Trinity Sunday Year B 2018. A realhomilie from Fr Kevin Walsh, Sydney Australia. kevin.w3@bigpond.com OUR CREATIVE, REDEEMING AND SANCTIFYING GOD.

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. With such a Feast as this one, we might be tempted to think … ‘Well, it’s all a bit of a mystery, and far too deep for me, and I’m not sure where to start in trying to understand it; so perhaps I’ll come back to it another time’. Yes! It is indeed difficult … and mysterious … having provoked some of the greatest thinkers in the world to offer explanations. In reaping the benefits of their efforts, we come to realise the immeasurable depths of our creative, redeeming and sanctifying God.

Deuteronomy 4:32-34. 39-40
Let’s briefly look at God’s Word. The First Reading talks about the power and glory of God, who nonetheless, entered into a close and loving relationship with his people Israel, and of the obligations and blessings that flow from such a relationship. This reading stresses the oneness of God.

Romans 8:14-17
In the Second Reading this relationship is taken deeper; we are not just members of God’s people, but related members as in God’s wider Family. We are also reminded that the Holy Spirit dwells within us, and has made us co-heirs with Jesus. This reading makes clear reference to the three persons in God.

Matthew 28:16-20
The Gospel also makes reference to the three persons of the Blessed Trinity. Jesus, who has total power over the whole universe, now empowers his apostles to preach the Gospel to the whole world. He also highlights for them that they, and the Church, (the new Israel) will never be left as orphans, but will be accompanied by their Risen Lord.

Now, let us look deeper into the mystery of the Trinity. By acknowledging God’s loving outreach to everyone; ‘WE’ are called through Baptism to continue the Lord’s mission, empowered by the Holy Spirit, which is given to us by the Father.

Another angle to reflect upon the celebration of our Triune God is the defining of the creative, redemptive and sanctifying God-Head, who in Jesus calls us to follow suit. Thus these three aspects are really the inner core of the Christian, whose mission to the world is God’s mission! Through the constant incorporation of the Word of God, through prayer and sacred listening, we become creative instruments in continuing to fashion the Kingdom of God here by responding to the leadership of the Holy Spirit……a Kingdom in process …….an ongoing work in action! This is done in the simple and profound ways of being ‘in Christ’, and Christ for each other.

The human experience of salvation which is truly Sacramental, i.e., entering into the Holy Mind of God, and taking hold of those moments, which unexpectedly arise, where the Lord uses us, or we respond to the Christ in our community; within those moments the saving hand of God is seen, felt and experienced. Possibly, the only response to those moments, is like that of Thomas himself, when he was invited to enter into the woundedness of Christ….’My Lord, and My God!’

Moments that arise daily, which often happen ‘out of the blue’ can be experiences of Salvation if we respond with spiritual curiosity to given moments, thus listening to how the Spirit urges us forward. Here we need to pause for a moment in deep reflection about the Holy Spirit urging us to move forward. Let’s look at the Second Reading, where it says, ‘Everyone moved by the Spirit is a son and daughter of God’. Now, in order to focus in, let’s look at the Greek translation in order to have a deeper appreciation of what is being said….For as many as by (the) Spirit of God are led these sons(siblings) of God are….. It seems to me that in the process of people being moved, we know it is the Spirit that does the nudging. Question: We are we being moved to? It seems that we get the answer in what happened to Jesus in Luke 4:1. In the Greek translation is says, ‘Now Jesus, full of (the) Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was being led by the Spirit in the Desert.’ Here it is clear that Jesus was fully aware of the Spirit’s presence within Him and that he was being led by that same Spirit.. In short, the Apostles and Mary at the time of Pentecost where aware that they too were experiencing the fullness of the Spirit, and it was the same Spirit which led them out of the closed room, flung open wide the doors in loving boldness, to speak the one language of God’s irresistible loving kindness. In other words, the movement of the Holy Spirit in its drive was :- ‘Go and tell my people that I love them, Go and show them that I love them and gather them and bring them back to me.’

The being and the doing of this activity becomes ‘sacred’ ‘holy’ ‘sanctifying experiences happen on ‘holy ground’. I am not saying that these events only happen in Church; no way, because wherever the Lord is, and within the creative, redeeming and sanctifying moment, the ground, the place, the people, are ‘holy’. Remember in the Book of Exodus, Chapter 3, we see that when Moses was invited to come closer to the Burning Bush, the Angel of the Lord said that it was holy ground, hence take of your sandals! But there is more to that than meets the eye; the action of Moses taking off his sandals without someone keeping guard, most be noted: because in the process of taking off the sandals, it is not like kicking off one’s slippers or shoes…..for Moses, it would have taken some precious minutes to be fully engaged in undoing the platting of the leather thonging. (Thin strands of leather or twine which not only hold the sandal on, is connected to the leg for support.)

Hence, while undoing his sandals, someone could have attacked him from behind. Therefore, this action for Moses becomes an action of trust in the messenger. The taking off of one’s sandals is always done as part of the hospitality ritual that an Adult would do in the presence of their host, and then the washing of the guest’s feet completes the ritual. For Moses, and the meaning behind and within this story, is that of a profound act of trust which had to be made by him as a response to the Angel of the Lord’s invitation. Hence, the conversation and the actions are in a way Sacramental and the place becomes Holy – Ground, because of those precious invitations and responses. So with all that in mind let’s have a further look at our mission! In terms of allowing oneself to be moved; to be led by the Spirit it must be built on a foundation of TRUST!

Jesus announced that the Kingdom is here within us, but not yet complete, and it is the constant love of the Father, which draws us on. Jesus’ message is life, which invites us to seek the Father. Its demands, which the Spirit makes known to us, are always new, surprising and life-giving. ‘The Spirit will guide us into all truth which comes from the Father’: John 16:13. Jesus shows us the way to the Father, and the Spirit guides us and leads us on the journey.

If the Feast of the Ascension reminds us that we must take the Lord’s work into our own hands, Pentecost assures us that because the Spirit is with us, leading us, such a mission is possible. The Feast of the Blessed Trinity teaches us that we must be creative, redeeming and sanctifying in our commitment to God, and to one another. Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. As we pray so frequently….

Hence, we must be mindful that our God is a God of surprises, inviting us to trust, to follow, and be daring in our Christian living and loving outreach. We must rid ourselves of doubts, which tempt us to cling on and immerse ourselves in securities, which cripple our ability to live as a truth-seeking community. We are called to proclaim with loving boldness that we can do all things through Him who gives us the strength. (St. Paul). If we cling with all our might to paltry security, how can we be in solidarity with human suffering and love? If we are not imaginative in our ways of exploring, expressing and listening to God, our spirituality and life will stagnate, and hence we become uninspiring, lacking life and totally pessimistic about most things, and we would probably look like Death, warmed up!

Today’s Feast invites us to give thanks and praise to our God, and there is no better way of doing this than through the Celebration of the Eucharist.
Glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit: to God who is, who was, and who is to come. Alleluia!

 

TRINITY SUNDAY, YEAR B, 2018. A Reflection from Fr Brian Gleeson CP, Melbourne Australia. GOD IS ONE AND GOD IS THREE.

One of the most fascinating things about being alive is the other people in our lives. Just as fascinating is the fact that the more we know them, the more there is still to know. Husbands and wives regularly report that even after more than twenty years together they are still getting glimpses of new things about the other. So it’s only bit by bit that they can revel and rejoice in all the different and charming things about the other, who will always remain something of a mystery. It’s the same with our knowledge and love of God – of God as Father, of God as Son, and of God as Holy Spirit. While God is anything but a closed book, it may take years of keeping company with God before we become deeply aware of particular pieces in the puzzle of who God is.

There are at least three ways of delving into the Mystery of the Trinity. One is to search for how something that is one can also be three. In this approach it might help to compare the Trinity to a tree. The Father is like the trunk of the one tree, the Son is like a branch of the same tree, and the Spirit is like the fruit the same tree produces. Or we might compare the Father to the sun in the sky, the Son to its rays, and the Spirit to its heat. Or we might think of the three as like three musical notes played together as one harmonious chord.

Another approach is to concentrate more directly on the relationship of the Trinity to us. The first thing that has to be said about this is that, strictly speaking, God is self-sufficient. In the interpersonal relationships that have existed for ever among Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, God has been completely and perfectly happy and satisfied. But it is God’s overflowing goodness that has led God to create us human beings in God’s own image and likeness. It is God’s overflowing goodness that has led God’s Son to become a human being like us and live his life for others. It is God’s overflowing goodness that has led God to give us our beautiful world to both preserve and develop in a harmonious balance. And it is God’s overflowing goodness that has led God to destine us for everlasting life with Godself on the other side of this life.

The next thing that needs to be said is that the interpersonal relationships of our three-in-one God, show us that to be a person we need other people in our lives, other people to love us, and other people for us to love. In the 1960’s there was a popular song that said: “I am a rock. I am an island. And a rock feels no pain. And an island never cries.” That message is a lie. For while there are times when healthy human beings like to be alone and deliberately choose their own company, there is something wrong if they’re always saying like the famous Swedish actress, Greta Garbo: ‘I want to be alone.’ This is because we need the company and influence of others to animate us, to draw us out of ourselves, to complete us, to challenge us and comfort us. It’s not for nothing that in the Genesis story of the creation of woman, God says: “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner” (2:18).

Some time ago I heard about a man who was so utterly alone in this world that nobody ever shook his hand, patted his back, gave him a hug, a friendly dig in the ribs, or even a wave. He became so desperately lonely that the only thing left for him to look forward to was a monthly visit to his hairdresser, where at least for a few minutes someone would touch him and care for him.

Loneliness can be a sad and cruel experience. This is particularly so for people placed in solitary confinement. I read a while back about a particular prison ward. The prisoners were given enough to eat. But they were not allowed to talk to each other. They were not allowed to work together because work leads to contact and conversation. They were not even allowed to listen to others on the radio or watch television. And of course they were never allowed visitors. After months of this cruel treatment there was not a single prisoner with even a skerrick left of self-esteem or self-confidence.

I hope and pray that none of us here will ever feel so isolated or alone, and especially when we have to face that particular human experience, which no one else can face for us – our death. What happens on the other side of that experience? What will we find there? Our faith tells us, that whatever else there will be, we will enjoy the company of other human beings. And more than that, on the other side of our death God will be waiting for us. The God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The God who made us. The God who has loved us. The God who has understood us. The God who has forgiven us. The God who has kept us going. The God who has finally taken us to Godself.

This is what we are celebrating in our feast of the Trinity. This is why we are giving praise and thanks to God in this Eucharist. Because God is not alone and because we are not alone, and never will be. And so let us pray together and mean every word we say: “Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. AMEN.”
bgleesoncp@gmail.com

 

Trinity Sunday, 2016, Year C. A Reflection by Fr.Brian Gleeson, CP, Melbourne Australia

GOD IS ONE AND GOD IS THREE: CELEBRATING THE TRINITY

One of the most fascinating things about being alive is the other people in our lives. Just as fascinating is the fact that the more we know them, the more there is still to know. Husbands and wives regularly report that even after more than twenty years together they are still getting glimpses of new things about the other. So it’s only bit by bit that they can revel and rejoice in all the different and charming things about the other, who will always remain something of a mystery. It’s the same with our knowledge and love of God – of God as Father, of God as Son, and of God as Holy Spirit. While God is anything but a closed book, it may take years of keeping company with God before we become deeply aware of particular pieces in the puzzle.

There are at least three ways of delving into the Mystery of the Trinity. One is to seach for how something that is one can also be three. In this approach it might help to compare the Trinity to a tree. The Father is like the trunk of the one tree, the Son is like a branch of the same tree, and the Spirit is like the fruit the same tree produces. Or we might compare the Father to the sun in the sky, the Son to its rays, and the Spirit to its heat. Or we might think of the three as like three musical notes played together as one harmonious chord.

Another approach is to concentrate more directly on the relationship of the Trinity to us. The first thing that has to be said about this is that, strictly speaking, God is self-sufficient. In the interpersonal relationships that have existed for ever among Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, God has been completely and perfectly happy and satisfied. But it is God’s overflowing goodness that has led him to create us human beings in his own image and likeness. It is God’s overflowing goodness that has led his Son to become a human being like us and live his life for others. It is God’s overflowing goodness that has led him to give us our beautiful world to both preserve and develop in a harmonious balance. And it is God’s overflowing goodness that has led God to destine us for everlasting life with him on the other side of this life.

The next thing that needs to be said is that the interpersonal relationships of our three-in-one God, show us that to be a person we need other people in our lives, other people to love us, and other people for us to love. In the 1960’s there was a popular song that said: “I am a rock. I am an island. And a rock feels no pain. And an island never cries.” That message is a lie. For while there are times when healthy human beings like to be alone and deliberately choose their own company, there is something wrong if they’re always saying like the famous Swedish actress, Greta Garbo: ‘I want to be alone.’ This is because we need the company and influence of others to animate us, to draw us out of ourselves, to complete us, to challenge us and comfort us. It’s not for nothing that in the Genesis story of the creation of woman, God says: “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner” (2:18).

Some time ago I heard about a man who was so utterly alone in this world that nobody ever shook his hand, patted his back, gave him a hug, a friendly dig in the ribs, or even a wave. He became so desperately lonely that the only thing left for him to look forward to was a monthly visit to his hairdresser, where at least for a few minutes someone would touch him and care for him.

Loneliness can be a sad and cruel experience. This is particularly so for people placed in solitary confinement. I read a while back about a particular prison ward. The prisoners were given enough to eat. But they were not allowed to talk to each other. They were not allowed to work together because work leads to contact and conversation. They were not even allowed to listen to others on the radio or watch television. And of course they were never allowed visitors. After months of this cruel treatment there was not a single prisoner with even a skerrick left of self-esteem or self-confidence.

I hope and pray that none of us here will ever feel so isolated or alone, and especially when we have to face that particular human experience, which no one else can face for us – our death. What happens on the other side of that experience? What will we find there? Our faith tells us, that whatever else there will be, we will enjoy the company of other human beings. And more than that, on the other side of our death God will be waiting for us. The God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The God who has made us. The God who has loved us. The God who has understood us. The God who has forgiven us. The God who has kept us going. The God who has finally taken us to himself.

This is what we are celebrating in our feast of the Trinity. This is why we are giving praise and thanks to God in this Eucharist. Because God is not alone and because we are not alone, and never will be. And so let us pray together and mean every word we say: “Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. AMEN.”

bgleesoncp@gmail.com