by Fr. Andy
The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
Today we honor the Most Holy Trinity, the divine mystery at the heart of our faith. The mystery of the most Holy Trinity is a basic doctrine of faith in Christianity, understandable not with our heads but with our hearts. It teaches us that there are three distinct persons in one God, sharing the same divine nature. Our mind cannot grasp this doctrine which teaches that 1+ 1+ 1 = 1 and not 3. But we believe in this mystery because Jesus who is God taught it clearly, the evangelists recorded it, the Fathers of the Church tried to explain it and the Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople defined it as a dogma of Christian faith.
There is a very old and much-repeated story about St. Augustine, patron of our diocese and one of the intellectual giants of the Church. He was walking by the seashore one day, attempting to arrive at an intelligible explanation for the mystery of the Trinity. As he walked along, he saw a small boy on the beach, pouring seawater from a shell into a small hole in the sand. "What are you doing, my child?" asked Augustine. "I am emptying the sea into this hole," the boy answered with an innocent smile. "But that is impossible, my dear child,” said Augustine. The boy stood up, looked straight into the eyes of Augustine and replied, “What you are trying to do - comprehend the immensity of God with your small head - is even more impossible.” Then he vanished. The child was an angel sent by God to teach Augustine a lesson. Later, Augustine wrote: "You see the Trinity if you see love." According to him the Father is the lover, the Son is the loved one and the Holy Spirit is the personification of the very act of loving. This means that we can understand something of the mystery of the Holy Trinity more readily with the heart than with our feeble mind.
I would like to offer you a few updates on some of the projects on our campus:
- First, the Gym at Annunciation Catholic School. As you have witnessed since last October the progress of the construction is very impressive. The outside of the building is almost completed. The inside, now focuses on the installation of the gym floor, equipment, retractable bleachers and some other finishing work. On the outside we have some landscaping work, including installation of a new fence behind the school to increase safety and security of our students. We plan for the gym to be open and ready for the new school year in August. I am most grateful for all your support to make the project possible as it will enhance the quality of Catholic Education.
- Second, the plans for the new Bell Tower and Gift Shop are approved and we are about to break ground. Since the construction will be to the left of the main entrance, now I ask for your patience, support and collaboration. There may be some inconveniences, so let us work together to assure a successful completion. This project is a part of the Stained Glass Window Project and I am most grateful for your generosity.
- Third, we also have plans to continue to enhance the overall experience of our campus. With the St. Luke Catholic Community Growth Fund still in effect we will introduce new signage at the entrance to the campus on Blanding Blvd. as well as some other areas on the campus. Our generosity allows experiencing the beauty of God’s creation but also being good stewards of the goods the Lord entrusted to us. Thank you!
Summer vacation is a wonderful time to “escape” from the busyness of daily life, to take a break from daily responsibilities, and to spend extra quality time with family and friends. Summer plans often take us away from home and unfortunately from …participation in Mass. For all who travel near or far, I want to offer a website that has mass schedules, locations and times worldwide:
www.masstimes.org. Please plan your vacations that you will not miss giving God thanks and praise for so many blessings He offers us daily.
Next week, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus. After the 11:00 am Mass, we will have our annual Corpus Christi procession to three altars located on the parking lot of the church. Please come and join us to bring the presence of the Eucharistic Christ into our community.
I wish you all a blessed week. May the love of the Triune God be your guide this week and in the days ahead.
With prayers,
Fr. Andy