The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a Spirit of adoption, through whom we cry, "Abba, Father!" The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

The Holy Trinity is the source, center, and summit of our faith. The Father is our loving God, the Creator of all things, and the Source of all that is good. Jesus is our Merciful Lord, the Prophet of the Good News, and Source of our salvation. The Holy Spirit is our Advocate, the Fountain of our inspirations, and the Source of our holiness. Each person of the Holy Trinity is at the center of what it means to be Christians and we should strive to live in accordance with their commandments, teachings, and guidance. So, too, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are the summit of our faith, hope, and love. When we face the judgment, we shall have to answer to the Holy Trinity for what we have done and failed to do... for how we glorified them or how we denied them. Hopefully, we shall allow ourselves to be led by the Spirit of God. Then, and only then, will we be worthy of our adoption as the children of God and heirs to the kingdom

Do we give glory to God, our Heavenly Father? Do we heed the words of Jesus and follow his Way, Truth, and Life? Do we allow the Holy Spirit to bear witness to the Good News through our every thought, word, and work?

O Lord, led us by your spirit so we might become worthy sons and daughters.

Amen.

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

The Holy Trinity loves us. The Father loves us enough to create us in His Divine Image and give us His only Beloved Son so that we might be forgiven of our sins and have eternal life. The Beloved Son loves us enough to create the Church as his bride and give us the Good News and the Holy Spirit so that we might follow his Way, Truth, and Life. The Holy Spirit creates the traditions of the Church and gives us every grace and inspiration we need to know, love, and serve God and His children. God did not create us, provide for us, or send us forth into the world to be sinners or to be condemned. He created us, provided for us, and sent us forth to be saints and to have eternal life.

How do we respond to the love the Holy Trinity has shown us? What can we do with the gifts He has given us? How can we live our lives in imitation of the love the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have for each other and for us?

O Lord, we believe in you and the mystery of the Holy Trinity.

Amen.

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.

Every good we have is the Most Holy Trinity’s. We owe our very existence to the Holy Trinity and our every thought, word, and work should have the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as its source, center, and summit. It is in the Father’s commandments that we discover His paternal love for us. It is in Jesus’ teachings that we witness the way we are called to live our lives. It is in the Holy Spirit’s inspirations that we encounter the truth, which will guide us and set us free. And just like Jesus and the Holy Spirit, we should seek to think, speak, and do all things not on our own, but as channels of God’s Will. When we do this, our actions glorify God and in turn we are glorified by Him.

Do we give thanks and glory to the Holy Trinity for all they have given us? Do we allow God to think, speak, and work through us? Do we declare ourselves His and only His?

O Lord, we declare ourselves to you. Do with us what you will.

Amen.

Pentecost Sunday

“Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

Peace be with you. These are the first words Jesus speaks to his disciples when he appears to them and they are words he constantly whispers to us through the Holy Spirit. Jesus and our Heavenly Father want for us to be at peace with them, with our families, friends, neighbors, and even ourselves. And if we are willing to accept the peace that comes with receiving the Holy Spirit, then we shall find an inner strength which shall sustain us through every trial and tribulation. We shall find within our open hearts, a trusted and wise advocate who will inform our conscience, enkindle us with the fire of God’s Love, and enliven us with holiness. We shall become living and breathing imitators of Christ, giving witness to the goodness of God through the glorifying wounds we received from the world for doing what was right. So let us be ever thankful for the peace our Heavenly Father has offered us and the Spirit of Life He has given us through the sacrifice of His Beloved Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Is the peace of Jesus within us? How can we prepare and open our hearts to the Holy Spirit? How do our thoughts, words, and works breathe the Holy Spirit into the world?

O Lord, give us your peace and your Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Tuesday in the Octave of Easter

Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and then reported what he had told her.

Jesus’ Father is our Father and our God. It is from Him that we received Jesus, His Beloved Son and the Holy Spirit. Through Jesus’ Resurrection, the Holy Trinity has shown us a merciful love greater than anything else on earth. It reminds us of our personal and communal relationships with God and each other. After all, if God is our Father, Brother, and Advocate, then we are all part of a holy and eternal family. We are brothers and sisters in Christ and co-heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven. All we have to do is profess our faith, live in hope, and act out of love for God and our spiritual siblings.

Do we spend time each day nurturing our relationship with the Holy Trinity? How can we come to know, love, and serve God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? In what way do our lives proclaim the Good News to our fellow children of God?

O Lord, you are our Father and our God.

Amen.

The Fourth Wednesday of Lent

Amen, amen, I say to you, the Son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for what he does, the Son will do also. For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything that he himself does, and he will show him greater works than these, so that you may be amazed.

Just like Jesus, we are called to be sons and daughters of God. As such, we should not do anything that is selfish, but rather do what we see our Heavenly Father doing. God shows us how to live through the Scriptures and as long as we have eyes that see God’s Goodness and ears that hear God’s Will, then we will be able to live our lives just as Jesus did. If we allow ourselves to be inspired by the Holy Spirit, our thoughts, words, and works will be life-giving to others. Then, everything we do will give honor and glory to God. Most importantly, we shall have eternal life and be able to spend eternity with our Heavenly Father. By doing these things, we become more and more Christ-like and seek to do the will of the Holy Trinity, who sent us into the world not to be condemned, but to be resurrected to everlasting life with Him.

In what ways do we imitate God the Father? How do we live our lives like Jesus? How do we open ourselves to the influence of the Holy Spirit?

O Lord, show us how to become living saints.

Amen.

The Second Tuesday of Lent

As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

In today’s gospel, Jesus reminds us we are following him not because we want to exalt ourselves, but to humble ourselves as God's servants. We can claim whatever authority or titles we wish, but in the end God is the only true authority. It is from Him that all the lesser authorities flow. He is the only Teacher we need to heed. He is the only Father we should seek to please.  He is the only Master we are called to serve. He gives us all we need to become His good and faithful followers. This is why it is so important to live our lives as servants of God and His children because it is the best way for us to imitate the loving service God has given us.

Do we listen to the teachings of Christ and the inspirations of the Holy Spirit? Do we seek the approval and protection of our Heavenly Father? Do we accept Jesus Christ as our king and seek to serve Him and all God's children to the best of our abilities?

O Lord, show us how to be good and faithful servants.

Amen.