Sunday, May 26, 2024
The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
Romans,
Chapter 8, verse 14-15
14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into FEAR, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, “Abba, Father!”
By the sacrifice of Christ, we are the adopted children of God, who feared none, and by whose sufferings and glory we share; by reason of the Holy Spirits presence within us. We are thus giving a new life and relationship with God.
ON KEEPING
THE LORD'S DAY HOLY[1]
CHAPTER III
DIES ECCLESIAE
The Eucharistic Assembly:
Heart of Sunday
The day of hope
38. Viewed in this way, Sunday is not
only the day of faith, but is also the day of Christian hope. To share
in "the Lord's Supper" is to anticipate the eschatological feast of
the "marriage of the Lamb" (Rev 19:9). Celebrating this
memorial of Christ, risen and ascended into heaven, the Christian community
waits "in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ".
Renewed and nourished by this intense weekly rhythm, Christian hope becomes the
leaven and the light of human hope. This is why the Prayer of the Faithful
responds not only to the needs of the particular Christian community but also
to those of all humanity; and the Church, coming together for the Eucharistic
celebration, shows to the world that she makes her own "the joys and hopes,
the sorrows and anxieties of people today, especially of the poor and all those
who suffer". With the offering of the Sunday Eucharist, the Church crowns
the witness which her children strive to offer every day of the week by
proclaiming the Gospel and practicing charity in the world of work and in all
the many tasks of life; thus she shows forth more plainly her identity "as
a sacrament, or sign and instrument of intimate union with God and of the unity
of the entire human race".
Trinity Sunday[2]
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 His 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.
Prayer.
O almighty and eternal God, Who hast created Thy
servant to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, in the confession of
the true faith, and to adore the unity in the power of Thy majesty, we beseech
Thee, that by firmness in the same faith, we may be ever protected from all
adversities.
EPISTLE. Rom. xi. 33-36.
Oh,
the depth of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How
incomprehensible are His judgments, and how unsearchable His ways!
For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath
been His counsellor? Or who hath first given to Him, and recompense shall be
made Him?
For of Him, and by Him, and in Him,
are all things: to Him be glory forever. Amen.
Explanation.
The
ground of St. Paul’s admiration in this epistle is the unfathomable wisdom and
love of God, by which He permitted the Jews and heathen to fall into unbelief,
that He might have mercy on all, and make all perceive that they were
justified, not through their merits, but only through His grace. But the Church
makes use of these words to express her reverent admiration for the greatness
of the mystery of the All Holy Trinity. Though we can neither measure nor
comprehend this mystery, yet no man of sound reason will hesitate to believe
it, if he considers that it is most plainly revealed by God; that as God, the
Infinite, cannot be comprehended by the spirit of man, so also He can reveal
more than we can understand; and that, finally, there are many things in man
himself, and in nature, which we acknowledge as true, but cannot comprehend.
Besides, does not our holy religion assure us, that one day we shall behold
face to face the Infinite Whose image is now reflected dimly in the mirror of
nature? Let us add hope, therefore, to our faith, and if true and sincere love
be based upon these two, our understanding and heart will have abundant
consolation in regard to this great mystery.
GOSPEL. Matt, xxviii. 18-20.
At that time
Jesus said to His disciples: All power is given to Me in heaven and in earth;
going therefore teach ye all nations: baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you: and behold I am with you all days, even to the
consummation of the world.
What command
does Our Savior give in this gospel?
He
commands His apostles to teach all nations, and to baptize them.
Is Baptism a
sacrament?
Yes,
for by it we receive the grace of God, through an outward sign instituted by
Christ.
What is the
outward sign?
Pouring
water on the head of the person to be baptized and pronouncing at the same time
the words: “I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Ghost.”
What is the
effect of the grace of Baptism?
Through
water and the Holy Ghost, the baptized person is cleansed from original sin,
and from all actual sins, if he has committed such; is spiritually new-born,
and made a child of God and a joint heir with Christ (John iii. 6; Rom. viii.
17).
What is the use of sponsors?
1. In the name
of the child, they express the desire to be baptized, and make the profession
of faith, together with the promise to live according to the doctrine of
Christ.
2. In case the
parents should die, or neglect their duty, the godparents may provide for the
instruction of the children.
3. They are
witnesses that such a person has been baptized.
Who is God?
God
is an infinite being, of all possible perfections, the most sublime and
excellent of all goods, existing from all eternity, and containing within
Himself the principle of His own being and substance; from Whom all other
things have received their existence and life, “for of Him, and by Him, and in
Him are all things” (Rom. xi. 36).
What is the
blessed Trinity?
It
is this one God, Who is one in nature and threefold in person, the Father, Son,
and Holy Ghost.
Is each of
these persons God?
Yes,
for each possesses the divine nature and substance.
Is any of
these three persons older, more powerful, or greater than another?
No;
they are all three, from eternity, equal in power, sublimity, and majesty, and
must therefore be equally adored.
From Whom is
the Father?
From
Himself, before all eternity.
From Whom is
God the Son?
The
Son is begotten of the Father before all ages.
From Whom is
God the Holy Ghost?
He
proceeds from the Father and the Son.
Holy Sunshine and Rain[3]
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[4]
·
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:
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.
The
Doudou of Mons[5]
Thousands of bystanders stand with
necks craned, cheering on Saint George as he goes into battle with the
ferocious dragon in a small circle in the middle of Mons’ Grand-Place. The curious scene is
a highlight of the Belgian city’s Doudou festival, an ancient feast of lush
parades, fights with wicker monsters, and buckets of crowd participation.
Up in the forested Belgian Ardennes, slightly bizarre folkloric celebrations
have long been a part of the annual diet – just think of Binche’s
carnival with its
white-masked, orange-pelting figures, or Andenne with its bear-filled streets.
Local identity and pride in one’s cultural heritage play a major part in these
festivities, and they are, in fact, the reason they still exist today, and this
is no less true in Mons’ case. The 800-year-old Ducasse de Mons on Trinity
Sunday, lovingly dubbed ‘le Doudou’ by locals, is perhaps the most raucous of
them all. As Saint George on horseback and a giant wicker dragon make their way
to the middle of the main square for their epic brawl, members of the crowd
jump forward to try and grab a handful of straw from the mythical beast’s tail.
A handful of its hairs, legend has it, will bring brave audience member’s luck.
Before the meticulously choreographed
“Battle of the Lumeçon” begins, however, visitors are reminded that the dragon
isn’t the only adversity Mons has had to reckon with in its history. Indeed,
true fans have started the day’s celebrations off much earlier in the
Sainte-Waudru Collegiate Church. Here, the shrine of Sainte Waudru, foundress of
the city and miracle worker, is taken out in the morning to meet a temple
overflowing with worshippers. Believed to have saved Mons from a sweeping
plague in the 14th century, the holy woman’s relics are loaded onto an
elaborately decorated wagon called the Car d’Or (“the Golden Cart”).
A whole parade of local organizations dressed up in medieval garb join the procession, and when the draft horses pulling the ornate wagon invariably struggle on one particularly steep alley, the watchful masses never fail to reunite forces and help them up the slope. Locals especially have a stake in this: superstition has it that if the cart doesn’t get up in one try, bad things await the city. Meanwhile, the daredevils who plan on doing some tail-grabbing later have had the opportunity to gain a little liquid courage at the food and drink stalls lining the parade’s route. With each victory – getting the cart up the hill, the slaughter of the wicker dragon – the audience yells out joyously: “Et les Montois ne périront pas!” (“And the people of Mons will not perish!”). Folklore fans who are longing to join in know where and when to plan their next trip.
Catechism of the Catholic Church
PART FOUR: CHRISTIAN PRAYER
SECTION TWO-THE LORD'S PRAYER
Article 3-THE SEVEN PETITIONS
II. "Thy Kingdom Come"
2816 In the New Testament, the word
basileia can be translated by "kingship" (abstract noun),
"kingdom" (concrete noun) or "reign" (action noun). the
Kingdom of God lies ahead of us. It is brought near in the Word incarnate, it
is proclaimed throughout the whole Gospel, and it has come in Christ's death
and Resurrection. the Kingdom of God has been coming since the Last Supper and,
in the Eucharist, it is in our midst. the kingdom will come in glory when
Christ hands it over to his Father:
It may even be . . . that the
Kingdom of God means Christ himself, whom we daily desire to come, and whose
coming we wish to be manifested quickly to us. For as he is our resurrection,
since in him we rise, so he can also be understood as the Kingdom of God, for
in him we shall reign.
2817 This petition is "Marana
tha," the cry of the Spirit and the Bride: "Come, Lord Jesus."
Even if it had not been prescribed
to pray for the coming of the kingdom, we would willingly have brought forth
this speech, eager to embrace our hope. In indignation the souls of the martyrs
under the altar cry out to the Lord: "O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how
long before you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell upon the
earth?" For their retribution is ordained for the end of the world. Indeed
as soon as possible, Lord, may your kingdom come!
2818 In the Lord's Prayer,
"thy kingdom come" refers primarily to the final coming of the reign
of God through Christ's return. But, far from distracting the Church from
her mission in this present world, this desire commits her to it all the more
strongly. Since Pentecost, the coming of that Reign is the work of the Spirit
of the Lord who "complete(s) his work on earth and brings us the fullness
of grace."
2819 "The kingdom of God (is)
righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." The end-time in
which we live is the age of the outpouring of the Spirit. Ever since Pentecost,
a decisive battle has been joined between "the flesh" and the Spirit.
Only a pure soul can boldly say:
"Thy kingdom come." One who has heard Paul say, "Let not sin
therefore reign in your mortal bodies," and has purified himself in
action, thought and word will say to God: "Thy kingdom come!"
2820 By a discernment according to
the Spirit, Christians have to distinguish between the growth of the Reign of
God and the progress of the culture and society in which they are involved.
This distinction is not a separation. Man's vocation to eternal life does not
suppress, but actually reinforces, his duty to put into action in this world
the energies and means received from the Creator to serve justice and peace.
2821 This petition is taken up and
granted in the prayer of Jesus which is present and effective in the Eucharist;
it bears its fruit in new life in keeping with the Beatitudes.
Apostolic Exhortation[6]
Veneremur
Cernui – Down in Adoration Falling
of The Most
Reverend Thomas J. Olmsted, Bishop of Phoenix,
to Priests, Deacons, Religious and the Lay Faithful of the Diocese of Phoenix
on the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist
My beloved Brothers and
Sisters in Christ,
I. The Graces of Holy Communion
ii. We become “One Body and One
Spirit in Christ.”
43. The “re-education camp”
divided the prisoners into groups of fifty who slept on the floor as their bed.
Each man had a foot and a half wide space. Of the fifty prisoners with Cardinal
Van Thuan, only five others were Christians. With the cooperation of the
non-Christian prisoners, they made arrangements so that at night they would be
near each other. When lights went out at 9:30, then he quietly said Mass and
distributed Communion to the Catholics. He kept one consecrated Host always in
his shirt pocket. During the night, the prisoners took turns for adoration.
During the day, even amid the cruelty of prison life, Cardinal Van Thuan and
the few Christians focused their attention on Jesus. For them, Jesus in the
Eucharist became a true companion. As a result of the Eucharistic presence that
was clandestinely introduced into the prison camp, the Christian prisoners
regained the fervor of their faith during those difficult times and even other
non-Christians converted to the faith. The strength of Jesus’ love in the
Eucharist is irresistible. The silent presence of Jesus in the Eucharist
brought consolation to those who suffered, strength to a weakened faith and
especially a fortified bond of unity among them.
44. How much we need the
Eucharist in our world today! We are also struggling through a challenging
time. We are emerging from a pandemic that has crippled many with FEAR
and left much suffering in its wake. Throughout this time, we have also
experienced great division within our country and even within our Church. A
tangible and rapid decline of our culture produces empty noise and vain
pleasures that drown out God’s invitation to enter into a loving relationship
with Him.
45. What can we do to bring
peace, justice and love to a world that is starving for God and His love? By
ourselves, we can do nothing. But, in the Eucharist, God Himself is our
nourishment and strength. We cannot transform our lives nor change the world with
our own strength alone. The Eucharist as a Sacrament of communion and love
motivates us inwardly to work tirelessly towards reconciliation and the
restoration of justice; to work together to restore respect for the dignity of
all men and women made in the image and likeness of God.
To be continued…
Which are the fruits of the Holy Ghost? They are the twelve following:
1. Charity.
2.
Joy.
3. Peace.
4. Patience.
5. Benignity.
6. Goodness.
7. Longsuffering.
8. Mildness.
9. Faith.
10. Modesty.
11.
Continency.
12.
Chastity.
These fruits
should be visible in the Christian, for thereby men shall know that the Holy
Ghost dwells in him, as the tree is known by its fruit.
Notice I have placed the Fruits of the Holy Spirit in stairstep fashion so we may reflect on them seeing that by concentrating on each step of our growth in the spirit we may progress closer and closer to our heavenly Father. Today we will be focusing on the sixth step which is goodness.
Claire's Corner
·
Indianapolis
500—May 26-- Rev up for the “Greatest Spectacle
in Racing.” Part of the Triple Crown of Motorsports (with the Monaco Grand Prix
and 24 Hours of Le Mans right behind) this annual race is quite possibly the
largest single-day sporting event in the entire world, attracting roughly
400,000 spectators. Head to Indianapolis the last weekend in May, and prepare
for a high-speed show around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s 2.5-mile oval
circuit.
o May 18 BEST. EXPERIENCE.
EVER. Phoenix
Raceway
§ Welcome to NASCAR Racing
Experience. DRIVE a NASCAR race car by yourself on the Phoenix Raceway- A
1 mile, low-banked tri-oval racetrack with 8 to 9 degrees of banking in the turns.
Following drivers meeting with training and instruction, you’ll drive a NASCAR
race car for timed racing sessions. There’s no lead car to follow and no
instructor rides with you. Get one-on-one instruction from a spotter over
in-car radio. In between every 8 minutes of Track Time get to a brief pit stop
and head back on the track to work on driving faster speeds. Pass the
slower cars as you catch them... YES, passing is allowed!
·
The
2024 Spring Arizona Restaurant Week (ARW), which offers the culinary community
endless opportunities to dine on a deal, kicked off Friday, May 17 and runs
through Sunday, May 26. The ARW menus are a departure from the restaurants’
regular menus, allowing diners to get a new taste of even their favorite
restaurants’ culinary breadth — at a fraction of typical costs.
·
Spring Arizona Restaurant Week
Daily
Devotions
·
Today in honor of the
Holy Trinity do the Divine Office giving your day to God. To honor God REST: no
shopping after 6 pm Saturday till Monday. Don’t forget the internet.
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Growth
of Catholic Families and Households
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
[2]Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896.
[6]https://dphx.org/veneremur-cernui/
FROM LAST YEAR
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