance. Seeing the risen Christ, the disciples
adore him, worshipping him as God. This shows that at last they are
fully conscious of what, from much earlier on, they felt in their heart
and confessed by their words--that their Master is the Messiah, the Son
of God (cf. Mt 16:18; Jn 1:49). They are overcome by amazement and joy
at the wonder their eyes behold: it seems almost impossible, were he
not before their very eyes. Yet he is completely real, so their fearful
amazement gives way to adoration. The Master addresses them with the
majesty proper to God: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been
given to me." Omnipotence, an attribute belonging exclusively to God,
belongs to him: he is confirming the faith of his worshippers; and he
is also telling them that the authority which he is going to give them
to equip them to carry out their mission to the whole world, derives
from his own divine authority.

On hearing him speak these words, we should bear in mind that the
authority of the Church, which is given it for the salvation of
mankind, comes directly from Jesus Christ, and that this authority, in
the sphere of faith and morals, is above any other authority on earth.

The Apostles present on this occasion, and after them their lawful
successors, receive the charge of teaching all nations what Jesus
taught by word and work: he is the only path that leads to God. The
Church, and in it all Christian faithful, have the duty to proclaim
until the end of time, by word and example, the faith that they have
received. This mission belongs especially to the successors of the
Apostles, for on them devolves the power to teach with authority, "for,
before Christ ascended to his Father after his resurrection, he [...]
entrusted them with the mission and power to proclaim to mankind what
they had heard, what they had seen with their eyes, what they had
looked upon and touched with their hands, concerning the Word of Life
(1 Jn 1: 1). He also entrusted them with the mission and power to
explain with authority what he had taught them, his words and actions,
his signs and commandments. And he gave them the Spirit to fulfill
their mission" (John Paul II, "Catechesi Tradendae", 1). Therefore, the
teachings of the Pope and of the Bishops united to him should always be
accepted by everyone with assent and obedience.

Here Christ also passes on to the Apostles and their successors the
power to baptize, that is, to receive people into the Church, thereby
opening up to them the way to personal salvation.

The mission which the Church is definitively given here at the end of
St Matthew's Gospel is one of continuing the work of Christ--teaching
men and women the truths concerning God and the duty incumbent on them
to identify with these truths, to make them their own by having
constant recourse to the grace of the sacraments. This mission will
endure until the end of time and, to enable it to do this work, the
risen Christ promises to stay with the Church and never leave it. When
Sacred Scripture says that God is with someone, this means that that
person will be successful in everything he undertakes. Therefore, the
Church, helped in this way by the presence of its divine Founder, can
be confident of never failing to fulfill its mission down the
centuries until the end of time.

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter
Publishers, the U.S. publisher (see below).

The Mystery of the Trinity

by Fr. Paul Grankauskas

Other Articles by Fr. Paul Grankauskas

The Mystery of the Trinity

06/10/06

This could easily be the shortest Gospel Commentary ever: the Trinity is a mystery; end of story.


Of course, we know that there is much more to it than that. Jesus' command to the Apostles is to go out and teach as well as baptize "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." Here we have God revealing Himself as a communion of three divine Persons. Here we have God sharing with us the truth about Himself, revealing to us His real identity. In the words of Pope John Paul II, "God in His deepest mystery is not a solitude, but a family, since He has in Himself fatherhood, sonship, and the essence of the family, which is love." We might ask ourselves: What difference does the mystery of the Trinity make? It makes a big difference. For one thing, we cannot love what we do not know. We do not make complete gifts of ourselves to total strangers. (Ask someone to marry a complete stranger and see how well that works.) God allows us to know Him intimately as He is — one God in three divine Persons. He reveals Himself to us as a divine family. In fact, He goes even further. He loves us so much, He invites us to be a part of that family. Just last week we celebrated Pentecost, recalling how the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles in the Upper Room. In our Baptism, we too were sealed with the Spirit. By virtue of our Baptism we are brothers and sisters in Christ, and we can dare to call God "Abba" or Father. This means a Christian can never claim to be all alone in this world. We are part of a divine family. Second, we are made in the image and likeness of God. We know that God is a communion of Persons. We who are made in His image and likeness are likewise made to be in relationship with God and with others. We are made to be communal beings. It is impossible for us to live in total isolation without doing some grave harm to our very being. We are made and meant to live for others. That is the nature of love and the nature of the God Who formed us in His image. Finally, God is a family, a loving communion of Persons. We might look at a family, especially a large family, and sometimes see nothing but chaos, but we have to remember that a family is something sacred. A family is meant to be a communion of life and love modeled on the Trinity. It is in the family that we learn some important lessons about sharing, about being patient and forgiving. In the family, we become aware that we are always a part of a group larger than ourselves. There is no room for an arrogant individualism that can undermine family harmony. In other words, it is in the family that we learn how to practice a selfless, sacrificial love that is an image of the selfless love of the Trinity. So what difference does one God in three Persons make? It makes a big difference. It tells us something about Who God is, and tells us something about ourselves, made in His image and likeness. Fr. Grankauskas is parochial vicar at St. Mary of Sorrows Parish in Fairfax. (This article courtesy of the Arlington Catholic Herald.)

The Work of God

Year B

- Trinity Sunday

Teach all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Matthew 28:16.20

16 And the eleven disciples went into Galilee, unto the mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
17 And seeing Him they adored: but some doubted.
18 And Jesus coming, spoke to them, saying: All power is given to me in heaven and in earth.
19 Going therefore, teach all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world.

Inspiration of the Holy Spirit - From the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Trinity Sunday - Teach all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Just before I ascended into Heaven, I summoned my Apostles to gather with me and receive my final instructions. As they saw me in my supernatural state, part human because of my physical appearance, and divine because I am God, they felt my Real Presence touching their hearts and souls, they felt the need to worship God. Some hesitated, because it is natural for human beings to use reason and create obstacles to their faith.

When you come to know me well, there is no doubt in your heart, your soul is always thirsty for the living God and you burn with desire to be with me, to listen to me, and to receive me sacramentally.

I confirmed to the apostles that authority had been given to me in heaven and on earth. I used that authority to command them, my infant Church, to proclaim the good news, and to make disciples of all nations, and to baptize in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

God cannot be totally understood with the human mind, therefore I am the revelation of God the Father and I am also God the Son, we have sent the Holy Spirit to be our witness too.

In the beginning of creation, God my Father willed, God the Son spoke and God the Holy Spirit manifested our power. Everything came into existence and remains so until time comes to pass. God is one, we are one, and yet we are three different persons. The Father and I are one in the Love of the Holy Spirit. This is a mystery that will only be totally revealed in Heaven.

Many stumble trying to understand these heavenly mysteries because they resist the teachings of God, their reasoning leads them to pride, and only the humble can accept the truth and obtain great spiritual benefit.

In the Old Testament you have received the Testimony of the Father, who spoke through the prophets anticipating the things to come. In the New Testament I have come to be the light of the nations, to reveal the Father to everyone, to heal and redeem my people and to establish my Church.

After the day of Pentecost, My Church has become the temple of the Holy Spirit, I am the head of this mystical body and you are the members. You are separated physically but you are one with me in Spirit. You cannot see me with your physical eyes, but you can perceive me with the eyes of faith.

The promises I made to the Apostles, I make to you too, keep my commandments and teach others to do the same. And know that I will remain with you always, yes, until the end of time.

Author: Joseph of Jesus and Mary

Have a lovely trip, Salvation.

It should be great! Thanks.

Mass Readings

First reading	Deuteronomy 4:32 - 40 ©
Put this question to the ages that are past, that went before you, from the time God created man on earth: Was there ever a word so majestic, from one end of heaven to the other? Was anything ever heard? Did ever a people hear the voice of the living God speaking from the heart of the fire, as you heard it, and remain alive? Has any god ventured to take to himself one nation from the midst of another by ordeals, signs, wonders, war with mighty hand and outstretched arm, by fearsome terrors – all this that the Lord your God did for you before your eyes in Egypt? Understand this today, therefore, and take it to heart: the Lord is God indeed, in heaven above as on earth beneath, he and no other. Keep his laws and commandments as I give them to you today, so that you and your children may prosper and live long in the land that the Lord your God gives you for ever.

First reading

Deuteronomy 4:32 - 40 ©

Put this question to the ages that are past, that went before you, from the time God created man on earth: Was there ever a word so majestic, from one end of heaven to the other? Was anything ever heard? Did ever a people hear the voice of the living God speaking from the heart of the fire, as you heard it, and remain alive? Has any god ventured to take to himself one nation from the midst of another by ordeals, signs, wonders, war with mighty hand and outstretched arm, by fearsome terrors – all this that the Lord your God did for you before your eyes in Egypt?
Understand this today, therefore, and take it to heart: the Lord is God indeed, in heaven above as on earth beneath, he and no other. Keep his laws and commandments as I give them to you today, so that you and your children may prosper and live long in the land that the Lord your God gives you for ever.

Psalm or canticle: Psalm 32

Second reading	Romans 8:14 - 17 ©
Everyone moved by the Spirit is a son of God. The spirit you received is not the spirit of slaves bringing fear into your lives again; it is the spirit of sons, and it makes us cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’ The Spirit himself and our spirit bear united witness that we are children of God. And if we are children we are heirs as well: heirs of God and coheirs with Christ, sharing his sufferings so as to share his glory.

Second reading

Romans 8:14 - 17 ©

Everyone moved by the Spirit is a son of God. The spirit you received is not the spirit of slaves bringing fear into your lives again; it is the spirit of sons, and it makes us cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’ The Spirit himself and our spirit bear united witness that we are children of God. And if we are children we are heirs as well: heirs of God and coheirs with Christ, sharing his sufferings so as to share his glory.

Gospel	Matthew 28:16 - 20 ©
The eleven disciples set out for Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had arranged to meet them. When they saw him they fell down before him, though some hesitated. Jesus came up and spoke to them. He said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations; baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you. And know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.’

Gospel

Matthew 28:16 - 20 ©

The eleven disciples set out for Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had arranged to meet them. When they saw him they fell down before him, though some hesitated. Jesus came up and spoke to them. He said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations; baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you. And know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.’

Office of Readings -- Awakening Prayer

Office of Readings

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 8
The greatness of God, the dignity of man
How wonderful is your name over all the earth, O Lord, our Lord! How exalted is your glory above the sky! Out of the mouths of children and infants you have brought praise, to confound your enemies, to destroy your vengeful foes. When I see the heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and stars, which you set in their place – what is man, that you should take thought for him? what is the son of man, that you should look after him? You have made him but one step lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honour; you have set him over the works of your hands. You have put everything beneath his feet, cattle and sheep and the beasts of the field, the birds in the air and the fish in the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the waters. How wonderful is your name above all the earth, O Lord, our Lord! Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 8

The greatness of God, the dignity of man

How wonderful is your name over all the earth, O Lord, our Lord!
How exalted is your glory above the sky!

Out of the mouths of children and infants you have brought praise, to confound your enemies, to destroy your vengeful foes.

When I see the heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and stars, which you set in their place –
what is man, that you should take thought for him? what is the son of man, that you should look after him?

You have made him but one step lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honour; you have set him over the works of your hands.

You have put everything beneath his feet, cattle and sheep and the beasts of the field,
the birds in the air and the fish in the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the waters.

How wonderful is your name above all the earth, O Lord, our Lord!

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Psalm 32 (33)
The Lord provides
Rejoice in the Lord, you just: it is good for the upright to praise him. Proclaim the Lord on the lyre, play his song on the ten-stringed harp. Sing a new song to the Lord, sing out your cries of triumph, for the word of the Lord is truly just, and all his actions are faithful. The Lord loves justice and right judgement; the earth is full of his loving kindness. By the Lord’s word the heavens were made, and all their array by the breath of his mouth. He gathered the seas as if in a bag, he stored up the depths in his treasury. Let every land fear the Lord, let all the world be awed at his presence. For he spoke, and they came into being; he commanded, and they were made. The Lord confounds the counsel of the nations, throws the thoughts of the peoples into confusion. But the Lord’s own counsel stands firm for ever, his thoughts last for all generations. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 32 (33)

The Lord provides

Rejoice in the Lord, you just: it is good for the upright to praise him.
Proclaim the Lord on the lyre, play his song on the ten-stringed harp.
Sing a new song to the Lord, sing out your cries of triumph,
for the word of the Lord is truly just, and all his actions are faithful.
The Lord loves justice and right judgement; the earth is full of his loving kindness.
By the Lord’s word the heavens were made, and all their array by the breath of his mouth.
He gathered the seas as if in a bag, he stored up the depths in his treasury.

Let every land fear the Lord, let all the world be awed at his presence.
For he spoke, and they came into being; he commanded, and they were made.
The Lord confounds the counsel of the nations, throws the thoughts of the peoples into confusion.
But the Lord’s own counsel stands firm for ever, his thoughts last for all generations.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Psalm 32 (33)
Happy the nation whose lord is God, the people he has chosen as his inheritance. The Lord looks down from the heavens and sees all the children of men. From his dwelling-place he looks upon all who inhabit the earth. He moulded each one of their hearts, he understands all that they do. The king will not be saved by his forces; the abundance of his strength will not set the strong man free. Do not trust a horse to save you, whatever its swiftness and strength. For see, the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, upon those who trust in his mercy, hoping he will save their souls from death and their bodies from hunger. Our souls praise the Lord, for he is our help and our protector, for our hearts rejoice in him, and we trust in his holy name. Lord, show us your loving kindness, just as we put our hope in you. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 32 (33)

Happy the nation whose lord is God, the people he has chosen as his inheritance.
The Lord looks down from the heavens and sees all the children of men.
From his dwelling-place he looks upon all who inhabit the earth.
He moulded each one of their hearts, he understands all that they do.

The king will not be saved by his forces; the abundance of his strength will not set the strong man free.
Do not trust a horse to save you, whatever its swiftness and strength.
For see, the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, upon those who trust in his mercy,
hoping he will save their souls from death and their bodies from hunger.

Our souls praise the Lord, for he is our help and our protector,
for our hearts rejoice in him, and we trust in his holy name.
Lord, show us your loving kindness, just as we put our hope in you.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Reading	1 Corinthians 2:1 - 16 ©
As for me, brothers, when I came to you, it was not with any show of oratory or philosophy, but simply to tell you what God had guaranteed. During my stay with you, the only knowledge I claimed to have was about Jesus, and only about him as the crucified Christ. Far from relying on any power of my own, I came among you in great ‘fear and trembling’ and in my speeches and the sermons that I gave, there were none of the arguments that belong to philosophy; only a demonstration of the power of the Spirit. And I did this so that your faith should not depend on human philosophy but on the power of God. But still we have a wisdom to offer those who have reached maturity: not a philosophy of our age, it is true, still less of the masters of our age, which are coming to their end. The hidden wisdom of God which we teach in our mysteries is the wisdom that God predestined to be for our glory before the ages began. lt is a wisdom that none of the masters of this age have ever known, or they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory; we teach what scripture calls: the things that no eye has seen and no ear has heard, things beyond the mind of man, all that God has prepared for those who love him. These are the very things that God has revealed to us through the Spirit, for the Spirit reaches the depths of everything, even the depths of God. After all, the depths of a man can only be known by his own spirit, not by any other man, and in the same way the depths of God can only be known by the Spirit of God. Now instead of the spirit of the world, we have received the Spirit that comes from God, to teach us to understand the gifts that he has given us. Therefore we teach, not in the way in which philosophy is taught, but in the way that the Spirit teaches us: we teach spiritual things spiritually. An unspiritual person is one who does not accept anything of the Spirit of God: he sees it all as nonsense; it is beyond his understanding because it can only be understood by means of the Spirit. A spiritual man, on the other hand, is able to judge the value of everything, and his own value is not to be judged by other men. As scripture says: Who can know the mind of the Lord, so who can teach him? But we are those who have the mind of Christ.

Reading

1 Corinthians 2:1 - 16 ©

As for me, brothers, when I came to you, it was not with any show of oratory or philosophy, but simply to tell you what God had guaranteed. During my stay with you, the only knowledge I claimed to have was about Jesus, and only about him as the crucified Christ. Far from relying on any power of my own, I came among you in great ‘fear and trembling’ and in my speeches and the sermons that I gave, there were none of the arguments that belong to philosophy; only a demonstration of the power of the Spirit. And I did this so that your faith should not depend on human philosophy but on the power of God.
But still we have a wisdom to offer those who have reached maturity: not a philosophy of our age, it is true, still less of the masters of our age, which are coming to their end. The hidden wisdom of God which we teach in our mysteries is the wisdom that God predestined to be for our glory before the ages began. lt is a wisdom that none of the masters of this age have ever known, or they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory; we teach what scripture calls: the things that no eye has seen and no ear has heard, things beyond the mind of man, all that God has prepared for those who love him.
These are the very things that God has revealed to us through the Spirit, for the Spirit reaches the depths of everything, even the depths of God. After all, the depths of a man can only be known by his own spirit, not by any other man, and in the same way the depths of God can only be known by the Spirit of God. Now instead of the spirit of the world, we have received the Spirit that comes from God, to teach us to understand the gifts that he has given us. Therefore we teach, not in the way in which philosophy is taught, but in the way that the Spirit teaches us: we teach spiritual things spiritually. An unspiritual person is one who does not accept anything of the Spirit of God: he sees it all as nonsense; it is beyond his understanding because it can only be understood by means of the Spirit. A spiritual man, on the other hand, is able to judge the value of everything, and his own value is not to be judged by other men. As scripture says: Who can know the mind of the Lord, so who can teach him? But we are those who have the mind of Christ.

Reading	A letter by St Athanasius
Light, radiance and grace are in the Trinity and from the Trinity
It will not be out of place to consider the ancient tradition, teaching and faith of the Catholic Church, which was revealed by the Lord, proclaimed by the apostles and guarded by the fathers. For upon this faith the Church is built, and if anyone were to lapse from it, he would no longer be a Christian either in fact or in name. We acknowledge the Trinity, holy and perfect, to consist of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. In this Trinity there is no intrusion of any alien element or of anything from outside, nor is the Trinity a blend of creative and created being. It is a wholly creative and energising reality, self-consistent and undivided in its active power, for the Father makes all things through the Word and in the Holy Spirit, and in this way the unity of the holy Trinity is preserved. Accordingly, in the Church, one God is preached, one God who is above all things and through all things and in all things. God is above all things as Father, for he is principle and source; he is through all things through the Word; and he is in all things in the Holy Spirit. Writing to the Corinthians about spiritual matters, Paul traces all reality back to one God, the Father, saying: Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of service but the same Lord; and there are varieties of working, but it is the same God who inspires them all in everyone. Even the gifts that the Spirit dispenses to individuals are given by the Father through the Word. For all that belongs to the Father belongs also to the Son, and so the graces given by the Son in the Spirit are true gifts of the Father. Similarly, when the Spirit dwells in us, the Word who bestows the Spirit is in us too, and the Father is present in the Word. This is the meaning of the text: My Father and I will come to him and make our home with him. For where the light is, there also is the radiance; and where the radiance is, there too are its power and its resplendent grace. This is also Paul’s teaching in his second letter to the Corinthians: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. For grace and the gift of the Trinity are given by the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit. Just as grace is given from the Father through the Son, so there could be no communication of the gift to us except in the Holy Spirit. But when we share in the Spirit, we possess the love of the Father, the grace of the Son and the fellowship of the Spirit himself.

Reading

A letter by St Athanasius

Light, radiance and grace are in the Trinity and from the Trinity

It will not be out of place to consider the ancient tradition, teaching and faith of the Catholic Church, which was revealed by the Lord, proclaimed by the apostles and guarded by the fathers. For upon this faith the Church is built, and if anyone were to lapse from it, he would no longer be a Christian either in fact or in name.
We acknowledge the Trinity, holy and perfect, to consist of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. In this Trinity there is no intrusion of any alien element or of anything from outside, nor is the Trinity a blend of creative and created being. It is a wholly creative and energising reality, self-consistent and undivided in its active power, for the Father makes all things through the Word and in the Holy Spirit, and in this way the unity of the holy Trinity is preserved. Accordingly, in the Church, one God is preached, one God who is above all things and through all things and in all things. God is above all things as Father, for he is principle and source; he is through all things through the Word; and he is in all things in the Holy Spirit.
Writing to the Corinthians about spiritual matters, Paul traces all reality back to one God, the Father, saying: Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of service but the same Lord; and there are varieties of working, but it is the same God who inspires them all in everyone.
Even the gifts that the Spirit dispenses to individuals are given by the Father through the Word. For all that belongs to the Father belongs also to the Son, and so the graces given by the Son in the Spirit are true gifts of the Father. Similarly, when the Spirit dwells in us, the Word who bestows the Spirit is in us too, and the Father is present in the Word. This is the meaning of the text: My Father and I will come to him and make our home with him. For where the light is, there also is the radiance; and where the radiance is, there too are its power and its resplendent grace.
This is also Paul’s teaching in his second letter to the Corinthians: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. For grace and the gift of the Trinity are given by the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit. Just as grace is given from the Father through the Son, so there could be no communication of the gift to us except in the Holy Spirit. But when we share in the Spirit, we possess the love of the Father, the grace of the Son and the fellowship of the Spirit himself.

Canticle	Te Deum
God, we praise you; Lord, we proclaim you! You, the Father, the eternal – all the earth venerates you. All the angels, all the heavens, every power – The cherubim, the seraphim – unceasingly, they cry: “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts: heaven and earth are full of the majesty of your glory!” The glorious choir of Apostles – The noble ranks of prophets – The shining army of martyrs – all praise you. Throughout the world your holy Church proclaims you. – Father of immeasurable majesty, – True Son, only-begotten, worthy of worship, – Holy Spirit, our Advocate. You, Christ: – You are the king of glory. – You are the Father’s eternal Son. – You, to free mankind, did not disdain a Virgin’s womb. – You defeated the sharp spear of Death, and opened the kingdom of heaven to those who believe in you. – You sit at God’s right hand, in the glory of the Father. – You will come, so we believe, as our Judge. And so we ask of you: give help to your servants, whom you set free at the price of your precious blood. Number them among your chosen ones in eternal glory. Bring your people to safety, Lord, and bless those who are your inheritance. Rule them and lift them high for ever. Day by day we bless you, Lord: we praise you for ever and for ever. Of your goodness, Lord, keep us without sin for today. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us. Let your pity, Lord, be upon us, as much as we trust in you. In you, Lord, I trust: let me never be put to shame. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Canticle

Te Deum

God, we praise you; Lord, we proclaim you!
You, the Father, the eternal –
all the earth venerates you.
All the angels, all the heavens, every power –
The cherubim, the seraphim –
unceasingly, they cry:
“Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts:
heaven and earth are full of the majesty of your glory!”

The glorious choir of Apostles –
The noble ranks of prophets –
The shining army of martyrs –
all praise you.
Throughout the world your holy Church proclaims you.
– Father of immeasurable majesty,
– True Son, only-begotten, worthy of worship,
– Holy Spirit, our Advocate.

You, Christ:
– You are the king of glory.
– You are the Father’s eternal Son.
– You, to free mankind, did not disdain a Virgin’s womb.
– You defeated the sharp spear of Death, and opened the kingdom of heaven to those who believe in you.
– You sit at God’s right hand, in the glory of the Father.
– You will come, so we believe, as our Judge.

And so we ask of you: give help to your servants, whom you set free at the price of your precious blood.
Number them among your chosen ones in eternal glory.
Bring your people to safety, Lord, and bless those who are your inheritance.
Rule them and lift them high for ever.

Day by day we bless you, Lord: we praise you for ever and for ever.
Of your goodness, Lord, keep us without sin for today.
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us.
Let your pity, Lord, be upon us, as much as we trust in you.
In you, Lord, I trust: let me never be put to shame.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

A concluding prayer may follow here.

Sunday, June 11, 2006
The Most Holy Trinity (Solemnity) (Tenth week in Ordinary Time)

First Reading:
Psalm:
Second Reading:
Gospel:

Deuteronomy 4:32-34, 39-40
Psalm 33:4-6, 9, 18-20, 22
Romans 8:14-17
Matthew 28:16-20

Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered: and let them that hate Him flee from before His face.

-- Ps. lxvii. 2

Catholic Culture

Collect:
Father, you sent your Word to bring us truth and your Spirit to make us holy. Through them we come to know the mystery of your life. Help us to worship you, one God in three Persons, by proclaiming and living our faith in you. We ask you this, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God, true and living, for ever and ever.

Recipes:

Activities:

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» The Trinity and the Mass

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Prayers:

June 11, 2006

Trinity Sunday

The fundamental dogma on which everything in Christianity is based, is that of the Blessed Trinity in whose name all Christians are baptized. The feast of the Blessed Trinity needs to be understood and celebrated as a prolongation of the mysteries of Christ and as the solemn expression of our faith in this triune life of the Divine Persons, to which we have been given access by Baptism and by the Redemption won for us by Christ. Only in heaven shall we properly understand what it means, in union with Christ, to share as sons in the very life of God.

The feast of the Blessed Trinity was introduced in the ninth century and was only inserted in the general calendar of the Church in the fourteenth century by Pope John XXII. But the cultus of the Trinity is, of course, to be found throughout the liturgy. Constantly the Church causes us to praise and adore the thrice-holy God who has so shown His mercy towards us and has given us to share in His life.

Trinity Sunday
The dogma of faith which forms the object of the feast is this: There is one God and in this one God there are three divine Persons; the Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God. Yet there are not three Gods, but one, eternal, incomprehensible God! The Father is not more God than the Son, neither is the Son more God than the Holy Spirit. The Father is the first divine Person; the Son is the second divine Person, begotten from the nature of the Father from eternity; the Holy Spirit is the third divine Person, proceeding from the Father and the Son. No mortal can fully fathom this sublime truth. But I submit humbly and say: Lord, I believe, help my weak faith.

Why is this feast celebrated at this particular time? It may be interpreted as a finale to all the preceding feasts. All three Persons contributed to and shared in the work of redemption. The Father sent His Son to earth, for "God so loved the world as to give His only-begotten Son." The Father called us to the faith. The Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, became man and died for us. He redeemed us and made us children of God. He ever remains the liturgist par excellence to whom we are united in all sacred functions. After Christ's ascension the Holy Spirit, however, became our Teacher, our Leader, our Guide, our Consoler. On solemn occasions a thanksgiving Te Deum rises spontaneously from Christian hearts.

The feast of the Most Holy Trinity may well be regarded as the Church's Te Deum of gratitude over all the blessings of the Christmas and Easter seasons; for this mystery is a synthesis of Christmas, Epiphany, Easter, Ascension and Pentecost. This feast, which falls on the first Sunday after Pentecost, should make us mindful that actually every Sunday is devoted to the honor of the Most Holy Trinity, that every Sunday is sanctified and consecrated to the triune God. Sunday after Sunday we should recall in a spirit of gratitude the gifts which the Blessed Trinity is bestowing upon us. The Father created and predestined us; on the first day of the week He began the work of creation. The Son redeemed us; Sunday is the "Day of the Lord," the day of His resurrection. The Holy Spirit sanctified us, made us His temple; on Sunday the Holy Spirit descended upon the infant Church. Sunday, therefore, is the day of the Most Holy Trinity.

Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch.

Symbols of the Trinity: Equilateral Triange; Circle of Eternity; Three Interwoven circles; Triangle in Circle; Circle Within Triangle; Interwoven Circle and Triangle; Two Triangles interwoven in shape of Star of David; Two Triangles in shape of Star of David interwoven with Circle; Trefoil; Trefoil and Triangle; Trefoil with points; Triquetra; Triquetra and circle; Sheild of the Holy Trinity; Three Fishes linked together in shape of a triangle; Cross and Triangle overlapping; Fleur de Lys; St. Patrick's Shamrock.

Things to Do:

Depending on the ages of family members, research symbols of the Trinity and create something for the centerpiece of your family table, or something for your family altar, such as a small banner or poster. It can be as little as a 4 x 6 photograph or something to use every year as a backdrop or wallhanging.
Think of different foods to serve that can reflect the symbolism of the Trinity. One example is clover leaf rolls. These rolls are formed with three balls of dough put into one hole of the muffin tin for each roll. They are easy to make. Use your favorite roll recipe (you can even buy frozen bread or roll dough), or search on the Internet for one of many examples.
The Directory on Popular Piety explains some of the pious exercises related to the devotion of the Holy or Blessed Trinity. Three very simple prayers are the Sign of the Cross, Gloria Patri (Glory Be to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, etc.) and the Trisagion (meaning "thrice holy"): "Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy on us." This is just one version, there are many others, and it is usually found in the Eastern liturgies.

Lauds -- Morning Prayer

Morning Prayer (Lauds)

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 117 (118)
A cry of rejoicing and triumph
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, and his kindness is for ever. Now let Israel say, he is good and his kindness is for ever. Now let the house of Aaron say it too: that his kindness is for ever. Now let all who fear the Lord say it too: that his kindness is for ever. In my time of trial I called out to the Lord: he listened, and led me to freedom. The Lord is with me, I will fear nothing that man can do. The Lord, my help, is with me, and I shall look down upon my enemies. It is good to seek shelter in the Lord, better than to trust in men. It is good to seek shelter in the Lord, better than to trust in the leaders of men. All the nations surrounded me, and in the Lord’s name I slew them. They crowded in and besieged me, and in the Lord’s name I slew them. They surrounded me like swarms of bees, they burned like a fire of dry thorns, and in the Lord’s name I slew them. They chased and pursued me, to make me fall, and the Lord came to my help. The Lord is my strength and my rejoicing: he has become my saviour. A cry of joy and salvation in the dwellings of the righteous: “The Lord’s right hand has triumphed! The Lord’s right hand has raised me up; the Lord’s right hand has triumphed”. I shall not die, but live, and tell of the works of the Lord. The Lord chastised me severely but did not let me die. Open the gates of righteousness: I will go in, and thank the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord; it is the upright who enter here. I will thank you, for you listened to me, and became my saviour. The stone that the builders rejected has become the corner-stone. It was the Lord who did this – it is marvellous to behold. This is the day that was made by the Lord: let us rejoice today, and be glad. Lord, keep me safe; O Lord, let me prosper! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord. The Lord is God, he shines upon us! Arrange the procession, with close-packed branches, up to the horns of the altar. You are my God, I will give thanks to you; my God, I will give you praise. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, and his kindness is for ever. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 117 (118)

A cry of rejoicing and triumph

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good,
and his kindness is for ever.

Now let Israel say, he is good
and his kindness is for ever.
Now let the house of Aaron say it too:
that his kindness is for ever.
Now let all who fear the Lord say it too:
that his kindness is for ever.

In my time of trial I called out to the Lord:
he listened, and led me to freedom.
The Lord is with me,
I will fear nothing that man can do.
The Lord, my help, is with me,
and I shall look down upon my enemies.

It is good to seek shelter in the Lord,
better than to trust in men.
It is good to seek shelter in the Lord,
better than to trust in the leaders of men.

All the nations surrounded me,
and in the Lord’s name I slew them.
They crowded in and besieged me,
and in the Lord’s name I slew them.
They surrounded me like swarms of bees,
they burned like a fire of dry thorns,
and in the Lord’s name I slew them.
They chased and pursued me, to make me fall,
and the Lord came to my help.
The Lord is my strength and my rejoicing:
he has become my saviour.

A cry of joy and salvation
in the dwellings of the righteous:
“The Lord’s right hand has triumphed!
The Lord’s right hand has raised me up;
the Lord’s right hand has triumphed”.

I shall not die, but live,
and tell of the works of the Lord.
The Lord chastised me severely
but did not let me die.
Open the gates of righteousness:
I will go in, and thank the Lord.

This is the gate of the Lord;
it is the upright who enter here.

I will thank you, for you listened to me,
and became my saviour.

The stone that the builders rejected
has become the corner-stone.
It was the Lord who did this –
it is marvellous to behold.
This is the day that was made by the Lord:
let us rejoice today, and be glad.

Lord, keep me safe;
O Lord, let me prosper!

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
We bless you from the house of the Lord.

The Lord is God, he shines upon us!
Arrange the procession, with close-packed branches,
up to the horns of the altar.

You are my God, I will give thanks to you;
my God, I will give you praise.

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good,
and his kindness is for ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Canticle	Daniel 3
Let every creature praise the Lord
Blessed are you, Lord God of our fathers, praised and exalted for ever. Blessed is the holy name of your glory praised above all things and exalted for ever. Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory praised and glorious above all things for ever. Blessed are you who gaze on the depths, seated on the cherubim, praised and exalted for ever. Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven praised and glorious for ever. Bless the Lord, all his works, praise and exalt him for ever. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Canticle

Daniel 3

Let every creature praise the Lord

Blessed are you, Lord God of our fathers,
praised and exalted for ever.
Blessed is the holy name of your glory
praised above all things and exalted for ever.
Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory
praised and glorious above all things for ever.
Blessed are you who gaze on the depths,
seated on the cherubim,
praised and exalted for ever.
Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven
praised and glorious for ever.
Bless the Lord, all his works,
praise and exalt him for ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Psalm 150
Praise the Lord
Praise the Lord in his sanctuary, praise him in his mighty firmament. Praise him for his mighty deeds, praise him for all his greatness. Praise him with trumpet-blasts, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with timbrel and dance, praise him with strings and pipes, praise him with cymbals resounding, praise him with cymbals of jubilation. All that breathes, praise the Lord! Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 150

Praise the Lord

Praise the Lord in his sanctuary,
praise him in his mighty firmament.
Praise him for his mighty deeds,
praise him for all his greatness.

Praise him with trumpet-blasts,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
praise him with timbrel and dance,
praise him with strings and pipes,
praise him with cymbals resounding,
praise him with cymbals of jubilation.

All that breathes, praise the Lord!

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

A short Bible reading and responsory may follow here.

Canticle	Benedictus
The Messiah and his forerunner
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption. He has raised up the sign of salvation in the house of his servant David, as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones, his prophets through the ages: to rescue us from our enemies and all who hate us, to take pity on our fathers, to remember his holy covenant and the oath he swore to Abraham our father, that he would give himself to us, that we could serve him without fear – freed from the hands of our enemies – in uprightness and holiness before him, for all of our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High: for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path, to let his people know their salvation, so that their sins may be forgiven. Through the bottomless mercy of our God, one born on high will visit us to give light to those who walk in darkness, who live in the shadow of death; to lead our feet in the path of peace. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Canticle

Benedictus

The Messiah and his forerunner

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption.
He has raised up the sign of salvation in the house of his servant David,
as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones, his prophets through the ages:
to rescue us from our enemies and all who hate us, to take pity on our fathers,
to remember his holy covenant and the oath he swore to Abraham our father,
that he would give himself to us, that we could serve him without fear – freed from the hands of our enemies –
in uprightness and holiness before him, for all of our days.

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High: for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path,
to let his people know their salvation, so that their sins may be forgiven.
Through the bottomless mercy of our God, one born on high will visit us
to give light to those who walk in darkness, who live in the shadow of death;
to lead our feet in the path of peace.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Some short prayers may follow here, to offer up the day's work to God.

Our Father, who art in Heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those that trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

A concluding prayer may follow here.

May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life.

A M E N

Regnum Christi

The Great Commission
June 11, 2006

Heaven and earth are filled with your glory.

Trinity Sunday
Father Matthew Kaderabek, LC

Matthew 28:16-20
The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. Then Jesus approached and said to them, "All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age."

Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, what a wonderful feast day to have a heart-to-heart conversation with you — Trinity Sunday! Please accompany me during this time of prayer, and help me to be a more effective instrument in your hands. My only desire is to please you. Lord, please flood my heart with your grace so that I may fully accomplish your will in my life.

Petition: Lord Jesus, help me to better understand this great mystery of the Holy Trinity. Never allow me to forget that you are always watching over me and looking after my greater interests. More importantly, please help me to know and love you more so that I can put this love into practice in my daily life.

1. Standing Between Heaven and Earth. Jesus Christ stands on the mountain of the Ascension, drawing all creation back to his Heavenly Father. He stands between heaven and earth as our God, our redeemer, our best friend, and as one who will walk with us every step of the way. With the disciples, let us adore him. Lord, we worship you, we thank you, we adore you. We thank you for your great goodness, burning love, and unfathomable mercy. Heaven and earth are filled with your glory.

2. Go Therefore and Make Disciples of All Nations. What does Jesus do with his power over heaven and earth? He uses it to unite sinful men with the all-holy God. How almighty his power must be to transform sinners into children of God and heirs of heaven. And how does Jesus bring about this transformation? He empowers his apostles to teach his truth and transmit a participation in his divine life. Lord Jesus, thank you for the light of truth that dispels the darkness of our minds. Thank you for the life of grace bestowed upon us in baptism. And thank you, Lord, for the bishops and priests who bring us -- through your divine power -- God’s own truth and a share in the life of the most blessed Trinity. Thank you for St Peter and all his successors who keep us united in one, holy and universal Church as we journey toward the heavenly kingdom.

3. Baptizing Them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Without water, we would die of thirst. Without the Redemption, we would die in our sins, forever excluded from our destiny — union with God in the eternal happiness of heaven. How fittingly then, Jesus uses water to give us the fruits of his glorious Redemption. Not water alone, but water blessed in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Let us bow down in adoration before the infinite power of Our Lord. Through the ministry of his priests, Jesus raises the dead to the supernatural life of grace. Thank you, Lord, for the awesome gift of baptism and for adopting me as your child.

Dialogue with Christ: Dear Heavenly Father, you are now my own Father. I am your beloved child in Christ. Holy Spirit of God, gift of the Father and the Son, make your home in my heart. Direct my every thought, word and deed to glorify the most Holy Trinity.

Resolution: I will often repeat with the holy children of Fatima: “O Most Blessed Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore thee profoundly. I offer Thee the most Precious Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of thy dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world.”

Homily of the Day

Homily of the Day

Title:	Made in the Image of God
Author:	Fr. Frank Jindra
Date:	Sunday, June 11, 2006

Moses: “Ask now of the days of old, before your time, ever since God created man upon the earth; ask from one end of the sky to the other: Did anything so great ever happen before? … This is why you must know, and fix in your heart, that the Lord is God…”

If we search all the religions of the world for some unique property - for some unique message - we come back to the “message of distinction” that resides in Christianity. This message is the culmination of a huge mystery: We are made in the image and likeness of God.

The Church, in her wisdom and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit has called us to proclaim this great mystery immediately following the conclusion of the Easter season. Trinity Sunday is a chance for us to examine - in our own frail human intellect - the amazing reality of God in His Love.

We have been taught that all creation comes from within the desire of the Love that is God. That the desire of God to share the wonder of His love is why creation - including humanity - came into existence. That is part of the way we share in His divine life. What? Yes, we share in His Divine Life.

How are we made in the image and likeness of God? What is that “image and likeness"? We do what no other creature can. We - with the grace of God - create something eternal: Other human beings.

God, in His Love, could not remain only in Himself. The very nature of His love - without implying anything lacking within Him - required more. That more is His creation. His Love within the Family of the Trinity generated more love and that became our created universe.

As a husband and wife come together, generating their love, sometimes - with the grace of God - there is a new creation in a child. This is something the devil, nor any other creature is able to do. We alone participate in God’s ongoing creation.

And it is from the family that God is revealed. As Christians, this Family is something unique in our understanding of God. It grew from within the understanding of God’s self revelation through Moses that “the Lord is God in the heavens above and on earth below, and that there is no other…” It grew through the prophets of the Old Testament where God was first revealed as a father. It grew to the declaration of Jesus (God the Son) of God the Father, and the Holy Spirit as our Advocate.

We have come to see this as God: Three-in-one; a community of persons, but one God.

I know you know this. But think again on the mystery of the Family … and of the family. We participate in the creative power of God through our families. This is central to our identity in the image of God. Is it any surprise there is such an attack on family and children?

Why is abortion so demonically strong? Because it denies the creative power of man and woman and the dignity of the eternal beings husband and wife create with God.

Why is there such an attack on family? Because by distorting or destroying family, the devil distorts or destroys the image of God in the hearts and minds of people.

All the attacks we see against family today - the myriad variations, distortions, denials, and (yes) perversions - are ultimately an attack on the very image of God in which we were made.

God said: “Let us make man in our image” … male and female He created them. The image of the Trinity is under attack today. So I repeat what Moses said: “…This is why you must know, and fix in your heart, that the Lord is God…” and we are made in His image.

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Vespers -- Evening Prayer

Vespers (Evening Prayer)

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 109 (110)
The Messiah, king and priest
The Lord has said to my lord: “Sit at my right hand while I make your enemies into your footstool”. From Sion the Lord will give you a sceptre, and you will rule in the midst of your foes. Royal power is yours in the day of your strength, glorious and holy; from the time of your birth, before the dawn. The Lord has sworn, and he will not repent: “You are a priest for ever, a priest of the priesthood of Melchisedech”. The Lord is at your right hand, and on the day of his anger he will shatter kings. He will judge the nations, he will pile high their skulls; he will drink from the stream as he goes – he will hold his head high. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 109 (110)

The Messiah, king and priest

The Lord has said to my lord: “Sit at my right hand while I make your enemies into your footstool”.

From Sion the Lord will give you a sceptre, and you will rule in the midst of your foes.
Royal power is yours in the day of your strength, glorious and holy; from the time of your birth, before the dawn.

The Lord has sworn, and he will not repent: “You are a priest for ever, a priest of the priesthood of Melchisedech”.
The Lord is at your right hand, and on the day of his anger he will shatter kings.

He will judge the nations, he will pile high their skulls;
he will drink from the stream as he goes – he will hold his head high.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Psalm 113A (114)
Israel set free from Egypt
When Israel came out of Egypt, Jacob’s people from a land of strangers, Judah became his sanctuary and Israel his domain. The sea saw it, and fled; the Jordan flowed backwards at the sight; the mountains leapt like rams; the hills, like yearling sheep. Sea, what was it, what made you flee? And you, Jordan, why did you flow uphill? Mountains, why did you leap like rams? Hills, like yearling sheep? Tremble, Earth, at the presence of the Lord, the presence of the Lord of Jacob, who has turned the rock into a pool of water and made a fountain out of the flint. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 113A (114)

Israel set free from Egypt

When Israel came out of Egypt, Jacob’s people from a land of strangers,
Judah became his sanctuary and Israel his domain.

The sea saw it, and fled; the Jordan flowed backwards at the sight;
the mountains leapt like rams; the hills, like yearling sheep.

Sea, what was it, what made you flee? And you, Jordan, why did you flow uphill?
Mountains, why did you leap like rams? Hills, like yearling sheep?

Tremble, Earth, at the presence of the Lord, the presence of the Lord of Jacob,
who has turned the rock into a pool of water and made a fountain out of the flint.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Canticle	Apocalypse 19
The wedding of the Lamb
Alleluia. Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, because his judgements are true and just. Alleluia. Alleluia. Praise our God, all his servants, and you who fear him, small and great. Alleluia. Alleluia. For the Lord reigns, our God, the Almighty: let us rejoice and exult and give him glory. Alleluia. Alleluia. The marriage of the Lamb has come, and his spouse has made herself ready. Alleluia. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Canticle

Apocalypse 19

The wedding of the Lamb

Alleluia.
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, because his judgements are true and just.
Alleluia.

Alleluia.
Praise our God, all his servants, and you who fear him, small and great.
Alleluia.

Alleluia.
For the Lord reigns, our God, the Almighty: let us rejoice and exult and give him glory.
Alleluia.

Alleluia.
The marriage of the Lamb has come, and his spouse has made herself ready.
Alleluia.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

A short Bible reading and responsory may follow here.

Canticle	Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation. For he has shown me such favour – me, his lowly handmaiden. Now all generations will call me blessed, because the mighty one has done great things for me. His name is holy, his mercy lasts for generation after generation for those who revere him. He has put forth his strength: he has scattered the proud and conceited, torn princes from their thrones; but lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Canticle

Magnificat

My soul rejoices in the Lord

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation.
For he has shown me such favour –
me, his lowly handmaiden.
Now all generations will call me blessed,
because the mighty one has done great things for me.
His name is holy,
his mercy lasts for generation after generation
for those who revere him.

He has put forth his strength:
he has scattered the proud and conceited,
torn princes from their thrones;
but lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things;
the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel,
he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Some short prayers may follow here, to offer up the day's work to God.

Our Father, who art in Heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those that trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

A concluding prayer may follow here.

May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life.

A M E N