Sunday, May 27, 2018

Mark, Chapter 6, Verse 20

Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and kept him in custody. When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him.

Christ asks us to not be afraid; remember that those who are controlled by the devil are always deathly afraid. Therefore, trust in Him and remember that according to the Talmud God says to us: With thy very wounds I will heal thee. If you are unhappy it is because of sin therefore seek the healing that Christ gives in the sacrament of confession and receive joyfully the Holy Eucharist.

Feast of the Most Holy Trinity[1]

Trinity Sunday is dedicated to the worship of the Triune God and is called accordingly the Lord’s day; but the first Sunday after Pentecost is appointed by the Church a special feast of the Most Holy Trinity, because this mystery, as the fundamental doctrine of the Christian religion, began at once to be preached by the apostles, as soon as they had been enlightened and strengthened by the descent of the Holy Ghost.

What thoughts and affections should occupy our minds on this feast? Although the mystery of the Trinity is incomprehensible to us, we must consider:

1. That God would cease to be God, if our limited understanding were capable of penetrating the substance of nature.

2. The mystery of the Blessed Trinity, though incomprehensible to our intellect, is yet not without fruit in our hearts. The records of revelation show us God the Father as our Creator, God the Son as our Redeemer, God the Holy Ghost as our Sanctifier; and should not this move us to a child-like gratitude towards the blessed Trinity? In praise of the Most Holy Trinity, the Church sings at the Introit of the Mass, blessed be the Holy Trinity and undivided Unity; we will give glory to Him, because He hath shown His mercy to us. O Lord, our Lord, how wonderful is Thy name in all the earth.

Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon those who fear him, upon those who count on his mercy, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive through famine.

Holy Sunshine and Rain[2]

After the Son revealed His relation to the Father through Good Friday and Easter, and the Spirit revealed Himself at Pentecost, the most Holy Trinity can now be fully worshipped
Though the mystery of the Holy Trinity is the greatest dogma of the Christian faith and the Feast of the Holy Trinity one of the beloved annual feasts of Christianity, there are not many customs or rituals quintessentially associated with this day. It has always been the custom, however, to keep this day with great reverence and solemnity. Festivals after Mass featuring thunderous preachers and thunderous bands aroused their listeners to joyful heights, while Holy Trinity Confraternities (which were once very influential) would sponsor special events and devotions on this their name day. Superstition also ascribed great powers to the weather on Holy Trinity Sunday, regardless of what it was: "Trinity rain" was considered as healthy as "Trinity sunshine."

Trinity Sunday Facts[3]

· The Nicene Creed and similar Apostle's Creed often recited during mass for many denominations affirms the Trinity. The creeds are a profession of faith. The Catholic version of The Apostle's Creed is:

o I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord: Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

· The Trinity does not explicitly appear in the Bible. The interpretation and belief in the three-in-one God came out of several councils in the early church that wrestled with the question of the divinity of God the Creator, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.

· St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, taught non-Christians the Trinity with a shamrock.

· The Orthodox Church celebrates the Trinity in its Feast of the Pentecost. Pentecost Sunday is sometimes even called Trinity Day.

Trinity Sunday Top Events and Things to Do

· The Trinity is often described as a holy mystery beyond complete human understanding. To mark Trinity Sunday, consider other things that are beyond human understanding, like the universe, or the concept of time never ending.

· Listen to a sermon on Trinity Sunday to see what examples the pastor uses to illustrate the concept of God in three persons.

· Johann Sebastian Bach wrote music to celebrate the Trinity. Listen to one of his Trinity Sunday cantatas on YouTube.

· Experience the Trinity in art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. One painting that depicts this is The Trinity by Italian painter Angulo Gaddi.

Please pray for the intentions of my wife Mary Katherine (name meaning: Star of the Sea-Pure) for today is her birthday.