CONTRIBUTED BY FATHER PAUL S. VOISIN, C.R.
Father Paul is a Waterloo native, was ordained to the priesthood as a Resurrectionist on May 14, 1977. He has served in pastoral ministry in Kitchener and Brantford, Ontario, education and pastoral ministry in La Paz, and formation and pastoral ministry in Cochabamba, Bolivia. He served as Provincial Superior of the Ontario-Kentucky Province from 2005 to 2008 and the Vicar General of the Diocese of Hamilton in Bermuda, and Rector of St. Theresa’s Cathedral from 2008 to 2017. He is presently the Superior General of the Congregation of the Resurrection in Rome, Italy.
TRINITY SUNDAY
May 27, 2018
GATHERINGTIME
Introduction to the Word:
As a Catholic Christian I have always believed in the Holy Trinity:that there is ONE GOD revealed in THREE PERSONS, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. We proclaim this each time we make the Sign of the Cross. It enters into the closing part of many of our common prayers. We hear the Trinity being referred to constantly during the Eucharist. We are blessed in the name “of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”.
Yet, I must admit, that at the age of twenty-three, when I was a novice of the Congregation of the Resurrection, I came to a new and deeper understanding and appreciation of the Holy Trinity. I made the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola under the direction of my Rector and Spiritual Director, Father Charlie Fedy CR. In the Exercises, St. Ignatius asks the retreatant, at different times to direct their prayer to a particular Person of the Trinity, to ask for particular graces. Although this may not seem earth-shattering, for me it gave me a deeper appreciation of each one of the persons of the Trinity, and the unique relationship that I have with each one. Now this does not mean that if we direct our prayer to the ‘wrong’ Person of the Trinity that it is like a letter that ends up in the ‘Dead Letter Office’ never to be seen (or answered). Yet, I believe (and from my experience from that time on) that my relationship with each Person is strengthened and made more meaningful when I direct it to a particular Person for a particular reason. Just as we have unique relationships with each member of our family – father, mother, and sibling(s) – so too our relationship with the Father is unique from that of the Son, which is unique from that of the Holy Spirit, which is unique from that of the Father.
Warm-up Activity
As we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Trinity, let us reflect on our life with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
- If we accept what I have shared about the unique relationship with each member of the Holy Trinity, how would I describe my relationship with the Father? What might be the particular graces or insights that I might ask of the Father in my prayer?
- How would I describe my relationship with the Son? What might be the particular graces or insights that I might ask of the Son in my prayer?
- How would I describe my relationship with the Holy Spirit? What might be the particular graces or insights that I might ask of the Holy Spirit in my prayer?
The Table of the Word
Throughout history the Holy Trinity has been depicted in art in various ways. One of the most ancient is the triangle of three equal sides. St. Patrick, in his evangelization of the Irish, used a shamrock, with its three leaves forming one leaf. Many years ago I came across a children’s book that spoke of the Trinity in terms of an apple –the peel representing the Father. It is the most obvious part of the apple, just as God the Father has revealed Himself through the creation all around us. The peel is also the protector of the other parts of the apple.
- the flesh of the apple represents the Son, as the “Word
became flesh and dwelt among us”.Jesus took on our humanity, our flesh and bones, yet remained one with the Father, in his divinity.
- the seeds represent the Holy Spirit, the source of new life.
They contain the new beginning of life, as through the Holy Spirit we are enriched by our sharing in the life of God.
Penitential Rite:
Let us turn to our God – Three in One:
Lord Jesus, you came to unite us to the Father and to do His Holy Will,
Lord have mercy
Christ Jesus, you have shared in our humanity, and called us to share in your divinity, Christ have mercy
Lord Jesus, you sent the Holy Spirit to unite us to yourself and the Father,
Lord have mercy.
Let us pray:
God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
you call us into life with you.
You reveal yourselves to us so that we may enter into your life.
Help us to see you are you are,
to know, love, and serve you.
Help us to respond to your invitation to loving friendship
so that we may share your life with others. Amen.
SCRIPTUREREFLECTIONTIME
(As Christians we believe that the WORD of God we hear proclaimed each Sunday is an empowering Word, and that God is present in the Word proclaimed. This is the Word that God wants us to hear today. The dynamic of the Small Christian Community, namely, reflecting on our life-story within the context of this Word, and sharing the insights of these reflections, is such that God’s Spirit becomes present, and the gifts of the Spirit are experienced as empowering and life-giving.)
FIRST READING:(Deuteronomy 4:32-34, 39-40)
Moses spoke to the people; he said: “Put this question, then, to the ages that are past, that went before you, from the time God created man on earth: Was there ever a word so majestic, from one end of heaven to the other? Was anything ever heard? Did ever a people hear the voice of the living God speaking from the heart of the fire, as you heard it, and remain alive? Has any god ventured to take to himself one nation from the midst of another by ordeals, signs, wonders, war with mighty hand and outstretched arm, by fearsome terrors – all this that the Lord your God did for you before your eyes in Egypt? “Understand this today, therefore, and take it to heart: the Lord is God indeed, in heaven above as on earth beneath, he and no other. Keep his laws and commandments as I give them to you today, so that you and your children may prosper and live long in the land that the Lord your God gives you for ever.”
The Word of the LordThanks be to God
SECOND READING:(Romans 8:14-17)
Everyone moved by the Spirit is a son of God. The spirit you received is not the spirit of slaves bringing fear into your lives again; it is the spirit of sons, and it makes us cry out, “Abba, Father!” The Spirit himself and our spirit bear united witness that we are children of God. And if we are children we are heirs as well; heirs of God and coheirs with Christ, sharing his sufferings so as to share his glory.
The Word of the LordThanks be to God
GOSPEL:(Matthew 26:16-20)
A reading from the holy gospel according to Matthew. Glory to you, O Lord.
The eleven disciples set out for Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had arranged to meet them. When they saw Him they fell down before Him, though some hesitated. Jesus came up and spoke to them, He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations; baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you. And know that I am with you always’ yes, to the end of time.”
The Gospel of the LordPraise to you, Lord Jesus Christ
Pause for a brief reflection on the scripture readings.
COMMENTARY:
God calls us into life with him. He declares Himself for us! That is, for me, the message of the First Reading. God has revealed Himself to us, and He claims us as His own. We are His! However, in this relationship He calls us to keep His commandments and to live as He – the author of life – has willed. There are ‘benefits’ and blessings for being a child of God, but there are responsibilities that come with it. As reassuring as the words of God are in the reading, it is also a challenge to us to respond grace-fully to this God who is on our side.
Our Second Reading also proclaims this closeness of God. He is not off somewhere, disinterested and uninvolved. Rather He is present and as ‘involved’ as we will allow Him to be. As followers of Jesus we are animated by the Holy Spirit and moved to the Father. He is our Ab‘ba’ (the tender Aramaic term for one’s father),showing that intimacy and connectedness with us – if we allow Him.
As Jesus leaves His disciples, He leaves them with a mandate – to go out and share the Good News, and to baptize in “the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”. As we share in the life of God, we are mandated to invite others – by our words and example – to join us in this loving relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Is it in their name that we are baptized, and we live in union with them. On this Trinity Sunday we celebrate, in a special way, this life we share, and that has been shared with us.
(Allow about 5 – 10 minutes for the participants to react to the Commentary to identify a newly discovered insight or idea.)
Questions for Reflection and Discussion:
- “The Lord is God indeed” (Deuteronomy 4:32-34, 39-40)
I think we would find very few people who do not believe in God. Even President Dwight Eisenhower said on February 7, 1954, that “there are no atheists in foxholes”. However, our beliefs and images of God are very unique. Some of them are not scriptural, and create confusion. On the Feast of the Holy Trinity, we proclaim that we are involved in an intimate personal relationship with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
a)Are there any images of God which trouble you, and you would consider not true according to revelation?
b)How do you show that “the Lord is God indeed”?
c)What are the benefits and burdens of believing in God?
2.“The Spirit himself and our spirit bear united witness that we are children of God’(Romans 8:14-17)
A sense of belonging is important to each one of us, in particular in our family.
a)How do you identify yourself as a child of God?
b)Can you relate to feeling a “coheir with Christ”, as “moved by the Spirit”, and able to call God “Abba”?
3. “Know that I am with you always’ yes, to the end of time.”(Matthew 28:20)
Many people today have issues of ‘abandonment’ – from their family, friends, their workplace, etc. – even in relation to their life with God.
a)How have you experienced God “with you always”?
b)Have you felt abandoned by God in your life? The cause? The solution?
c)How have you gone out and “baptized” and “taught”?
CARING - PRAYING TIME
- Word for the Week:“I am with you always”
- Suggestions for the Week:
As humans, we are social animals. Sometimes being alone is even a form of torture (solitary confinement). The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit have been engaged in our lives since our Baptism, and we in theirs. During this week, be particularly attentive to the presence of God. Each day, direct a prayer to each member of the Trinity – perhaps to the Father to thank Him for the beauty of the day, to Jesus to ask for a listening ear and heart to be a better disciple, and to the Holy Spirit to ask for the grace of patience with someone. Try, for this week, to not to pray to ‘God’ (as if He were some unidentifiable blob somewhere out there), but to engage each member of the Trinity in your prayer. Remember, THEY are with us always!
3. Intercessions:
As we approach this Trinity Sunday, let us turn to this God who loves us, who created us, who saved us, and who is our guide:
That the celebration of the Holy Trinity may unite us more closely to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, we pray …I am with you always
That we may be more respectful of the Father by respecting His creation, and His creatures, we pray … I am with you always
That we may more faithfully follow the Son, and desire to do the Father’s will, as He did, we pray … I am with you always
That we may be more open to the Holy Spirit, and use well the gifts and charisms He blesses us with, we pray … I am with you always
That our words and actions may fulfill the mandate that the Lord Jesus has given us, we pray ... I am with you always
That we may be instruments of God in the life of others, helping them to know and experience that we are never alone … I am with you always
And how can we help you in prayer this week?
Let us pray:
Almighty God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
we praise you and thank you for your sharing in our lives,
and your constant invitation to share in your life.
Bless us with wisdom that we may recognize you
in our daily lives,
and respond to the graces each of you grant us.
We pray this with devotion and gratitude
trusting in your love and mercy.
Amen.
With hands and hearts united in gratitude for God’s favours on us today, we pray that all those in our influence be moved to be open to your Word and your Spirit, while we say as one, OUR FATHER …
Celebrating the Word, Resurrection Ministries of the Congregation of the Resurrection Ontario-Kentucky Province (including the former Resurrection Centre), 265 Westmount Road North, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G7. (Celebrating the Word was founded by Father Frank Ruetz, C.R., now deceased). For information or subscriptions: E-mail website: The Scripture version used in this commentary is the New Revised Standard Version (copyrighted by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA).
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