Go and Do Likewise!

In September I will give my presentation on Faith and Works and how a person is saved.  With today’s readings I felt it would be both appropriate and also an opportunity to give you some food for thought beforehand.   The presentation is a way’s away, but I think you will remember the major points.  Today’s readings do not directly spell out a way “of being saved,” they nevertheless paint a clear a picture of what God demands our faith to be.  Let’s take a look.

         

In the first reading from Deuteronomy the voice of God spoken through Moses declares, “For this command I enjoin on you today is not too mysterious and remote for you.  No, it is something very near to you, already in your mouths and in your hearts; you have only to carry it out.”  What are the Israelites to carry out, God’s Law, in particular the Ten Commandments.  If we carry out the Law then as Kind David so eloquently writes in the Psalms, “The Law of the LORD is perfect; refreshing the soul . . . The precepts of the Lord are right; rejoicing the heart.”  When we follow the law and live virtuously we are happy.  When we disobey the law of the Lord we feel guilty, saddened, and even sometimes become hard of heart.  Finally in today’s Gospel, Jesus says, “Go and do likewise.”  The law must be transcended; love must be our ultimate law, as was the case with the Good Samaritan.

From our readings today and what we know of the Church’s teaching we still ask ourselves, how do I get to Heaven?  Here are some responses I have been given over the years.

1)   I never killed anyone or committed adultery, I should get to heaven.

2)   If I do more good than evil I will be saved.

3)   All I have to do is believe in Jesus as personal Lord and Savior.

None of those are exactly right, if not misleading.  The notion that I never killed anyone or committed adultery is very minimalistic, what about greed, perjury, false witness, lying, missing mass, selfishness, lust, pride, or any of the other deadly sins.  To make one’s morality the whole of two sins clearly shows that the person is lacking a relationship with God and also not understanding what it means to be holy.  When one is in a relationship with God the first thing they will try to do is please Him, no different than when a child tries to please its parents.  This is how a child shows love and it’s appreciation for being loved.  If your child centered their whole existence and relationship around you with only avoiding two things, there would be really no relationship, nor would you put up with that as parents, you would naturally demand much more.

The second notion that I do more good than evil is also false for most of us.  There are canonized saints whom we know lived very holy lives and their sins were either very few or almost none at all, though they considered themselves terrible sinners, a feeling they had that came from humility.  Most of us on the other hand are a mixed bag, we are somewhat good and somewhat evil, we do good things and we do evil things.  St. Paul is very clear on this and he is so because he is protecting the concept of being saved by grace.  He says in Romans chapter three, “No one is good, no, not even one.”  He is basically arguing that we all need God’s grace to be saved; we cannot achieve it on our own.  If a person thinks they can get to heaven by following the Law, then they must follow it perfectly and do so always, for even the smallest offense makes one a breaker of the entire law and the person is justly condemned by God.

There are some Christians who believe that one must make an altar call or declare that Jesus is their personal Lord and Savior.  If not, one cannot be saved.  It is at this moment (when one declares Jesus as personal Lord and Savior that one is born again).  Catholics have nothing against calling Jesus or declaring Jesus one’s personal Lord and Savior, for He is.  The problems arise when one then does away with works of faith and love.  The easiest way to describe this is, what if a person tells you I am born again but then that night they cheat on their spouse, the next day they embezzle money, the day after they do physical harm to someone, would you consider that person a good and faithful Christian, no, of course not, for Jesus tells us, “You shall know them by their fruits.”

How are we saved, is it by faith or works?  The answer is both, but we could do neither if God did not give us the initial grace to be faithful and to do good.  He gave us that grace at Baptism and He continues to give it to us in the sacraments and in other moments of our lives.  As Catholics we never separate faith and works for we take the word “and” very seriously.

Jesus does not end today’s Gospel by only saying, “Believe what I am telling you about the Good Samaritan,” nor does He ever say, “You must only believe,” rather He says, “Go and do likewise!”  Again, our Lord tells us to, “Go and do likewise!”

FJ

Called and Sent to Preach Love

In today’s Gospel we heard that Jesus appointed seventy-two others to go ahead of Him and announce the Good News.  Those appointments have not stopped.  Jesus continues to appoint others each and every day to be His Apostles, to go forth and announce Him to the world.

Jesus has called us to be His apostles.  We are not the first twelve apostles, they had a special call and mission, to be the foundation of the Church, nevertheless Jesus calls others besides the twelve to be His Apostles.  For to be an apostle you simply have to be called by name and then sent. (c.f. Is. 43:1 and Lk. 10:1)

Jesus has already called each and every one of us gathered here today, He has called us personally.  He has also given each of us a mission, a vocation; a life’s calling for His glory and for the good of the Church.  And it is today in our own time that Jesus needs each and every one of us to go forth and proclaim the Good News.

A question we may be asking is, “What is the Good News I need to be preaching, both by word and deed?”

First and foremost we need to preach that God loves us, even in our brokenness. Our words will mean nothing if we do not address the fact that we are deeply loved.  Loved so much in fact that the Lord would carry a cross and be crucified on it for people who did not deserve it; that is love personified and love shown perfectly.

We have a lot of problems in our world.  All of us have become war mongers, we still execute people, many still believe you cannot have abortions in society but at the same time want people put to death, we have turned marriage upside down both in its sanctity, we have a fifty % divorce rate and we have recently redefined marriage, we live in excess while many can’t find their next meal, we blame the poor as being lazy – you know Jesus did that all the time (being sarcastic), we have closed our doors to the immigrant and to those who are already here we blame for our problems, really?  So it was the immigrant who bought bad mortgages, who turned our nation into a debt society (again being sarcastic).  Our problems go on and on.  

The beauty is that all of these problems can be remedied by faith and love in Jesus and one another.  Jesus wants us to talk about these things, to one another, but also to all of society.  He wants us to share the share the answer with others.  The answer has not changed since the first man and woman walked this earth, that we are loved.  If that love is accepted by us and we try to live it than the world will become a better place, if we deny that love and live in our brokenness, then we will remain so, bitter, angry and casting blame on everyone but ourselves.

Jesus called us in this time and this place to go forth and bring Him to others so that they along with us will give up our sins, for they are too heavy, and lean on Jesus where we find peace, but most of all love, the mission of each and every apostle, to share and love and know we are loved.

Appointed to die once and then face our Lord

Even in the time of Jesus people believed in reincarnation.  Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?”  They responded, “Some say you are John the Baptist, others say you are Elijah, and others say, one of the ancient prophets has arisen.”  Now, it may not be reincarnation as we understand it today, but hints of it are there.  Why do I bring this up?  For two reasons, one) I wish to show that there is no such thing as reincarnation and two) to share with you what we believe happens to us when we pass from this life.

First off, what is reincarnation by definition, “Reincarnation is the religious or philosophical concept that the soul or spirit, after biological death, begins a new life in a new body that may be human, animal or spiritual depending on the moral quality of the previous life's actions.  This doctrine is a central tenet of Indian religions.” (Wikpedia)  Buddhism also believes in a type if reincarnation called, “rebirth,” a little more complex than Hindu beliefs, as it is based on consciousness, for our purposes suffice it to say that both major doctrines of rebirth or reincarnation come out of Hindu and Buddhist traditions.

What does the Church believe and teach regarding life and death?  The Church does not believe in reincarnation or rebirth (we believe we are born again at baptism, which is different, will explain at a later time) we believe that when a person dies they face Jesus in the first judgment and at the end of time, will face Jesus again at the final judgment or judgment of nations.  The letter to the Hebrews tells us, “…it is appointed that human beings die once, and after this the judgment…”(Heb. 9:27)  Some did not die once, i.e. Lazarus, but he did not come back as someone else or was reborn in another consciousness, he came back as Lazarus, though he died twice.  Hebrews speaks of the rule not the exception that is very far and few between. 

Reincarnation also devalues human dignity, God made us, man and woman as the pinnacle of His creation.  There is an order to the universe and we are lifted (raised) above all else, not because of ourselves but rather that the Word of God took on flesh and became a human being.  To die and be reborn as an animal or insect devalues us on many levels.  It devalues us in a general sense and also as individual persons.  Are the same souls just being born over and over again, are we just recycled material?  If so, is Jesus recycled material?

Reincarnation does not respect the whole person, both body and soul.  It is the body’s fault when it transgresses and not the soul’s, hence, the soul is more trapped than free when it occupies a body.  In the theory of reincarnation the body is seen as a hindrance and simply as a shell, the soul is everything, the body nothing.  Again, this devalues creation and most of all the incarnation.

And yet, some Catholics hold to this belief.  I ask myself why?  I think for a number of reasons.

1)   They have a genuine feeling of humility that they cannot go to God because they are not ready or perfect yet, they must come back and become so in order to reach perfection.

My friends if you believe this you will be highly disappointed, yes we are challenged to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect, but we can never be so because of sin, so you will just have to keep coming back to earth forever.

2)   Some people simply love it here too much.  Your priorities are backwards.

3)   Some twist Scripture like today’s Gospel to prove that there is reincarnation; they do so to prove that they can believe in a non-Christian tenet and still be Christians.  It is not my place to say if you are a Christian or not, but reincarnation is not Christian no matter how much you may think to the contrary, it is NOT Christian.

More importantly for us is two things, one) why would I rather not be in heaven anyway, really, you want to come back here?  And two) who do we say Jesus is for us?

Reincarnation simply holds off our coming face to face with Jesus, I think some are trying to hold off the inevitable, judgment.  I also think that we have fallen too in love with this world.  Don’t get me wrong, we are to love life and all that God created.  He made all for our happiness, but we are to always love God more and our complete and most desirous longing is for God in heaven.

Finally, our lives begin and end with our Lord.  Jesus is our all and everything.  As I said to you before, he is more lover to us than any lover, more friend to us than any friend, and more brother to us than any brother (St. Augustine), knowing that and believing that our destination is not a return here, to be a worm, to be a bird, a lion, or a human again, rather it is a going home, to be with our Lord and God, once and for all and forever, Amen!

Bringing Down the Hammer: Catholic or Not!

Lately, reflecting on the religious situation in our country, especially that of Catholics, I cannot help to think that we are trying to draw lines in the sand too quickly.  There is a large contingent, and sometimes I am a part of it, that wants to see the official Church take a hard line approach to those politicians who are Catholic and clearly denounce, contradict, or move away from official Catholic teaching.  Many wish that Bishops either give strict warnings or even have politicians (who clearly defy Catholic teaching) excommunicated.

Some of the politicians that come to mind are Nancy Pelosi, Andrew M. Cuomo, and Joseph Biden.  There are others, but these three are some of the more high profile Catholic politicians who have either wavered seriously or even been opposed to some Catholic teachings, especially abortion and same sex marriage.

Church officials have been criticized as being too soft, cowardly, as wanting to remain in the big circle of high end friends, and many other accusations.  I myself am torn here, part of me wants a hard line approach, either be Catholic or get out.  But then another part of me thinks, well if you draw a hard line in the sand and are forced to expel some members from the group then all communication will cease.  For why in the world if I am the vice president of the United States would I dialogue with you if you have excommunicated me, I may tell you to actually go to… 

Are we not supposed to exhaust all possible communication and efforts before we excommunicate people?  Restraint and patience are tough virtues especially on hot button issues.  I think Bishops like Cardinal Dolan who have to deal with politicians like Cuomo are being resourceful and tactful.  Dolan is no coward, but rather a very smart man, who realizes that before he brings down the hammer he has to do so knowing that dialogue will then end and in the process will lose dialogue on the poor, on education, on immigration, etc.  To do anything in the heat of the moment is foolish, rather one is asked to reflect and pray deeply, to calm oneself down, in order to think straight and not make rash decisions.

Do not get me wrong, the day may be fast approaching where we will have to draw the line in the sand and we will have to stand behind our bishops when they do so, but I don’t think it is here just yet or that we have exhausted all possible means for change and dialogue.  Though sometimes it does feel that way and I myself have blurted out, “excommunicate that clown!”  But that is emotion, not restraint, patience, and prayer.  I am not sure that society, especially our politicians will change for the better, they may not, but like Jesus we have to practice patience.  Think of how patient the Lord is with us, we are to do the same and only bring down the hammer (so to speak) when absolutely necessary because if you swing the hammer often eventually it will clunk you on your own head, ouch!

The Voice of Truth Will Never Go Out

In some recent conversations, watching the news, and following some posts on face-book I could not help but notice that compassion on a spiritual level, one that keeps God in mind always looks to the good even in the light of any possible human suffering and one that chooses the good regardless of what society may wish.  Allow me to explain and please be patient as this unfolds.

When I read St. Paul’s letter to the Galatians for this Sunday’s 2^nd reading there was a verse which made me recall all of the above, the verse in which he writes, “God set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me through his grace.”  I thought about that and how God knows us from the very beginning of our HUMAN existence which takes place at the moment of our conception.  Allow me for arguments sake to move the life of St. Paul forward into our own day and to go a step further.  What if St. Paul’s mother became pregnant out of wedlock at the age of seventeen in our 21^st century?  Human compassion as it is understood now allows for St. Paul’s mother to decide if she will go through with the pregnancy or abort it.  Human compassion when it becomes devoid of God turns into false compassion which would call out to the mother with the following reasoning.

1)   You are too young to have a baby

2)   How will you take care of that child

3)   It is not fair to bring that child into the world to live with little to no means

4)   You had plans to go to college, find a job, and finally a husband, this will set you back

5)   Having a child out of wedlock may bring you shame

6)   How will you walk through the hallways in school with a belly with everyone knowing you are pregnant

All of the above is false compassion and if the mother goes through with the abortion then there would never have been a St. Paul!

False compassion if I may suggest rather strongly is actually demonic in nature as it is based on the lies of Satan, an angel of Light who at first looks beautiful, seemingly right, reasonable, and good, but when we dig a little we begin to notice that – that light is void of life, is actually ugly, unreasonable, and evil.

Let’s take a look at how false compassion works.  Just recently in the State of NY they are trying to pass a law onto consumers that they must be 21 years old to buy cigarettes.  Many laws have been passed where people can no longer smoke in restaurants, bars, and even the work place.  Some of these laws are good, since smoking is not healthy, however it is not illegal to smoke in your private place or in some places outside, but it is ridiculous to make the age 21 before someone wishes to smoke, when at the same time NY is trying to pass a law that will allow a 12 year old girl to go to a pharmacy and purchase the after morning pill in order to not become pregnant or to terminate any conception that has already taken place, all done without even the supervision of a parent or guardian.  However, if a 20 year old soldier just back from Iraq, a decorated combat veteran who has placed his life in harm’s way asks for a cigarette he will be denied because he must be 21.  These laws are upside down because compassion has been skewed and misdirected.

Another example is that if someone destroy an eagle egg they can be charged with a federal offense, but if a doctor performs an abortion and kills a HUMAN being there is no penalty, not only is it not a penalty but it has been twisted into a good, all in the name and protection of a person’s choice, again compassion has been redirected through lies from the father of lies.

If you remember sometime ago Michael Vick found himself in a world of trouble for sponsoring dog fights and even for the cruel, unjust, and torturous behavior towards dogs.  He was rightfully punished, because it is sinful to harm an animal for harm’s sake or for one’s pleasure, it is sick actually.  If you recall, the Michael Vick story received unbelievable amounts of attention and air time in the media,hour after hour, day after day, for weeks on end.  Michael Vick had become the world’s biggest monster.  However, when Doctor Gosnell was arrested for the killing of babies who had survived botched abortions the media only covered it for a few days and then buried the story, no real outcry, not nearly the attention Michael Vick received for killing dogs.  As a society we are more outraged at cruelty to animals than to human beings or even eagle eggs.

My friends please don’t misunderstand me, I like animals and cruelty to animals should not go unpunished, but when compared to human beings, well there is no comparison in terms of the value and dignity of a human life.

In the end it all comes down to choice or the power of choice.  Radicals keep harping about choice, be it a women’s choice to end the life of a human being in her womb, be it the choice to allow a twelve year old girl to purchase an after morning pill, be it a choice to give more airtime to a dog killer than a killer of human lives, be it a choice to end someone’s life via assisted suicide because it is more compassionate to end a life than to allow someone to remain on the Cross with Christ.   Human suffering is very hard, almost unbearable, but to end a life simply due to compassion is wrong,  Job did not end his life nor did Christ come down from the Cross, but rather through their suffering they brought peace to others and in the case of Christ He brought us salvation.  False compassion says, “Jesus, get down from that Cross, Job just give up, and to all of you just choose what’s good for you.”  All of it is based on lies.  Compassion is taken and twisted looking as though it was a good, but in fact it becomes evil, no different than what we do when we sin, we justify it.

My friends I feel very strongly about all of this.  Society is moving in the wrong direction, leaders simply appease people or their voters; we have become more and more hedonistic.  St. Paul is clear, “God set me apart from my mother’s womb.”  That means God is already in relationship with a person, in this case St. Paul.  I cannot understand either on a biblical level or through my understanding of the natural law how a person can actually believe they have a choice to terminate a human life in the womb?

What are we to do about it?  We must become a voice that shouts from the roof tops that this is wrong and invite people back to the Gospel Truth, one that is understood via Scripture but also through common sense.  Some will shut us out, others will mock us, and eventually the way society is heading we will be labeled as people of hate, hate speech will be made a crime (already the case in Canada), intolerant and slowly things will be taken away from us, and maybe that which we preach may even one day be considered criminal.  But that will not stop us because we speak in behalf of Christ.

Nothing stopped St. Paul, he didn’t care if they whipped him, stoned him, dragged him through the streets, he preached and preached because even though they killed him in the end and now he is a glorious martyr they could never extinguish his voice because the voice of Christ will never go out, Amen!

Corpus Cristi: It is Accomplished

Today we celebrate another great solemnity in the Church, “The Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.”  In a very special way we call to mind the Eucharist and its saving power.  As Catholics I would imagine we are all aware that the Eucharist is truly the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ.  The Eucharist is not symbolic or a spiritual presence of Jesus, the Eucharist also is not half bread and half Jesus, it is totally Him, in a supernatural sense, by that I mean the change happens supernaturally and one that can only be grasped by faith and love.  I want to just reflect on one thing today.  Originally I was going to ask the question, “Why do we receive the Eucharist in the first place and to look at two concepts anamnesis and epiclesis, we’ll hold off on that.”  Rather I wish to look at how our reception of the Eucharist has strong connections and parallels to marriage.

I am continually amazed and pleasantly reminded quite often that just when I think I know it all the Lord reveals to me that I know very little, and not so much just knowing little, but that the Lord in His goodness and wisdom reveals to us “truths” about himself, us, and the universe all the time.  It’s also reminder to remain humble before the Lord, sometimes we priests think we learned it all in seminary, when all we did was just scratch the surface.

Anyway, I was listening to the Bible Geek Mark Hart on Sirius XM.  He said, “The Bible begins with a marriage story and ends with a marriage story.”  Let’s take a look at that.

In Genesis Chpt. 2 the author writes,

“The LORD God said: It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suited to him. So the LORD God cast a deep sleep on the man, and while he was asleep, he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.  The LORD God then built the rib that he had taken from the man into a woman. When he brought her to the man, the man said:  “This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; This one shall be called ‘woman,’ for out of man this one has been taken.”  That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body.” (Gn 2:18, 21-24)

From practically the very beginning of our story, of creation, God speaks of marriage, the coming together of one man and one woman, to be helpers to one another.  But, it is more than just being helpers to one another; it is also about intimacy, love, friendship, and even perseverance in holiness.

C.S. Lewis in his work “The Four Loves” points out that the first thing a baby knows is that it is alone.  Therefore, it cries out for its mother, father, for anyone to be in its presence, to feel its touch, to be touched, to hear a voice, to speak itself what it can speak.  All of us crave and have built into our very being the desire to be with others, we are social animals, that is why the toughest vocation is one of solitude, but even the strictest of monks, hermits, and cloistered still come together for meals, mass, and every so often to socialize.

Everything comes down to relationship.  Even the Trinity which we celebrated last Sunday in essence is relationship.  The Bible ends as it begins, with a strong concept of relationship,

"I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will always be with them [as their God].  He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, [for] the old order has passed away.”

The one who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Then he said, “Write these words down, for they are trustworthy and true.” He said to me, “They are accomplished.  I [am] the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.  The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” Let the hearer say, “Come.” Let the one who thirsts come forward, and the one who wants it receive the gift of life-giving water."  (Rev. 21:3-6, 22:7)

The phrase, “they are accomplished” refers to “it is finished or done”, as in, “it is consummated.”  The wedding of the Church to Christ began in Genesis and ends in Revelation, pretty powerful stuff.  When a man and a woman marry, they first exchange words, “their vows” to one another, the marriage has begun at that point, but “it is finished, it is done, it is accomplished, or it is consummated” happens when they join as one flesh in sexual union.  We are not comfortable with talking about sex, for a number of reasons, but sex and sexuality are biblical and God Himself in His marriage to us talks that way, we are one flesh with God and it happens in all the sacraments, but most profoundly and intimately in the Eucharist.

Let’s see what God says.  God explains His love for us as the groom when he leaves the bridal chamber after their marriage has been consummated.  In those days the bride and groom’s relatives would be waiting outside the bridal chamber because they wanted to see the groom’s and the bride’s happiness once the marriage was accomplished (consummated), that is uncomfortable for us because we have a 21^st century view of sexuality steeped in Puritanism, not the case with our ancestors.  Anyway God says the love I have for you is like when the groom leaves the bridal chamber.

You may be thinking what does this have to do with the Eucharist, well, everything.  A few things happened before a wedding, the groom would visit with the bride and make a contract (Covenant), he would then go and prepare a place for her (bridal chamber), then when the time was right He would take her to where he was (drink a cup of wine together) prior to entering the bridal chamber, then they would finish the marriage act (it is consummated).  Listen to Jesus’ life and what He did with us His bride.  He came to us and made a contract (covenant) then he drank the last cup at his crucifixion and then uttered the words “It is finished”  (consummated) then He went first to prepare a place for us (John 14 – dwelling place).  The parallels of marriage and our own relationship to God are unmistakable and clear.

And though Jesus is no longer here as He was when He walked the earth He made sure that in some way He always would be, so He left Himself here in a supernatural way in the Eucharist when we celebrate a mass.  Every time we receive the Eucharist we receive Jesus and we need to receive Him often because without Him we are weak and alone.  Each time we receive Him we renew our wedding vows to Jesus.  I say to you, when you receive, “The Body of Christ,” and you respond, “Amen.”  We exchange our vows with Christ and then when we receive Him the act is consummated, it is finished.

When the Church declares that going to mass is very important if not life saving she does so because she understands the implications of the Eucharist, the Eucharist has strong parallels to marriage and intimacy that no other relationship on earth can compare but only shadow or relate to the relationship we share with Jesus Christ.

Just like a husband and wife become one flesh when they first exchange vows (make a covenant) and then complete (consummate) the act we too become one with Christ when we exchange our vows and then bring to completion the act through reception of Jesus in the Bread and Wine, both of which are completely Him, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.  To miss mass on a Sunday or Holy day is reprehensible to the true Christian because it is a denial of the marriage like intimacy we have with Christ.  That is why the Church says missing mass is a serious and possibly a grave sin, because Jesus invites us to His wedding with us and we tell Him, “No!”

Remember as we go through the Eucharistic prayer today and as you come up to receive that Jesus is asking to be your brother, friend, and even lover, as St. Augustine would say.  All of us renew our vows to Him when we receive Him, we need to pray that the Lord will strengthen us so that when we do receive we do so with the intent to leave all sin behind and start anew, for we are a new creation, we have been married to the Lord, it is accomplished.  AMEN! FJ

Trinity: Perfect Unity

Allow me to begin with a question.  Is there any verse in the Bible that uses the word, “Trinity?”  There is not.  Allow me to ask a second question, if the word Trinity is never used does that mean there is no Trinity?  There is a way to answer this seemingly difficult question.  As Catholics we believe that within Scripture some of our beliefs are explicit, they are plainly stated, i.e. Jesus is the Son of God, Mary is full of grace, etc.  Then there are other beliefs which we hold that are only implicitly stated in Scripture, they are within the text but one must put together varying texts that speak on the subject, i.e. the Trinity, God the Father is referred to as God, so too is Jesus, as well as the Holy Spirit.  Our beliefs also develop over time after much reflection on the original deposit of faith (Sacred Scripture) which we believe to be Sacred Tradition. Jesus told the Apostles, “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.” (John 16:12-13)

Therefore as Christians we believe in the Trinity but I think we have to answer some misconceptions first.  We do not believe in three gods, nor do we believe in one God who manifested Himself differently in different ages, i.e. First as the Father in the Old Testament, then as the Son in the New Testament, and then after the Ascension as the Holy Spirit.  Plainly put the definition for the Trinity is we believe in one God who is three distinct divine persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

It is also important to remember that the persons of the Trinity are referred to as persons, i.e. the Father, the Son, and even the Holy Spirit.  Jesus uses pronouns when referring to the Spirit, He uses the word, “He.”  So now that I have you all bogged down and confused with the deep theology regarding the Trinity allow me to simplify it.  St. Augustine described the Trinity as “God is love, Jesus is the lover, and the Holy Spirit is the love shared between them.”  It is a perfect and eternal relationship of love, “For God is love.”

If the Trinity is a perfect community of persons then that means that they are also perfectly one, there is no division or competition between them.  One is not less than or great than the other, perfect harmony as they say.  If you recall just a couple of weeks ago Jesus’ great prayer was, “Father I pray that they be one as you and I are one.”  So then, if we are made in the image and likeness of God (the ability to reason and to choose), and also given grace by God, are we not also required or called to be in perfect harmony with one another?  As I said, two weeks ago the Gospel reading was about us being “one.”  I did not preach on that because it was Mother’s Day and I wanted to keep it focused on mothers and on Mary, but this allows me to go back to that notion of “oneness” or unity.

The questions can go further and deeper.  Are we one in our own families, are we one in our parish, are we one in the Universal Church, and most important are we one with God.  Sometimes because of sin we are divided within our own families, usually over money, inheritance, issues of respect, etc.  In our local communities sometimes we are divided over the merges, the merge of our former parishes still has some people upset and doffing in their heels.  Some are upset and divided with the Church on a universal or institutional level because of disagreements over morality and other teachings.  On occasion we are also divided against God, those times when we are angry with Him, have given up, when we blame God for our situations, etc.

Jesus prayed knowing our human weakness asking the Father in advance to heal us and to never forget us even when we divide ourselves from family, Church, and God.  Jesus is too good to us.

I ask that  when you have the opportunity at home later today or sometime during the week that you reflect on the Trinity, not so much trying to figure it out theologically, rather reflecting on the perfect unity between Father, Son, and Spirit and asking God to help you to be perfect in your own unity with everyone.  Jesus said, “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.”  He did not mean only holiness, but perfect unity as well.  God bless you, The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.