Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
“The Father is love; the Son is love; the Spirit is love. God is wholly and only love, the purest, infinite and eternal love. He does not live in splendid solitude, but, rather, is an inexhaustible source of life that is ceaselessly given and communicated…
The Trinity is love because God exists in relationship even in himself — and he created a universe of created things, each of which reflects that “relational” dimension of God stretching from our earth, the planets, the stars, the galaxies, down to “cells, atoms, and elementary particles.”
The Trinity is “imprinted” on all things “because all that exists, down to the last particle, is in relation; in this way, we catch a glimpse of God as relationship and, ultimately, Creator Love.”
Extracts from Pope Benedict XVI homily on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, 2009.
Readings
Deut 4:32-34, 39-40: The Lord himself is God in heaven above and on earth below: there is no other.
Psalm 32:4-6, 9, 18-20, 22: R. Happy the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Rom 8:14-17: You have received the Spirit that makes you God’s own children, and in that Spirit, we call God: Father, our Father!
Alleluia, alleluia! Glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit: to God who is, who was, and who is to come. Alleluia.
Matt 28:16-20: Baptise them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Homily Studio podcast
A 30-minute conversation about the scriptures for Sunday can be found at this link during the week leading up to 26 May. HERE
Prayer of the Faithful suggestions
Leader: E te Ariki Response: Whakarongo mai rā kia mātou.
For the Church: that the unconditional love of the Trinity may strengthen and inspire each of us, deepen our love for one another, and help us to witness God’s love and mercy to others.
E te Ariki …
For a new perspective in living: that we may learn from the mutual love of the Trinity and make our relationships more life giving and of greater service to others.
E te Ariki …
For our parish communities: that the life-giving love of the Trinity may flow through us, so that we may support the lonely, console the grieving, encourage the struggling, and forgive those who have injured us.
E te Ariki …
Considering Prayer to the Trinity in the Mass
We frequently invoke the Holy Trinity in our prayer. For example we begin the Mass with this greeting in English or Māori:
"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”
"Kia tau iho ki a koutou te Mana Tapu o to tātou Ariki o Hēhu Karaiti, me te aroha o te Atua, me te whiwhinga tahitanga, ki te Wairua Tapu."
We conclude the Mass making the Sign of the Cross in English or Māori:
"In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen."
"Ki te ingoa o te Matua, o te Tamaiti, o te Wairua Tapu, Amene."
On this Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity take time to reflect on this loving relational dimension of God.
The Trinity icon by Andrey Rublev C1410
Consider how…
The Trinity is the perfect balance between union and differentiation, autonomy and mutuality, identity and community. Richard Rohr
More background information on this famous icon HERE