First Sunday after Pentecost THE MOST HOLY TRINITY Solemnity (7 June 2020)

FIRST READING (The Lord, the Lord, a merciful and gracious God.)

A reading from the Book of Exodus (34:4b-6, 8-9)

Early in the morning Moses went up Mount Sinai asthe Lord had commanded him, taking along the two stone tablets.

Having come down in a cloud, the Lord stood withMoses there and proclaimed his name, Lord. Thus theLord passed before him and cried out, The Lord, theLord, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity. Moses at once bowed down to the ground in worship. Then he said, If I find favor with you, O Lord, do come along in our company. This is indeed a stiff-necked people; yet pardon our wickedness and sins, and receive us as your own. The Word of the Lord.

R. Thanks be to God.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM (Dn 3:52, 53, 54, 55)

R. Glory and praise forever! (Dn 3:52b)

Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers,praiseworthy and exalted above all forever; and blessed is your holy and glorious name, praiseworthy and exaltedabove all for all ages. (R)

Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory,praiseworthy and glorious above all forever. (R)

Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom,praiseworthy and exalted above all forever. (R)

Blessed are you who look into the depths from your throne upon the cherubim, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever. (R)

SECOND READING (The grace of Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.)

A reading from the second Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians (13:11-13)

Brothers and sisters, rejoice. Mend your ways,encourage one another, agree with one another, live inpeace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the holy ones greet you.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love ofGod and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all ofyou. The Word of the Lord.

R. Thanks be to God.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Cf. Rev 1:8)

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; to Godwho is, who was, and who is to come. (R)

GOSPEL (God sent his Son that the world might be saved through him.)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (3:16-18)

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish butmight have eternal life. For God did not send his Son intothe world to condemn the world, but that the world mightbe saved through him. Whoever believes in him will notbe condemned, but whoever does not believe has alreadybeen condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. The Gospel of the Lord.

R. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Our God of Love and Peace!

At each Mass, the priest greets us with the words, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” This greeting that we hear at every Mass is taken from our 2nd reading today, St. Paul’s 2nd Letter to the Corinthians. In the writings of St. Paul, this was a familiar technique not just of a prayer, but of a greeting – and a greeting that unites all who heard it in a common profession of faith that we share. At the heart of this profession of faith is the Mystery of the Most Holy Trinity.

The Trinity is not only a mystery that often baffles us; it is also an attraction that continues to capture the imagination of theologians, philosophers, artists and even us here today. How can three distinct persons constitute ONE GOD? The three-leaf clover used by St. Patrick is an ingenious tool for catechesis, but is it enough? From the earliest centuries of Christianity, the mystery of the Trinity has grabbed the attention of theologians who have made great efforts through their teachings and writings to find the best or most exact words to explain this important credal formula of belief in the Triune God. And while many have succeeded; for the man or woman coming to faith in the Church, these explanations can still be baffling.

Today’s passage from the Gospel of St. John offers some insight in how the early Church understood this relationship between the Father and the Son, with that famous phrase, “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son… that the world might be saved through him.” This phrase underscores the close and intimate relationship between the Father and the Son, and it shows how the act of salvation was initiated by the Father to be accomplished through the Son – a phrase that also shows to us how the Father acts in our lives. 

In our first reading from the Book of Exodus, we see how God reveals his name as LORD (in Hebrew YHWH) to Moses. This is then followed by a deeper revelation about God, that he is, “a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity.” This is an excellent description of how we see our God. It may not by a complete definition, but it tells us of the face that God turns towards us – a face that is certainly a true likeness of God – all-merciful and loving.

In this passage from Exodus there are three Hebrew terms that refer to COVANENT (God’s relation ship to us). We are told that God is merciful (which comes from the Hebrew word Rachamin for the womb (Re chem), and so suggests a close, intimate attachment. Then we have the word kindness, (Chesed) sometimes translated as “steadfast love,” which is strong – almost tenacious commitment to the one loved. Finally, there is the word fidelity, (Emunah) which points to God’s reliability in our regard – he will always be there for us. This description of God from Moses comes after the people have so quickly broken the Covenant and sinned by offering homage to an idol. It is to such “stiff necked people” that God shows such deep kindness. 

My dear friends, it is very important for us to remember that God’s mercy and graciousness are not rewards for good behavior, but are the terms of the Covenant under which God approaches us – sinners. This is the “grace” St. Paul speaks about which is given to each and every one of us, even though we do not deserve it. The “love of God” is given is given to all – even sinners and the fellowship (the Greek word koinania here refers to the community) and this fellowship – this drawing together in common purpose is the work of the Holy Spirit among us. This outpouring of mercy, love, fidelity and communion are the gifts and attributes of the Holy Trinity that we celebrate today. 

 

The challenge of faith that is before us today is not so much a question of understanding the Most Holy Trinity, but more of accepting these attributes and gifts of the Trinity – to believe in God’s tender, loving mercy working in our lives, and responding in gracious thanksgiving be reflecting the life of Jesus and the presence of the Spirit in how we deal with each other.

In our world torn by division, by animosity and wars, overrun with a pandemic, flames of racial and ethnic divisions, distrust evolving into hatred of one against another – yes, we are sinners! And yes, more than ever, we need to turn to and learn from a God who is MERCIFUL and GRACIOUS… full of KINDNESS and FIDELITY.” Just as the depth of the mystery of God’s goodness overwhelmed Moses, so much so that he “bowed down to the ground in worship,” we must recognize how much God has touched us with his grace, His love, and his fellowship, and bow down in humble gratitude for these gifts.

Today’s feast is a day set aside for us to offer praise to God – as we did in our Response – Yes… “Glory and praise for ever!” May God’s gracious, faithful, merciful and kind love wash over us as a blessing, turning us from a stiff-necked, stubborn, often angry and unfaithful people, to a people who, in the words again of St. Paul, “Mend our ways, encourage one another, agree with one another, and live in peace.” The Most Holy Trinity is the best example for us today in this world of unity in diversity. My friends, we are called to resemble and reflect God when we live in loving harmony with each other! Let us bow in humble worship, and rise up in faithful submission to our God of Love and Peace. 

Prayers

Celebrant: Through the grace of the Son, we learn of the love of the Father, and are drawn into the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. Through the Son, we come to the Father now with prayers inspired by the Spirit.

 

READER:  For the holy Catholic Church, that we may be one in our faith in the Triune God, (Pause) LET US PRAY TO THE LORD.

 

READER: For this world, that it may be saved through the sacrifice of the Son sent by the Father, (Pause) LET US PRAY TO THE LORD.

 

READER: For those who do not accept the true God, that they may come to the peace and love of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, (Pause) LET US PRAY TO THE LORD.

 

READER: For all of us gathered here today celebrating this Eucharist after so many months deprived of Mass, that we may help one another with renewed love which reflects the Trinity, (Pause) LET US PRAY TO THE LORD. 

 

READER: For those who have asked for our prayers, and our own intentions that we carry in our hearts, and for our faithful departed who have passed away in these recent months, (Pause) LET US PRAY TO THE LORD.

 

CELEBRANT: Lord God, have mercy on us and hear our prayers. Let the love which unites the Persons of the Trinity shape our lives and the lives of all people. We ask this in the name of Jesus, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. (all) AMEN.

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