(EPISODE: 301)
Readings for The Most Holy Trinity Sunday. Year B.
FIRST READING: Deut 4: 32-34, 39-40
Ps 33: 4-5, 6+9, 18-19, 20+22. "Happy the people the Lord has chosen to be his own."
SECOND READING: Rom 8: 14-17
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (cf. Rev 1: 8). Alleluia, alleluia! Glory to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. To God who is, who was, and who is to come.
GOSPEL: Matt 28: 16-20
Image Credit: Shutterstock Licensed. stock vector ID: 1747141307. Vector illustration of a Background for Trinity Sunday. By Suns Design.
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Please listen to the audio-recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers and homily), for The Most Holy Trinity Sunday. Year B. - Sunday, May 30, 2021 by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-trinity-sunday-b-2020-episode-301/s-1qNZNg7A6Ms
(EPISODE: 301)
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* (Prologue: Fr Paul Kelly)
I think this quote from the great English writer C.S. Lewis says so much about the Trinity:
"Three persons, one God of love -
People seem not to notice that the words 'God is love' have no real meaning unless God contains at least two persons. Love is something that one person has for another person. If God was a single person, then before the world was made, He was not love…Christians believe that the living, dynamic activity of love has been going on in God forever and has created everything else… in Christianity God is not a static thing – but (rather a personal) dynamic, pulsating activity, a life, almost a kind of drama… Almost, a kind of dance." [C.S. Lewis (1898-1963)]
I love the Trinity, it is an indispensable part of the Christian faith. It is certainly not (as some people are occasionally heard to say) merely an academic construct, but rather, the Holy Trinity is an absolute necessity to get a small grasp and glimpse into the breadth, depth and diversity of God's inner nature; which is implicitly community, and innately relational and loving.
My favourite image of the Trinity, is the very famous icon by Andre Rublev, from the 15th Century. You have most likely seen it…. It is a picture of three Angelic figures sitting at a table sharing a meal under the Oak of Mamre. It literally depicts the visit of the three angelic persons representing God, who visited Abraham and stayed to share a meal provided by Abraham and Sarah' reverent hospitality.
Firstly, all persons of the Trinity in this picture are portrayed as humans, not just two people and a dove. Although the dove is an ancient symbol for the Holy Spirit and quite valid, it can sometimes not capture the fact that we believe in three persons equal in sharing the one divine nature.
I also love this icon of the Trinity because it captures the perfect inter-relation that exists within God who is three persons. It is as if each is deferring to one another and giving each other precedence and respect, and in return, they give it right back. It is perfect harmony, perfect giving and perfect receiving, as if one is pointing to the food at the table and saying to the other, please, be my guest, you first, and the other is saying, thank you, I appreciate it, now, please take some yourself, thank you, you are kind.... and on it goes..... The community and nature of God is perfect hospitality, the perfect relationship and absolute respect and reverence. It is this wonderful life that Jesus invites us into…….. We are invited to share in this perfect harmony of the Trinity, and if we accept…. it will transform us and the world around us. We are invited into the very inner life of God.
As the first reading tells us, we are, moved by the Spirit we have been given, to be sons and daughters of God, and heirs of God… but as a way of keeping us humble.. we are heirs to Christ's sufferings, - for God suffers in this self-sacrificing, and generous love.. that gives without counting the cost. And in the gospel, one of my all-time favourite Gospel passages ever… Jesus promises us that he will be with us always, even till the end of time….. But again.. we are reminded, that by becoming God's people, by becoming sons and daughters of God, and heirs to the Kingdom… comes with it this task.. to live with an outreaching love towards others and to the world, as God, the Trinity lives… we are told we must go out … out into all the world….
The cost of entry into this eternal relationship with God is to always remain outward looking, turned out towards others.. willing to suffer for participating in the outreaching, generous and unselfish love of God….. At the table of the Holy Trinity, there is no room here for any self-interest, stinginess and or inward-looking mentalities. God is always on the lookout for more people to be part of the family… always reaching out…. Open and generous…..
The more we as individuals and we as Christian communities reflect the inner life of the Trinity, the more we are participating in that Trinitarian life.
It is no wonder that Our Lord, Jesus, is made really present to us, in the Eucharist, encountered in the form of a sacred meal and it is very poignant that Jesus was put to death because of, among other reasons, the people he ate with. God is love, and God is relational. It is great to share a meal and encounter a glimpse of what God (a Trinity of Persons), shares all the time.
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(Homily: Fr Peter Dillon).
Homily Trinity Sunday Year B 2021
Some years ago a Brisbane man in his fifties appealed to the public to help him find out who he was. An accident had resulted in the complete loss of his memory. He did not know his name, where he lived, what his family background was etc. Eventually a daughter was found and with her he began to put together the story of his life. It was eventually discovered that he had been born and raised in New Zealand. He had brothers and sisters and cousins still living. He was not alone in the world and there were people who loved and cared for and about him. His identity was bound up with the lives of others.
An essential part of who we are involves others. To be fully human is to be in relationship. A small infant does not fully know who he or she is, but from the earliest moments forms a bond with parents and family. We can only find out who we truly are by living out these relationships. That is also true of our relationship with God.
On this feast of the Trinity, the Church asks us to consider a doctrine rather than an event in the life of Jesus. The Trinity, who God is, is the central mystery of our faith. Today we celebrate mystery (the Godhead) and relationship (Father, Son and Spirit), which is the fullness of who God is.
Of course, we do need to ask ourselves what does that relationship mean to us? Why is this mystery something to be celebrated? The great mystic Julian of Norwich said, 'I beheld the working of the Trinity'. She did not say that she understood the Trinity, and there is an odd comfort in her honesty.
The three persons of God as a Trinity is not just a phrase or definition. Our God is an active God. The God of creation, the God who sends us his son, who stands by us now through every crisis through the peaceful presence of the spirit. Trinity Sunday is a bit like Einstein's theory of relativity - easy to say but almost impossible to fully comprehend. We can make all the analogies we like to shamrocks and three leaved clovers but, in the end, the trinity will always remain a mystery beyond our grasp. But Jesus is the key to a clearer understanding of what is at the heart of this relationship.
Jesus is the mirror in which we can finally see the Lord, made human flesh, born of a woman by the intervention of the Spirit!
We will never find the trinity anything but an exercise in geometry until we focus on Jesus. I am the way, he said. We are not interested in pure being, we only want to know does this divine geometry love us and care what happens to us and can reveal that to us somehow. All this we can see in Jesus. He shows the love of God to the world.
After the resurrection, the disciples reflected on their relationship with Jesus: who he had been for them, what he had said and done. They remembered his words of encouragement, experienced the Spirit of his presence among them still.
At our baptism we were drawn into the union of Father, Son and Spirit, as the water of Baptism was poured over us. While in the person of Jesus, much about God has been revealed to us, so much remains hidden and a mystery. Even if we study all our lives, our faith will remain a mystery, but a mystery to be experienced. The more we come to know and love Jesus the more we will be led into the mystery of God's being.
He came to lead us into the heart of that mystery.
We know that God created the world and us and delighted in his creation. He rescued us after we had sinned, by sending his Son; he stands by us now in our crises through the presence of his Spirit. We can see how God acts but we cannot always understand why.
Again Julian of Norwich had an insight into the mystery of how God's creative relationship might be better understood. She beheld God as:
"The father who gives us life and who is the source of all life, God our mother, in wit and wisdom in whom we have our keeping, our life, our pain, and our fulfilment - the nourisher. The high might of the trinity is our father, and the deep wisdom of the trinity is our mother, and the great love of the trinity is Jesus, our Lord.
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References:
Homily – fr peter Dillon
Prologue - Fr Paul W. Kelly
Image Credit: Shutterstock Licensed. stock vector ID: 1747141307. Vector illustration of a Background for Trinity Sunday. By Suns Design.
The Most Holy Trinity Sunday. Year B. (Sunday, May 30, 2021) (EPISODE: 301 )
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
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{{May Our Lord's Fidelity strengthen you.}} welcome everyone, we gather - Silence, reflection, prayer and contemplation of our God.
Coming together as brothers and sisters, with confidence let us ask the Fathers forgiveness, for he is full of gentleness and compassion
Heavenly Father, your love gives life to all of creation
Lord, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you are the Resurrection, inviting us into your inner life. Christ have mercy.
Holy Spirit, you empower us to work for justice and compassion, Lord, have mercy. Lord Jesus, you are mighty God and Prince of peace. Lord have mercy// You are Son of God and the Son of Mary. Christ have mercy// You are Word made flesh, the splendour of the Father. Lord have mercy.
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
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Memorial Acclamation
3. Save us, Saviour of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free.
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Ps 33: 4-5, 6+9, 18-19, 20+22. "Happy the people the Lord has chosen to be his own."
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (cf. Rev 1: 8). Alleluia, alleluia! Glory to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. To God who is, who was, and who is to come.
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PREFACE: Preface of the Most Holy trinity
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{thanks everyone. And may God sustain you with his grace and love. }
Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord.
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Archive of homilies and reflections: http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email: paulwkelly68@gmail.com
To listen to our weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks
You are welcome to subscribe to Fr Paul's homily mail-out by sending an email to this address: paulkellyreflections+subscribe@googlegroups.com
Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul Kelly
Prayers and chants — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy. (ICEL)
Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, and 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA)
"The Psalms" ©1963, 2009, The Grail - Collins publishers.
Prayers of the Faithful - " Together we pray" by Robert Borg'. E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993) . (Sydney Australia).
Sung "Mass In Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin" - By Jeffrey M. Ostrowski. The Gloria, Copyright © 2011 ccwatershed.org.
- "Faith, Hope and Love" theme hymn - in memory of William John Kelly - Inspired by 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. Music by Paul W. Kelly. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.
"Quiet Time." Instrumental Reflection music. Written by Paul W Kelly. 1988, 2007. & This arrangement: Stefan Kelk, 2020.
- "Today I Arise" - For Trisha J Kelly. Original words and music by Paul W. Kelly. Inspired by St Patrick's Prayer. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.
[ Production - KER - 2021]
May God bless and keep you.
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