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."
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!
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.
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.
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."
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.
Meditation: "The Spirit will guide you into all the truth"
Jesus
makes 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.
The
Jews understood God as Creator and Father of all that he made (Deuteronomy
32:6) and they understood the nation of Israel as God's firstborn son (Exodus
4:22). Jesus reveals the Father in an unheard of sense. He is eternally Father
by his relationship to his 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 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'."
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
SUNDAY, MAY 22, JOHN 16:12-15
(Proverbs 8:22-31; Psalm 8; Romans 5:1-5)
SUNDAY, MAY 22, 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 with 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 feast day for universal observance of Trinity Sunday in AD 1334
Sunday 22 May 2016
Sun 22nd..Trinity Sunday.
Proverbs 8:22-31. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your
name in all the earth!—Ps 8:4-9. Romans 5:1-5. John 16:12-15.
Wisdom comes first.
As daughters and sons of man we are mortal and
fragile, susceptible to pain, injury and suffering though blessed with great
dignity. Our suffering develops in us endurance. Through suffering we find
wisdom, maturity and we build character.
We seek and find peace with God through Jesus Christ.
Throughout our lives he develops hope in us. We hope for the glory of God and
to know him and to accept his greatness, love and mercy. Hope does not mean we
won’t suffer, but that we have patience, especially in the face of suffering.
Hope is found in knowing the victory that is coming.
To ‘bear’ our trials we must continuously mature and
grow as we prepare for the future. Just as Jesus tells His disciples, ‘I have
much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.’ The same is true for all of
us.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
|
In God’s Presence
|
Place yourself in God’s presence in the first moments of each day.
You will discover the whole day improves with that small offering. Talk to him.
He waits for you in the stillness, in the silence of your heart. Speak.
May 22
St. Rita of Cascia
(1381-1457)
St. Rita of Cascia
(1381-1457)
Like Elizabeth Ann Seton, Rita of Cascia
was a wife, mother, widow and member of a religious community. Her holiness was
reflected in each phase of her life.
Born at Roccaporena in central Italy, Rita wanted to
become a nun but was pressured at a young age into marrying a harsh and cruel
man. During her 18-year marriage, she bore and raised two sons. After her
husband was killed in a brawl and her sons had died, Rita tried to join the
Augustinian nuns in Cascia. Unsuccessful at first because she was a widow, Rita
eventually succeeded.
Over the years, her austerity, prayerfulness and charity
became legendary. When she developed wounds on her forehead, people quickly
associated them with the wounds from Christ's crown of thorns. She meditated
frequently on Christ's passion. Her care for the sick nuns was especially
loving. She also counseled lay people who came to her monastery.
Beatified in 1626, Rita was not canonized until 1900.
She has acquired the reputation, together with St. Jude, as a saint of
impossible cases. Many people visit her tomb each year.
Comment:
Although we can easily imagine an ideal world in which to live out our baptismal vocation, such a world does not exist. An “If only ….” approach to holiness never quite gets underway, never produces the fruit that God has a right to expect.
Although we can easily imagine an ideal world in which to live out our baptismal vocation, such a world does not exist. An “If only ….” approach to holiness never quite gets underway, never produces the fruit that God has a right to expect.
Rita became holy because she made choices that
reflected her Baptism and her growth as a disciple of Jesus. Her overarching,
lifelong choice was to cooperate generously with God's grace, but many small
choices were needed to make that happen. Few of those choices were made in
ideal circumstances—not even when Rita became an Augustinian nun.
Quote:
For the Baptism of adults and for all the baptized at the Easter Vigil, three questions are asked: “Do you reject sin so as to live in the freedom of God's children? Do you reject the glamor of evil, and refuse to be mastered by sin? Do you reject Satan, father of sin and prince of darkness?”
For the Baptism of adults and for all the baptized at the Easter Vigil, three questions are asked: “Do you reject sin so as to live in the freedom of God's children? Do you reject the glamor of evil, and refuse to be mastered by sin? Do you reject Satan, father of sin and prince of darkness?”
Patron Saint of:
Difficult marriages
Impossible causes
Infertility
Parenthood
Difficult marriages
Impossible causes
Infertility
Parenthood
LECTIO DIVINA: THE MOST HOLY
TRINITY (C)
Lectio
Divina:
Sunday,
May 22, 2016
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:
12 I still
have many things to say to you but they would be too much for you to bear now.
13 However, when the Spirit of truth comes he will lead you to the complete
truth, since he will not be speaking of his own accord, but will say only what
he has been told; and he will reveal to you the things to come. 14 He will
glorify me, since all he reveals to you will be taken from what is mine. 15
Everything the Father has is mine; that is why I said: all he reveals to you
will be taken from what is mine.
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, fulfil 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 revelation (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 practises 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, on the one hand, listen to the
problems of life and history, and on the other 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 is 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 realise 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 realised in all. God’s plan as
realised in Jesus’ life must be realised in the community of believers and
guide the believer’s commitment in their endeavour 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 fulfils 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 Saviour? 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 recognising him in Jesus’ humanity?
- Do you listen to the voice of the Spirit of truth whocommunicates to you Jesus’ whole truth?
- Are we aware that Jesus is not just a historical example but also and above all the present Saviour? 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 recognising him in Jesus’ humanity?
- Do you listen to the voice of the Spirit of truth whocommunicates 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 offences,
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 offences.
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 offences.
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 fulfil his commands,
attentive to the sound of his words.
Bless Yahweh, all his armies,
servants who fulfil his wishes.
Bless Yahweh, all his works,
in every place where he rules.
Bless Yahweh, my soul.
mighty warriors who fulfil his commands,
attentive to the sound of his words.
Bless Yahweh, all his armies,
servants who fulfil his wishes.
Bless Yahweh, all his works,
in every place where he rules.
Bless Yahweh, my soul.
b) Closing
prayer:
Sprit 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 neighbour.
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 neighbour.
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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