The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
Lectionary: 166
Lectionary: 166
Thus says the wisdom of God:
"The LORD possessed me, the beginning of his ways,
the forerunner of his prodigies of long ago;
from of old I was poured forth,
at the first, before the earth.
When there were no depths I was brought forth,
when there were no fountains or springs of water;
before the mountains were settled into place,
before the hills, I was brought forth;
while as yet the earth and fields were not made,
nor the first clods of the world.
"When the Lord established the heavens I was there,
when he marked out the vault over the face of the deep;
when he made firm the skies above,
when he fixed fast the foundations of the earth;
when he set for the sea its limit,
so that the waters should not transgress his command;
then was I beside him as his craftsman,
and I was his delight day by day,
playing before him all the while,
playing on the surface of his earth;
and I found delight in the human race."
"The LORD possessed me, the beginning of his ways,
the forerunner of his prodigies of long ago;
from of old I was poured forth,
at the first, before the earth.
When there were no depths I was brought forth,
when there were no fountains or springs of water;
before the mountains were settled into place,
before the hills, I was brought forth;
while as yet the earth and fields were not made,
nor the first clods of the world.
"When the Lord established the heavens I was there,
when he marked out the vault over the face of the deep;
when he made firm the skies above,
when he fixed fast the foundations of the earth;
when he set for the sea its limit,
so that the waters should not transgress his command;
then was I beside him as his craftsman,
and I was his delight day by day,
playing before him all the while,
playing on the surface of his earth;
and I found delight in the human race."
Responsorial
PsalmPS 8:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
R. (2a) O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name
in all the earth!
When I behold your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars which you set in place —
What is man that you should be mindful of him,
or the son of man that you should care for him?
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
You have made him little less than the angels,
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him rule over the works of your hands,
putting all things under his feet:
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
All sheep and oxen,
yes, and the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fishes of the sea,
and whatever swims the paths of the seas.
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
When I behold your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars which you set in place —
What is man that you should be mindful of him,
or the son of man that you should care for him?
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
You have made him little less than the angels,
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him rule over the works of your hands,
putting all things under his feet:
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
All sheep and oxen,
yes, and the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fishes of the sea,
and whatever swims the paths of the seas.
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
Reading 2ROM 5:1-5
Brothers and sisters:
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have gained access by faith
to this grace in which we stand,
and we boast in hope of the glory of God.
Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions,
knowing that affliction produces endurance,
and endurance, proven character,
and proven character, hope,
and hope does not disappoint,
because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have gained access by faith
to this grace in which we stand,
and we boast in hope of the glory of God.
Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions,
knowing that affliction produces endurance,
and endurance, proven character,
and proven character, hope,
and hope does not disappoint,
because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
AlleluiaCF. RV 1:8
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
Glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit;
to God who is, who was, and who is to come.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit;
to God who is, who was, and who is to come.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelJN 16:12-15
Jesus said to his disciples:
"I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.
But when he comes, the Spirit of truth,
he will guide you to all truth.
He will not speak on his own,
but he will speak what he hears,
and will declare to you the things that are coming.
He will glorify me,
because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.
Everything that the Father has is mine;
for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine
and declare it to you."
"I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.
But when he comes, the Spirit of truth,
he will guide you to all truth.
He will not speak on his own,
but he will speak what he hears,
and will declare to you the things that are coming.
He will glorify me,
because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.
Everything that the Father has is mine;
for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine
and declare it to you."
Meditation:
"The Spirit will guide you into all the truth"
How
can we know God personally and grow in our understanding of his wisdom, truth,
and love for us? Jesus made a claim which only God can make - he
knows all things - the present and the past, as well as the future. Jesus not
only claims to speak the truth, he calls himself the very source of truth when
he proclaims that he is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). Now Jesus
promises to send his disciples the Spirit of truth who will guide them in
understanding all that Jesus came to say and do! Jesus tells his disciples that
it is the role of the Holy Spirit to reveal what is true. It is through the
gift and working of the Holy Spirit, who enlightens our hearts and minds, that
we come to understand that the Godhead is a trinity of persons - Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit.
One
Father, One Son, and One Holy Spirit perfectly united
The Jews understood God as Creator and Father of all that he made (Deuteronomy 32:6) and they understood Israel (the promised son and his heirs) as God's firstborn son (Exodus 4:22). Jesus reveals the true nature of God the Father in an unheard of sense. He is eternally Father by his relationship to his eternal and only-begotten Son, who, reciprocally, is Son only in relation to his Father (see Matthew 11:27). The Spirit, likewise, is inseparably one with the Father and the Son. Jesus reveals the triune nature of God and the inseparable union of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The Jews understood God as Creator and Father of all that he made (Deuteronomy 32:6) and they understood Israel (the promised son and his heirs) as God's firstborn son (Exodus 4:22). Jesus reveals the true nature of God the Father in an unheard of sense. He is eternally Father by his relationship to his eternal and only-begotten Son, who, reciprocally, is Son only in relation to his Father (see Matthew 11:27). The Spirit, likewise, is inseparably one with the Father and the Son. Jesus reveals the triune nature of God and the inseparable union of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The
mission of Jesus and the Spirit is one
The mission of Jesus and of the Holy Spirit are the same - to reveal the glory of God and to share that glory with us by uniting us in a community of love with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. That is why Jesus tells his disciples that the Spirit will reveal the glory of the Father and the Son and will speak what is true. Before his Passover, Jesus revealed the Holy Spirit as the 'Paraclete' and Helper who will be with Jesus' disciples to teach and guide them "into all the truth" (John 14:17,26; 16:13). The ultimate end, the purpose for which God created us, is the entry of God's creatures into the perfect unity of the blessed Trinity. In baptism we are called to share in the life of the Holy Trinity here on earth in faith and after death in eternal light.
The mission of Jesus and of the Holy Spirit are the same - to reveal the glory of God and to share that glory with us by uniting us in a community of love with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. That is why Jesus tells his disciples that the Spirit will reveal the glory of the Father and the Son and will speak what is true. Before his Passover, Jesus revealed the Holy Spirit as the 'Paraclete' and Helper who will be with Jesus' disciples to teach and guide them "into all the truth" (John 14:17,26; 16:13). The ultimate end, the purpose for which God created us, is the entry of God's creatures into the perfect unity of the blessed Trinity. In baptism we are called to share in the life of the Holy Trinity here on earth in faith and after death in eternal light.
Clement
of Alexandria (150-215 AD), an early church father and teacher at the
catechetical school in Alexandria, wrote: "What an astonishing mystery!
There is one Father of the universe, one Logos (Word) of the universe, and also
one Holy Spirit, everywhere one and the same; there is also one virgin become
mother, and I should like to call her 'Church'."
Jesus,
through the Holy Spirit, unites us with the Father
How can we personally know the Father and his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ? It is the Holy Spirit who reveals the Father and the Son to us and who gives us the gift of faith to know and understand the truth of God's word. Through the Holy Spirit, we proclaim our ancient faith in the saving death and resurrection of Jesus Christ until he comes again. The Lord gives us his Holy Spirit as our divine Teacher and Helper that we may grow in the knowledge and wisdom of God. Do you seek the wisdom that comes from above and do you eagerly listen to God's word and obey it?
How can we personally know the Father and his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ? It is the Holy Spirit who reveals the Father and the Son to us and who gives us the gift of faith to know and understand the truth of God's word. Through the Holy Spirit, we proclaim our ancient faith in the saving death and resurrection of Jesus Christ until he comes again. The Lord gives us his Holy Spirit as our divine Teacher and Helper that we may grow in the knowledge and wisdom of God. Do you seek the wisdom that comes from above and do you eagerly listen to God's word and obey it?
"May
the Lord Jesus put his hands on our eyes also, for then we too shall begin to
look not at what is seen but at what is not seen. May he open the eyes that are
concerned not with the present but with what is yet to come, may he unseal the
heart's vision, that we may gaze on God in the Spirit, through the same Lord,
Jesus Christ, whose glory and power will endure throughout the unending
succession of ages." (prayer of Origin, 185-254 AD)
Daily
Quote from the early church fathers: The Mystery of the Holy Spirit, by
Hilary of Poitiers (315-367 AD)
"John
tells us that all things came into being through the Son who is God the Word
abiding with you, Father, from the beginning. Paul in his turn enumerates the
things created in the Son, both visible and invisible, in heaven and on earth.
And while he is specific about all that was created in and through Christ, of
the Holy Spirit he considers it enough simply to say that he is your
Spirit.Therefore I concur with those chosen men in thinking that just as it is
not expedient for me to venture beyond my mental limitation and predicate
anything of your only-begotten Son except that, as those witnesses have assured
us, he was born of you, so it is not fitting for me to go beyond the power of
human thought and the teaching of those same witnesses by declaring anything
regarding the Holy Spirit other than that he is your Spirit. Rather than waste
time in a fruitless war of words, I would prefer to spend it in the firm
profession of an unhesitating faith.
"I
beg you therefore, Father, to preserve in me that pure and reverent faith and
to grant that to my last breath I may testify to my conviction. May I always
hold fast to what I publicly professed in the creed when I was baptized in the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. May I worship you,
the Father of us all, and your Son together with you, and may I be counted
worthy to receive your Holy Spirit who through your only Son proceeds from you.
For me there is sufficient evidence for this faith in the words 'Father, all
that I have is yours, and all that is yours is mine,' spoken by Jesus Christ my
Lord who remains, in and from and with you, the God who is blessed for endless
ages. Amen." (excerpt from ON THE TRINITY 12.55-57)
Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity – Cycle C
Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.
Introduction
The dogma of the Trinity has not always been clearly defined. In fact, the word “Trinity” does not appear in Holy Scripture (neither does the word “pope,” “purgatory,” or “catholic” for that matter; as our fundamentalist brothers and sisters will be quick to point out). It is not even clear how the doctrine was understood in the time of the apostles. Through the first century of Christianity, the Church grew in its awareness of the mystery of the Trinity. The oldest doctrinal formulation of the Church’s belief in the Trinity is in the Apostle’s Creed, which, in the form of the ancient Roman baptismal symbol, served as the basis of catechumical instruction and as a baptismal confession of faith since the 2nd century.
In the early Church Christians began to ponder the mystery of God’s unity and the Trinity and attempted to explain more precisely the relationships among the persons of the Trinity. The use of the term “Trinity” (Greek: trias) first appeared in the 2nd century in the writings of Theophilus of Antioch. The efforts to explain the relationships among the persons of the Trinity led to many errors in the early years, and most of those who tried to describe the relationships ended in heresy. Even the great theologians Tertullian and Origin stumbled into error in their attempts to explain the relationship between the Father and the Son. Arius, around the year A.D. 300, concluded that the Word (logos) of God was created by the Father to be the instrument of all other creation. The Word, the Son of God, was a perfect creature to Arius, but a creature nonetheless. Were this account true, then only the Father would be truly God, and the Son and Holy Spirit would then be divine only through adoption by the Father. In such a case, the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity would become merely a descending hierarchy with the Father extending His grace to the Son and the Holy Spirit, rather than a communion of co-equal and co-eternal persons, who together are the one, true God. The First Council of Nicaea (A.D. 325) was convened to answer the heresy of Arianism and that council clearly stated the “consubstantiality” of the Son with the Father. The First Council of Constantinople (A.D. 381) affirmed that the Spirit must be adored and glorified together with the Father and the Son. Arianism finally died out almost 500 years later at the end of the 7th century but it has been revived in the teaching of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Mormons.
It wasn’t until the Second Council of Constantinople (A.D. 553) that the dogma of the Trinity was clearly enunciated and its technical expression was fixed.
The creed which we call the Nicene Creed, originated at the First Council of Nicaea in A.D. 325 and was further amplified by the First Council of Constantinople in A.D. 381. It was probably introduced into the western liturgy by the regional Council of Toledo in A.D. 589. That text, however, was a Latin translation of the Greek original and included a small addition which resulted in major theological disputes, namely, that the Holy Spirit “proceeds” from the Father and the Son, rather than only from the Father. This matter continues to divide Catholic and Protestant Christians from Eastern Orthodox Christians.
1st Reading - Proverbs 8:22-31
The concept of wisdom is elusive because it is exceedingly complex. Wisdom can stand for the skill of a craftsman, such as that possessed by those who made Aaron’s vestments (Exodus 28:3) or by the carpenters who constructed the Mosaic tabernacle (Exodus 31:3-5; 36:1). It denotes the ability of a professional mourner (Jeremiah 9:17) or a sailor (Psalm 107:27). The sage is an adviser to kings (Jeremiah 50:35; Proverbs 31:1) but is also an astute old woman (2 Samuel 20:16). It also has an intensely religious aspect: fear of the Lord (Proverbs 1:7; Sirach 1:9-10). Today we hear it being described as from God (divine) and absolutely prior to the visible universe. This priority implies superiority to all created things.
[Thus says the wisdom of God:] 22 “The LORD possessed me,
The verb qana generally means “to acquire;” here the connotation is acquisition by way of birth. The rendering “the Lord created me” occasioned serious difficulty with the Arians, who used this text to support the created Logos.
the first-born of his ways, the forerunner of his prodigies of long ago; 23 From of old
Hebrew has no word for eternity, but olam (translated here as “from of old”) signifies an indefinite period of time.
I was poured forth,
This is an image of birth.
at the first, before the earth. 24 When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no fountains or springs of water; 25 Before the mountains were settled into place, before the hills, I was brought forth; 26 While as yet the earth and the fields were not made, nor the first clods of the world. 27 “When he established the heavens I was there, when he marked out the vault over the face of the deep; 28 When he made firm the skies above, when he fixed fast the foundations of the earth; 29 When he set for the sea its limit, so that the waters should not transgress his command; 30 Then was I beside him
Wisdom witnessed all the creation and came to know its secrets.
as his craftsman,
Amon is either “craftsman” or “little child.” Little child fits the earlier birth imagery.
and I was his delight day by day, Playing before him all the while, 31 playing on the surface of his earth; and I found delight in the sons of men.
2nd Reading - Romans 5:1-5
The Letter to the Romans is the only writing of Paul’s which is addressed to a church (congregation) which he did not establish. It does not answer questions posed by the congregation or even provide a summary of Christian doctrine. Rather, it presents his missionary reflections on the possibility of salvation now offered to all men, vice only the Jews, in the Good News of Christ Jesus. Paul realizes that man’s justification and salvation depend not on the “deeds of the law” but on faith in Christ Jesus, the Son whom the Father’s love did not spare (as compared to Isaac). Through faith man shares in the effects of the plan of salvation conceived by the Father and brought to realization in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Today we hear him allude to the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity love).
5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith,
Paul spends Romans 1:16 through 4:25 establishing that the justification of human beings is through faith in Christ Jesus. He is now beginning to discuss the Christian experience in itself. Before moving on, it might be important to define justification. It is the process by which a sinner is made righteous, pure and holy before God. Justification in the Catholic tradition comes about by means of faith in Christ, and in a life of good works lived in loving response to God’s invitation to believe. Against classical Lutheran doctrine, Catholic faith holds that faith without good works is not sufficient to merit justification, for good works show one’s willingness to cooperate with the initiatives of grace. What is necessary for salvation is a faith that represents itself both externally through acts and internally through faith. “A person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone” (James 2:24). One does not earn a place in heaven by doing good works rather than by the grace of God which is the Pelagian heresy which was condemned at the Council of Ephesus in A.D. 431. The biggest difference in the understanding of justification between the Catholic and the Protestant is that the Catholic takes the word to mean the lifelong process which the Christian undergoes – a process that starts with faith and is lived out. The Protestant, on the other hand, takes justification to be God’s external pronouncement that the sinner is regarded as righteous in His sight, thus marking the beginning of the Christian life. It is faith that sustains the Protestant after this beginning.
“Let no one say to himself: ‘If [justification] is from faith, how is it freely given: If faith merits it, why is it not rather paid than given?’ Let the faithful man not say such a thing; for, if he says: ‘I have faith, therefore I merit justification,’ he will be answered: ‘What have you that you did not receive?’ If, therefore, faith entreats and receives justification, according as God has apportioned to each in the measure of his faith, nothing of human merit precedes the grace of God, but grace itself merits increase, and the increase merits perfection, with the will accompanying but not leading, following along but not going in advance.” [Saint Augustine of Hippo (A.D. 417), Letter to Paulinius of Nola 186,3,10]
we have peace with God
The first effect of justification is peace. Reconciliation replaces estrangement.
through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection we are made children of God. Through the Eucharist, the resurrected Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ, we join in the family meal and share in the resurrection.
2 through whom we have gained access (by faith) to this grace in which we stand,
Faith is the introduction to the life of justification. Notice that to this point we have been addressing the first theological virtue, faith.
and we boast in hope of the glory of God.
The second effect of our justification is hope, the second theological virtue.
3 Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions,
Divine favor, as the basis of Christian hope, is mighty enough to give confidence even in the face of hardships that might tend to separate human beings from Christ’s love (see Romans 8:35).
knowing that affliction produces endurance,
“Consider how great the things to come are, when we can rejoice even at things which appear to be distressful. ... Sufferings are in themselves a good thing, insofar as they prepare for endurance.” [Saint John Chrysostom (A.D. 391), Homilies on the Epistle to the Romans 9]
4 and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope, 5 and hope does not disappoint,
The hope of God’s glory is not an illusion; it is founded on God’s love for human beings. The Christian will never be embarrassed by a disappointed hope; human hope can deceive but not that which is of God (see Psalm 25:19-22).
because the love of God
Not our love of God, but God’s love of us.
has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
The gift of the Holy Spirit is not only the proof but also the medium of the outpouring.
Gospel - John 16:12-15
All through the season of Easter our Gospel reading was from Jesus’ final discourse to His disciples; today is no different. The setting is at the Last Supper in the upper room.
12 AI have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. 13 But when he comes,
The Holy Spirit promised in John 14:25-26. Even now, at the very end of His public life, there is much that Jesus cannot say and that must await the enlightening activity of the Holy Spirit.
the Spirit of truth,
The “truth” to which the Holy Spirit guides the community must have the same sense as “truth” elsewhere in the Gospel: Belief in Jesus as the sole revelation of God and the one who speaks the words of God (John 3:20,33; 8:40,47). The Paraclete helps the community fulfill the injunction of 8:31-32: “If you remain in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free.”
he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears,
As Christ has spoken of Himself in relation to the Father (see John 12:49; 14:10) so He speaks of the Spirit in relation to Himself.
and will declare to you the things that are coming.
Predictive prophecy is part of the Spirit’s function (see Acts 21:11). The Paraclete guides the community into its understanding of Jesus as the fulfillment of everything that had been promised in Scripture.
14 He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.
The function of the Paraclete is to glorify Jesus and to take what the Father has given Jesus and declare it to the disciples. The glorification which the Son has from the Father and which is in turn the glorification of the Father (John 12:23,28; 13:31), is continued in the Church (see John 14:13) through the activity of the Spirit which continues the work of Christ.
15 Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.
As the existence of the Church is the result of the shared life of the Father and the Son (see John 3:35; 5:20; 10:30) so its continuance is the result of the shared life of Son and Spirit.
Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.
Introduction
The dogma of the Trinity has not always been clearly defined. In fact, the word “Trinity” does not appear in Holy Scripture (neither does the word “pope,” “purgatory,” or “catholic” for that matter; as our fundamentalist brothers and sisters will be quick to point out). It is not even clear how the doctrine was understood in the time of the apostles. Through the first century of Christianity, the Church grew in its awareness of the mystery of the Trinity. The oldest doctrinal formulation of the Church’s belief in the Trinity is in the Apostle’s Creed, which, in the form of the ancient Roman baptismal symbol, served as the basis of catechumical instruction and as a baptismal confession of faith since the 2nd century.
In the early Church Christians began to ponder the mystery of God’s unity and the Trinity and attempted to explain more precisely the relationships among the persons of the Trinity. The use of the term “Trinity” (Greek: trias) first appeared in the 2nd century in the writings of Theophilus of Antioch. The efforts to explain the relationships among the persons of the Trinity led to many errors in the early years, and most of those who tried to describe the relationships ended in heresy. Even the great theologians Tertullian and Origin stumbled into error in their attempts to explain the relationship between the Father and the Son. Arius, around the year A.D. 300, concluded that the Word (logos) of God was created by the Father to be the instrument of all other creation. The Word, the Son of God, was a perfect creature to Arius, but a creature nonetheless. Were this account true, then only the Father would be truly God, and the Son and Holy Spirit would then be divine only through adoption by the Father. In such a case, the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity would become merely a descending hierarchy with the Father extending His grace to the Son and the Holy Spirit, rather than a communion of co-equal and co-eternal persons, who together are the one, true God. The First Council of Nicaea (A.D. 325) was convened to answer the heresy of Arianism and that council clearly stated the “consubstantiality” of the Son with the Father. The First Council of Constantinople (A.D. 381) affirmed that the Spirit must be adored and glorified together with the Father and the Son. Arianism finally died out almost 500 years later at the end of the 7th century but it has been revived in the teaching of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Mormons.
It wasn’t until the Second Council of Constantinople (A.D. 553) that the dogma of the Trinity was clearly enunciated and its technical expression was fixed.
The creed which we call the Nicene Creed, originated at the First Council of Nicaea in A.D. 325 and was further amplified by the First Council of Constantinople in A.D. 381. It was probably introduced into the western liturgy by the regional Council of Toledo in A.D. 589. That text, however, was a Latin translation of the Greek original and included a small addition which resulted in major theological disputes, namely, that the Holy Spirit “proceeds” from the Father and the Son, rather than only from the Father. This matter continues to divide Catholic and Protestant Christians from Eastern Orthodox Christians.
1st Reading - Proverbs 8:22-31
The concept of wisdom is elusive because it is exceedingly complex. Wisdom can stand for the skill of a craftsman, such as that possessed by those who made Aaron’s vestments (Exodus 28:3) or by the carpenters who constructed the Mosaic tabernacle (Exodus 31:3-5; 36:1). It denotes the ability of a professional mourner (Jeremiah 9:17) or a sailor (Psalm 107:27). The sage is an adviser to kings (Jeremiah 50:35; Proverbs 31:1) but is also an astute old woman (2 Samuel 20:16). It also has an intensely religious aspect: fear of the Lord (Proverbs 1:7; Sirach 1:9-10). Today we hear it being described as from God (divine) and absolutely prior to the visible universe. This priority implies superiority to all created things.
[Thus says the wisdom of God:] 22 “The LORD possessed me,
The verb qana generally means “to acquire;” here the connotation is acquisition by way of birth. The rendering “the Lord created me” occasioned serious difficulty with the Arians, who used this text to support the created Logos.
the first-born of his ways, the forerunner of his prodigies of long ago; 23 From of old
Hebrew has no word for eternity, but olam (translated here as “from of old”) signifies an indefinite period of time.
I was poured forth,
This is an image of birth.
at the first, before the earth. 24 When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no fountains or springs of water; 25 Before the mountains were settled into place, before the hills, I was brought forth; 26 While as yet the earth and the fields were not made, nor the first clods of the world. 27 “When he established the heavens I was there, when he marked out the vault over the face of the deep; 28 When he made firm the skies above, when he fixed fast the foundations of the earth; 29 When he set for the sea its limit, so that the waters should not transgress his command; 30 Then was I beside him
Wisdom witnessed all the creation and came to know its secrets.
as his craftsman,
Amon is either “craftsman” or “little child.” Little child fits the earlier birth imagery.
and I was his delight day by day, Playing before him all the while, 31 playing on the surface of his earth; and I found delight in the sons of men.
2nd Reading - Romans 5:1-5
The Letter to the Romans is the only writing of Paul’s which is addressed to a church (congregation) which he did not establish. It does not answer questions posed by the congregation or even provide a summary of Christian doctrine. Rather, it presents his missionary reflections on the possibility of salvation now offered to all men, vice only the Jews, in the Good News of Christ Jesus. Paul realizes that man’s justification and salvation depend not on the “deeds of the law” but on faith in Christ Jesus, the Son whom the Father’s love did not spare (as compared to Isaac). Through faith man shares in the effects of the plan of salvation conceived by the Father and brought to realization in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Today we hear him allude to the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity love).
5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith,
Paul spends Romans 1:16 through 4:25 establishing that the justification of human beings is through faith in Christ Jesus. He is now beginning to discuss the Christian experience in itself. Before moving on, it might be important to define justification. It is the process by which a sinner is made righteous, pure and holy before God. Justification in the Catholic tradition comes about by means of faith in Christ, and in a life of good works lived in loving response to God’s invitation to believe. Against classical Lutheran doctrine, Catholic faith holds that faith without good works is not sufficient to merit justification, for good works show one’s willingness to cooperate with the initiatives of grace. What is necessary for salvation is a faith that represents itself both externally through acts and internally through faith. “A person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone” (James 2:24). One does not earn a place in heaven by doing good works rather than by the grace of God which is the Pelagian heresy which was condemned at the Council of Ephesus in A.D. 431. The biggest difference in the understanding of justification between the Catholic and the Protestant is that the Catholic takes the word to mean the lifelong process which the Christian undergoes – a process that starts with faith and is lived out. The Protestant, on the other hand, takes justification to be God’s external pronouncement that the sinner is regarded as righteous in His sight, thus marking the beginning of the Christian life. It is faith that sustains the Protestant after this beginning.
“Let no one say to himself: ‘If [justification] is from faith, how is it freely given: If faith merits it, why is it not rather paid than given?’ Let the faithful man not say such a thing; for, if he says: ‘I have faith, therefore I merit justification,’ he will be answered: ‘What have you that you did not receive?’ If, therefore, faith entreats and receives justification, according as God has apportioned to each in the measure of his faith, nothing of human merit precedes the grace of God, but grace itself merits increase, and the increase merits perfection, with the will accompanying but not leading, following along but not going in advance.” [Saint Augustine of Hippo (A.D. 417), Letter to Paulinius of Nola 186,3,10]
we have peace with God
The first effect of justification is peace. Reconciliation replaces estrangement.
through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection we are made children of God. Through the Eucharist, the resurrected Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ, we join in the family meal and share in the resurrection.
2 through whom we have gained access (by faith) to this grace in which we stand,
Faith is the introduction to the life of justification. Notice that to this point we have been addressing the first theological virtue, faith.
and we boast in hope of the glory of God.
The second effect of our justification is hope, the second theological virtue.
3 Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions,
Divine favor, as the basis of Christian hope, is mighty enough to give confidence even in the face of hardships that might tend to separate human beings from Christ’s love (see Romans 8:35).
knowing that affliction produces endurance,
“Consider how great the things to come are, when we can rejoice even at things which appear to be distressful. ... Sufferings are in themselves a good thing, insofar as they prepare for endurance.” [Saint John Chrysostom (A.D. 391), Homilies on the Epistle to the Romans 9]
4 and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope, 5 and hope does not disappoint,
The hope of God’s glory is not an illusion; it is founded on God’s love for human beings. The Christian will never be embarrassed by a disappointed hope; human hope can deceive but not that which is of God (see Psalm 25:19-22).
because the love of God
Not our love of God, but God’s love of us.
has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
The gift of the Holy Spirit is not only the proof but also the medium of the outpouring.
Gospel - John 16:12-15
All through the season of Easter our Gospel reading was from Jesus’ final discourse to His disciples; today is no different. The setting is at the Last Supper in the upper room.
12 AI have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. 13 But when he comes,
The Holy Spirit promised in John 14:25-26. Even now, at the very end of His public life, there is much that Jesus cannot say and that must await the enlightening activity of the Holy Spirit.
the Spirit of truth,
The “truth” to which the Holy Spirit guides the community must have the same sense as “truth” elsewhere in the Gospel: Belief in Jesus as the sole revelation of God and the one who speaks the words of God (John 3:20,33; 8:40,47). The Paraclete helps the community fulfill the injunction of 8:31-32: “If you remain in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free.”
he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears,
As Christ has spoken of Himself in relation to the Father (see John 12:49; 14:10) so He speaks of the Spirit in relation to Himself.
and will declare to you the things that are coming.
Predictive prophecy is part of the Spirit’s function (see Acts 21:11). The Paraclete guides the community into its understanding of Jesus as the fulfillment of everything that had been promised in Scripture.
14 He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.
The function of the Paraclete is to glorify Jesus and to take what the Father has given Jesus and declare it to the disciples. The glorification which the Son has from the Father and which is in turn the glorification of the Father (John 12:23,28; 13:31), is continued in the Church (see John 14:13) through the activity of the Spirit which continues the work of Christ.
15 Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.
As the existence of the Church is the result of the shared life of the Father and the Son (see John 3:35; 5:20; 10:30) so its continuance is the result of the shared life of Son and Spirit.
St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, Picayune, MS http://www.scborromeo.org
SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST HOLY TRINITY
SUNDAY, JUNE 16, JOHN 16:12-15
(Proverbs 8:22-31; Psalm 8; Romans 5:1-5)
SUNDAY, JUNE 16, JOHN 16:12-15
(Proverbs 8:22-31; Psalm 8; Romans 5:1-5)
KEY VERSE: "But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth" (v.13).
TO KNOW: Jesus promised his disciples that the Holy Spirit would enlighten their minds after he was raised to glory to the Father. The work of Christ would be continued on earth through the indwelling Spirit who would guide the Church to all truth. Just as Jesus only spoke the words he heard from the Father, the Spirit does not speak alone, but interprets Christ's eternal message of truth for each generation. The word "Trinity" does not appear in the Bible, but since the year 200 CE, the term has been used to denote the central Christian doctrine that God is absolutely one in nature and essence, and is three distinct persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, co-eternal and deserving equal honor and glory. Each person of the Trinity is whole and complete. The Council of Nicea (325) taught that Christ was not created but was "of the same substance (Greek: homoousios) consubstantial with the Father, not divided but one. This revelation of the Father and Son through the Spirit was transmitted by the apostles and the evangelists through their teaching, example, institutions and writings. This "Apostolic Tradition" has been preserved by the Spirit in the doctrine, worship and the sacraments of the Church.
TO LOVE: In what ways do I teach God's truth to others?
TO SERVE: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, illuminate my mind to understand the Church's teachings.
NOTE: Pope John XXII established the universal observance of Trinity Sunday in AD 1334
FATHER'S DAY (USA)
The United States is one of the few countries in the world that has an official day on which fathers are honored by their children. In 1909, Mrs. Dodd thought of the idea for Father's Day while listening to a Mother's Day sermon. She approached her minister in Spokane about having a church service dedicated to fathers. From then on, the state of Washington celebrated the third Sunday in June as Father's Day. Other states and organizations began lobbying Congress to declare an annual Father's Day. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson approved of this idea, but it was not until 1924 when President Calvin Coolidge made it a national event to "establish more intimate relations between fathers and their children and to impress upon fathers the full measure of their obligations." In 1966 President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation declaring the 3rd Sunday of June as Father's Day and put the official stamp on a celebration that was going on for almost half a century.
“See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are!” I John 3:1
Sunday 16 June 2019
THE MOST HOLY TRINITY.
Proverbs 8:22-31. Psalm 8:4-9. Romans 5:1-5. John 16:12-15.
O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth! – Psalm 8:4-9.
‘Everything the Father has is mine.’
Proverbs 8:22-31. Psalm 8:4-9. Romans 5:1-5. John 16:12-15.
O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth! – Psalm 8:4-9.
‘Everything the Father has is mine.’
It is a sign of special friendship to introduce someone into
one’s family, to share with someone the most intimate familial things – the
love and communication that exists among the members. So too with God.
God has revealed to us the inmost reality of the divine nature,
the family of the divine Persons. But we are not merely spectators of this
life, for God has made us sharers in the love and communication which flow
among the Three.
In the Trinity, we encounter a community of love. We enter the
divine flow, or what Richard Rohr calls ‘the divine dance’. Our God invites us
to participate in the general dance occurring at all times and all places. We
are encouraged to listen to the music at the heart of all reality and step in
line with the beat. Hear the Lord’s call: ‘take my hand.’
Saint John Francis Regis
Saint of the Day for June 16
(January 31, 1597 – December 30, 1640)
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| The Glory of Saint John Francis Regis | Church of Our Lady of Andance, Ardèche, France | Camillo Rusconi |
Saint John Francis Regis’ Story
Born into a family of some wealth, John Francis was so impressed
by his Jesuit educators that he himself wished to enter the Society of Jesus.
He did so at age 18. Despite his rigorous academic schedule, he spent many
hours in chapel, often to the dismay of fellow seminarians who were concerned
about his health. Following his ordination to the priesthood, John Francis
undertook missionary work in various French towns. While the formal sermons of
the day tended toward the poetic, his discourses were plain. But they revealed
the fervor within him and attracted people of all classes. Father Regis
especially made himself available to the poor. Many mornings were spent in the
confessional or at the altar celebrating Mass; afternoons were reserved for
visits to prisons and hospitals.
The bishop of Viviers, observing the success of Father Regis in
communicating with people, sought to draw on his many gifts, especially needed
during the prolonged civil and religious strife then rampant throughout France.
With many prelates absent and priests negligent, the people had been deprived
of the sacraments for 20 years or more. Various forms of Protestantism were thriving
in some cases while a general indifference toward religion was evident in other
instances. For three years, Father Regis traveled throughout the diocese,
conducting missions in advance of a visit by the bishop. He succeeded in
converting many people and in bringing many others back to religious
observances.
Though Father Regis longed to work as a missionary among the
Native Americans in Canada, he was to live out his days working for the Lord in
the wildest and most desolate part of his native France. There he encountered
rigorous winters, snowdrifts and other deprivations. Meanwhile he continued
preaching missions and earned a reputation as a saint. Upon entering the town
of Saint-Andé, one man came upon a large crowd in front of a church and was told
that people were waiting for “the saint” who was coming to preach a mission.
The last four years of his life were spent preaching and
organizing social services, especially for prisoners, the sick and the poor. In
the autumn of 1640, Father Regis sensed that his days were coming to a
conclusion. He settled some of his affairs and prepared for the end by
continuing to do what he did so well: speaking to the people about the God who
loved them. On December 31, he spent most of the day with his eyes on the crucifix.
That evening, he died. His final words were: “Into thy hands I commend my
spirit.”
John Francis Regis was canonized in 1737.
Reflection
John longed to travel to the New World and become a missionary
to the Native Americans, but he was called instead to work among his own
compatriots. Unlike many famous preachers, he isn’t remembered for
golden-tongued oratory. What people who listened to him heard was his own
fervent faith, and it had a powerful effect on them. We can recall homilists
who impressed us for the same reason. More importantly for us, we can also
remember ordinary people, neighbors and friends, whose faith and goodness
touched us and brought us to deeper faith. That is the calling most of us must
follow.
Lectio Divina: The Most Holy Trinity
Lectio Divina
Sunday, June 16, 2019
The promise of the Spirit:
Jesus will send the Spirit in the Father’s name
John 16:12-15
Jesus will send the Spirit in the Father’s name
John 16:12-15
1. LECTIO
a) Opening prayer:
O God, who in sending Your Son Jesus have revealed abundantly
Your love for the salvation of all people, stay always with us and continue to
reveal Your attributes of compassion, mercy, clemency and fidelity. Spirit of
Love, help us to grow in the knowledge of the Son so that we may have life.
Grant that, by meditating Your Word on this feast day, we may become more aware that Your mystery is a hymn to shared love. You are our God and not a solitary God. You are Father, fruitful source. You are Son, Word made flesh, close and fraternal love. You are Spirit, all-embracing love.
Grant that, by meditating Your Word on this feast day, we may become more aware that Your mystery is a hymn to shared love. You are our God and not a solitary God. You are Father, fruitful source. You are Son, Word made flesh, close and fraternal love. You are Spirit, all-embracing love.
b) Reading of the Gospel:
Jesus said to his disciples: "I have much more to tell you,
but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will
guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he
hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me,
because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that
the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what
is mine and declare it to you."
c) A time of prayerful silence:
With St. Augustine we say, “Grant me time to meditate on the
secrets of your law, do not shut the door to those who knock. Lord, fulfill
your plan in me and unveil those pages. Grant that I may find grace before you
and that the deep secrets of your Word may be revealed to me when I knock.”
2. MEDITATIO
a) Preamble:
Before we start the Lectio, it is important to pause briefly on
the context of our liturgical passage. Jesus’ words in Jn 16:12-15 are part of
a section of the Gospel known by exegetes as the Book of Glory (13:1-17:26). In
His farewell discourse, Jesus reveals His intimate self, calls the disciples
friends and promises them the Holy Spirit who will accompany them as they
accept the mystery of His person. The disciples, then, are invited to grow in
love towards the Master who gives Himself to them completely.
In this section, we can distinguish three well-defined sequences
or parts. The first includes chapters 13-14 and treats of the following theme:
the new community is founded on the new commandment of love. Through His
instructions, Jesus explains that the practice of love is the way that the
community must walk in its journey to the Father. In the second part, Jesus
describes the position of the community in midst of the world. He reminds them
that the community He founded carries out its mission in the midst of a hostile
world and can only acquire new members if it practices love. This is the
meaning of “bearing fruit” on the part of the community. The condition for a
fruitful love in the world is: remain united to Jesus. It is from Him that life
flows – the Spirit (Jn 15:1-6); union with Jesus with a love like His so as to
establish a relationship of friendship between Jesus and His disciples (Jn
15:7-17).
The community’s mission, like that of Jesus, will be carried out
in the midst of the hatred of the world, but the disciples will be strengthened
by the Spirit (Jn 15:26-16:15). Jesus tells them that the mission in the world
implies pain and joy and that He will be absent-present (Jn 16:16-23a). He
simply assures them of the support of the Father’s love and His victory over
the world (Jn 16:23b-33). The third part of this section includes Jesus’
prayer: He prays for His present community (Jn 17:6-19); for the community of
the future (Jn 17:20-23); and expresses His desire that the Father glorify
those who have known Him and, finally, that His mission in the world may be
fulfilled (Jn 17:24-26).
b) Meditation:
- The voice of the Spirit is Jesus’ voice
Previously, in Jn 15:15, Jesus had told His disciples what He
had heard from the Father. This message was not nor could it have been grasped
by the disciples in all its force. The reason is that the disciples, for the
present, ignored the meaning of Jesus’ death on the cross and the substitution
of the new way of salvation for the old. With His death, a new and definitive
saving power comes into the life of humanity. The disciples will understand
Jesus’ words and actions after the resurrection (Jn 2:22) or after His death
(Jn 12:16).
In Jesus’ teaching there are many matters and messages to be
understood by the community as it gradually faces new events and circumstances;
it is in daily life and in the light of the resurrection that it will
understand the meaning of His death-exaltation.
It will be the Holy Spirit, Jesus’ prophet, who will communicate
to the disciples what they have heard from Him. In the mission that Jesus’
community will carry out it will be the Holy Spirit who will communicate to
them the truth in that He will explain and help them to apply that which Jesus
is and means as the manifestation of the Father’s love. Through His prophetic
messages, the community does not transmit a new doctrine but constantly
proposes the reality of the person of Jesus, in the witness to and orientation
of its mission in the world. The voice of the Holy Spirit, which the community
will hear, is the voice of Jesus Himself. In the wake of the Old Testament
prophets who interpreted history in the light of the covenant, the Holy Spirit
becomes the determining factor in making Jesus known, giving the community of
believers the key to an understanding of history as a continual confrontation
between what the “world” stands for and God’s plan. The starting point for reading
one’s presence in the world is Jesus’ death-exaltation, and as Christians grow
in this understanding they will discover in daily life “the sin of the world”
and its harmful effects.
The role of the Holy Spirit is a determining factor for the
interpretation of the mystery of Jesus’ life in the life of the disciples: He
is their guide in undertaking a just commitment on behalf of humanity. To
succeed in their activities for humankind, the disciples have to listen to the
problems of life and history, and be attentive to the voice of the Holy Spirit,
the only reliable source for getting a real sense of the historical events in
the world.
- The Holy Spirit’s voice: true interpreter of
history
Then Jesus explains how the Holy Spirit interprets human life
and history. First, by manifesting His “glory”, that He will take “what is
Mine”. More specifically, “what is Mine” means that the Holy Spirit draws His
message from Jesus, whatever Jesus said. To manifest the glory means
manifesting the love that He has shown by His death. These words of Jesus are
very important because they avoid reducing the role of the Holy Spirit to an
illumination. The Spirit’s role is to communicate Jesus’ love and places Jesus’
words in harmony with His message and also with the deeper sense of His life:
Love expressed in giving His life on the cross. This is the Holy Spirit’s role,
the Spirit of truth. Two aspects of the role of the Holy Spirit that enable the
community of believers to interpret history are: listening to the message and understanding
it, and being in harmony with love. Better still, Jesus’ words mean to
communicate that only through the communication of the love of the Holy Spirit
is it possible to know who a person is, to understand the purpose of life, and
to create a new world. The model is always Jesus’ love.
- Jesus, the Father, the Holy Spirit and the
community of believers (v.15)
What does Jesus mean when He says “everything the Father has is
Mine”? First that what Jesus has is shared with the Father. The first gift of
the Father to Jesus was His glory (Jn 1:14), or more precisely, faithful love,
the Spirit (Jn 1:32; 17:10). This communication is not to be understood as
static but rather as dynamic, that is, on- going and mutual. In this sense the
Father and Jesus are one. Such mutual and constant communication permeates
Jesus activity so that He is able to realize the designs of the Father and His
plan for the whole of creation. So that believers may be able to understand and
interpret history, they are called to live in harmony with Jesus, accepting the
reality of His love and making this love concrete for others. This is the
Father’s plan that the love of Jesus for His disciples may be realized in all.
God’s plan as realized in Jesus’ life must be realized in the community of
believers and guide the believer’s commitment in their endeavor to improve
everyone’s life. Who carries out the Father’s plan in Jesus’ life? It is the
Holy Spirit who unites Jesus and the Father and carries out and fulfills the
Father’s plan and makes the community of believers partakers in this dynamic
activity of Jesus: “will be taken from what is Mine”. Thanks to the action of
truth of the Holy Spirit, the community listens to Him and communicates Him
concretely as love.
The Holy Spirit communicates to the disciples all the truth and
wealth of Jesus; He dwells in Jesus; “comes” into the community and when He is
received renders the community partakers in Jesus’ love.
b) A few questions:
- A serious danger threatens the Christian community today. Are
we not tempted to divide Jesus, following either a human Jesus
who through His actions has changed history, or a glorious Jesus detached from
His earthly existence and thus also from ours?
- Are we aware that Jesus is not just a historical example but also and above all the present Savior? That Jesus is not just an object of contemplation and joy, but the Messiah whom we must follow and with whom we must collaborate?
- God is not an abstraction, but the Father made visible in Jesus. Are you committed to “seeing Him” and recognizing Him in Jesus’ humanity?
- Do you listen to the voice of the Spirit of truth who communicates to you Jesus’ whole truth?
- Are we aware that Jesus is not just a historical example but also and above all the present Savior? That Jesus is not just an object of contemplation and joy, but the Messiah whom we must follow and with whom we must collaborate?
- God is not an abstraction, but the Father made visible in Jesus. Are you committed to “seeing Him” and recognizing Him in Jesus’ humanity?
- Do you listen to the voice of the Spirit of truth who communicates to you Jesus’ whole truth?
3. ORATIO
a) Psalm 103: Send your Spirit, Lord, to renew the earth
This is a joyful hymn of thanksgiving that invites us to
meditate on humanity’s fall and God’s eternal mercy. After sin, sickness and
death, comes the kind and loving action of God: He fills us with good things
all our lives.
Bless Yahweh, my soul,
from the depths of my being,
His holy name;
bless Yahweh, my soul,
never forget all His acts of kindness.
from the depths of my being,
His holy name;
bless Yahweh, my soul,
never forget all His acts of kindness.
He forgives all your offenses,
cures all your diseases,
He redeems your life from the abyss,
crowns you with faithful love and tenderness;
He contents you with good things all your life,
renews your youth like an eagle's.
cures all your diseases,
He redeems your life from the abyss,
crowns you with faithful love and tenderness;
He contents you with good things all your life,
renews your youth like an eagle's.
Yahweh acts with uprightness,
with justice to all who are oppressed;
He revealed to Moses His ways,
His great deeds to the children of Israel.
with justice to all who are oppressed;
He revealed to Moses His ways,
His great deeds to the children of Israel.
Yahweh is tenderness and pity,
slow to anger and rich in faithful love;
His indignation does not last for ever,
nor His resentment remain for all time;
slow to anger and rich in faithful love;
His indignation does not last for ever,
nor His resentment remain for all time;
He does not treat us as our sins deserve,
nor repay us as befits our offenses.
As tenderly as a father treats his children,
so Yahweh treats those who fear Him;
But Yahweh's faithful love for those who fear Him
is from eternity and for ever;
nor repay us as befits our offenses.
As tenderly as a father treats his children,
so Yahweh treats those who fear Him;
But Yahweh's faithful love for those who fear Him
is from eternity and for ever;
Bless Yahweh, all His angels,
mighty warriors who fulfill His commands,
attentive to the sound of His words.
Bless Yahweh, all His armies,
servants who fulfill His wishes.
Bless Yahweh, all His works,
in every place where He rules.
Bless Yahweh, my soul.
mighty warriors who fulfill His commands,
attentive to the sound of His words.
Bless Yahweh, all His armies,
servants who fulfill His wishes.
Bless Yahweh, all His works,
in every place where He rules.
Bless Yahweh, my soul.
b) Closing prayer:
Spirit of truth
You make us children of God,
so that we can approach the Father in trust.
Father, we turn to You
with one heart and one soul
and we ask You:
Father, send Your Holy Spirit!
Send Your Spirit upon the Church.
May every Christian grow in harmony with Christ’s love,
with the love of God and of neighbor.
Father, renew our trust
in the Kingdom that Jesus came to proclaim
and to incarnate on earth.
Let us not be dominated by delusion
or be conquered by weariness.
May our communities be a leaven
that produces justice and peace
in our society.
You make us children of God,
so that we can approach the Father in trust.
Father, we turn to You
with one heart and one soul
and we ask You:
Father, send Your Holy Spirit!
Send Your Spirit upon the Church.
May every Christian grow in harmony with Christ’s love,
with the love of God and of neighbor.
Father, renew our trust
in the Kingdom that Jesus came to proclaim
and to incarnate on earth.
Let us not be dominated by delusion
or be conquered by weariness.
May our communities be a leaven
that produces justice and peace
in our society.
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