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From the Pastor's Desk: June 4, 2023
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From the Pastor’s Desk: June 4, 2023
The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
The joyful season of Easter came to an end last Sunday with the celebration of the Feast of Pentecost and brought us back to the Ordinary Time of the liturgical year of the Church. As I mentioned many times before- there is nothing “ordinary” about this time as this Sunday brings our attention to one of the greatest mysteries of our faith – The Most Holy Trinity.
Of the world's three monotheistic religions, Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, only Christianity grasps the inner nature of God, that God is actually one in three: one divine nature, and three divine persons. Each of these three divine persons possesses the fullness of the divine nature, which is why we always pray in the name (singular) of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and not in their names (plural). This is why we say in the Creed that the Son is "one in being with the Father, God from God, light from light," and that the Holy Spirit "proceeds from the Father and the Son; with the Father and the Son He is worshipped and glorified."
In addition, the Catechism confirms that this is "the central mystery of Christian faith and life" (CCC 234), a mystery that is challenging to grasp. How can the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit each be fully God and yet distinct persons? True, this is hard to understand; our minds cannot grasp this completely. And yet, that very fact makes the doctrine of the Trinity ring true. It shows that no merely human mind would have been able to come up with it. And it also shows that God, the Creator of the universe, exists in a way that we, mere creatures, cannot fully understand - and that makes perfect sense: God should exceed our ability to understand Him; if He didn't, He wouldn't be much of a God.
Today God invites us to share in that greatest mystery of our faith – the love of God as the Holy Trinity. Today we open our hearts to the knowledge of God as Trinity, who has chosen to be revealed as Father, who brought forth the created universe and our very selves within it. Today we thank Him for that gift and ask Him to continue to shower His blessings upon us, that our whole life might be our grateful response thru words and deeds: “Glory be to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be.”
This Sunday in the season of graduations we dedicate special prayers for our children. "For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope." - Jeremiah 29:11. Graduation offers much joy, excitement, and anticipation about the future and all the opportunities that lie ahead as one chapter of their lives concludes and a new one is about to be opened. It can also be a time of doubt and fear about the future. Graduates are often grappling with bigger life questions...Will I get married? What career field is best for me? Will there be a job available for me? What is my purpose in life? Ultimately, however, what matters most is God's plan for their lives. God has plans for all of us and He desires our welfare and a future filled with hope.
Discovering and living out this plan requires prayer, obedience, humility, and trust in the promptings of the Holy Spirit, so God’s plan will bring fulfillment in life. I want to assure all our graduates of our prayers for you for wisdom, faith, love, as well as spiritual and temporal needs. May our prayers and support be a source of abundant grace and protection for our graduates and inspire them to become all that God has created them to be! Class of 2023 – Congratulations!!!!!
Next week the Church celebrates the Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus. This special day honors the greatest gift that Jesus has given us – the gift of Himself in the Blessed Sacrament! All are invited to come and honor our Lord after the 5:00 pm Mass on Saturday, June 10th, with a special Eucharistic Procession to the four outdoor altars located in the parking lot of the church campus. Please come and join us to bring the presence of the Eucharistic Christ into our community.
“Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.” St. Teresa of Calcutta
I wish you a blessed week!
With prayers, Fr. Andy
