In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19)

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19)

An English teacher of a 21-sophomore high school class put a small chalk dot on the blackboard. He then asked the class what it was. A few seconds passed and then someone said, "That is a chalk dot on the blackboard." The rest of the class seemed relieved that the obvious had been stated, and no one else had anything to say. "I'm surprised at you," the teacher told the class. "I did the same exercise yesterday with a group of kindergartners and they thought of 50 different things the chalk mark could be: an owl's eye, a cigar butt, the top of a telephone pole, a star, a pebble, a squashed bug, a rotten egg, a bird's eye, and so on." The older students had learned how to find a right answer, but had lost the ability to look for more than one right answer. The Holy Spirit helps us, in his wonderful Wisdom, to see more than we might have seen by ourselves. The Spirit's vision allows us wonderful options for expansion and new possibilities. It is the Spirit's Wisdom that reveals the Word to us. It is the Wisdom of the Spirit which shows us our sin, which guides us, which instructs us, which leads us in the way everlasting.

Today’s feast invites us to live in the awareness of the presence of the Triune God within us: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. This feast dates back to the 13th century when Pope John XXII fixed it on the Sunday after Pentecost. It’s a day we celebrate the great mystery of our faith that, “There is one God, who has three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Each person is God, yet there is still only one God” (C.C.C. #234, #253-256). We have the Father who is the creator, Son the redeemer and Holy Spirit the sanctifier and the counselor. All the official prayers of the Church, including the Holy Mass and the sacraments, begin with an address to the Holy Trinity: “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” We are baptised, absolved of our sins and anointed in the name of the Blessed Trinity. Throughout the world, church bells can ring three times a day inviting Christians to pray to God the Father (the Provider); God the Son (the Saviour); and God the Holy Spirit (the Sanctifier). We bless ourselves with the sign of the cross invoking the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and we conclude our prayers glorifying the Holy Trinity, saying “Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.”

Today’s readings convey the fundamental mystery that the Triune God reaches out to people in love, seeking the deepest communion. The first reading, tells us that God is deeply involved in the world from its beginning, showing Fatherly care for His people by redeeming them from slavery and bringing them into the freedom of their own land. In the second reading, Paul describes the role of God the Holy Spirit in making us true children of God the Father and brothers and sisters of God the Son, Jesus. It is the Spirit which enables us to rise to the challenge of our call to be comfortable with differences and diversity, knowing deep in our hearts that there is an underlying fundamental and basic unity. Today’s gospel describes Jesus’ final apparition to his apostles just before his ascension into heaven. At that moment, He commissioned them to make disciples of all nations, and commanded them to baptise those who came to believe, “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

Our conviction of the presence of the Triune God within us should help us to esteem ourselves as God’s holy dwelling place, behave well in His holy presence, and lead purer and holier lives, practicing acts of justice and charity. This Triune Presence should also encourage us to respect and honor others because everyone is the temple of the Holy Spirit where all the three Persons of the Holy Trinity abide. Let us have the firm conviction that the Trinitarian God abides in us and that He is the source of our hope, courage and strength and is our final destination.

When a parishioner was asked what the Holy Trinity meant to her, she replied, “The Trinitarian God is a lot like our pastor. I don’t see him through the week and I don’t understand him on Sunday.” But we believe in this mystery because Jesus who is God taught it clearly, the evangelists recorded it, the Fathers of the Church tried to explain it and the Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople defined it as a dogma of Christian faith.

St. Francis Xavier’s favourite prayer was: “Most Holy Trinity, who lives in me, I praise you, I worship you, I adore you and I love you.” Let the Son lead us to the Father through the Spirit, to live with the Triune God forever and ever. Amen.

“Most Holy Trinity, help me experience your divine love and abundant life more each day, and help me spread this love and warmth wherever I go.”

Build yourselves up in your most holy faith (Jude 20)

“Keep yourselves in the love of God.” (Jude 21)

That’s quite a tall order, isn’t it? How in the world are we supposed to keep ourselves in God’s love? Isn’t that more something God does for us?

Well, yes and no. It’s true that only God can sustain us. It’s true that we can’t earn God’s love or do anything to make him love us any more—or any less, for that mat­ter. But Jude isn’t telling us to keep working hard to make sure that our Father still loves us. Instead, his words speak more directly to the way we use the precious gift of our memories. His words tell us to do all we can to keep the memory of God’s love for us alive so that we can con­tinue to think and act in a way that honors the Lord.

Of course, we may experience some feelings of joy and happiness when we pray, but these feelings can fade, and difficult times can threaten our peace. And this is precisely where memory comes in. As we recall past events that proved God’s love for us—past times of prayer or situations where we’ve really felt God’s hand on us—we build up our database of trust and faith in him. Then, during those darker times when God feels a little more distant, we can draw upon this database to help us stay faithful to the Lord and to remain rooted in his love.

Throughout Scripture, God calls us to remember him and his love. He gave the Israelites the feast of Passover to remind them how he delivered them from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 12:14). And at the Last Sup­per, Jesus gave us the Eucharist and told us: “Do this in memory of me” so that we can remember and relive the miracle of his death and resurrec­tion every day (Luke 22:19).

It is vital that we keep our memo­ries clear and active so that we can stand on the truths of the Lord. Worshipping him at Mass and listen­ing to him in personal prayer can do wonders in awakening the memory of God’s covenant with us. If we nourish our memories every day, we’ll find it easier to remain in God’s love, no matter what happens.


“Jesus, I trust in your mercy and love. Help me to remember you every day—you who are my Lord, my Savior, and my Friend!”

Have faith in God (Mark 11:22)

“He looked around at everything and … went out to Bethany.” (Mark 11:11)

Picture the scene. Jesus, just arrived at the Temple, is confronted with a spectacle that makes him boil with anger. Right there in its outer court, a place intended for prayer, merchants and money changers are doing a brisk business. And what about the religious authorities who should be keeping the Temple holy? They’re lining their pockets with the revenues. You can imagine Jesus’ dis­ciples poking each other in the ribs, expecting their master to explode. Instead, Jesus does … nothing. He puts off the “cleansing of the Tem­ple” until tomorrow.

Why did Jesus hit the pause but­ton instead of charging in? It wasn’t as though he needed a night to work up the courage or decide what to do! Perhaps there were practical reasons. But more than likely, he knew it wasn’t the right moment. Jesus had a sense of timing—his Father’s timing.

As we face different situations, that’s what we need, too. What if you notice that a friend is developing a drinking problem? What’s the right moment to speak up? Immediately, or after reflecting and learning more? It could be either. Bring your ques­tions to the Lord!

Or what if a spouse or roommate has a tendency to complain and get lost in self-pity? You want to offer correction at just the right moment, without saying either too little or more than they can bear. Seek guid­ance from the Holy Spirit!

It’s the same thing if, on the posi­tive side, a child or grandchild shows new interest in praying and drawing closer to God. Get your wisdom and sense of timing from the Spirit! He will help you speak the words your loved ones need to hear—when they need to hear them.

So what will it be today? Seize the moment, or look before you leap? Ask the Spirit! From one situation to another, his still, small voice will help you make the choice.


“Lord, help me develop the sense of divine timing I need to be an effective instrument of your love. Speak, Lord, I’m listening!”

Let Go of Everything But God

I must let go.
For so long I have held to the habit of holding on.
Even my muscles
Are tense; deeply fearful are they
Of relaxing lest they fall away from their place.

I cling clutchingly to my friends
Lest I lose them.
I live under the shadow of being supplanted by another.
I cling to my money, not so much
By a wise economy and a thoughtful spending
But by a sense of possession that makes me depend upon it for strength.

I must let go -
Deep at the core of me
I must have a sense of freedom -
A sure awareness of detachment - of relaxation.

I must let go of everything.
I must let go of pride. But -
What am I saying? Is there not a sense of pride
That supports and sustains all achievement,
Even the essential dignity of my own personality?

It may be that I must let go
My dependence upon triumphing over my fellows, which seems
To give me a sense of security in their midst.
I cringe from my pain; I do not relish
The struggle of life but I do not want to let go
Because the hurt and the tension of contest feed
The springs of my pride. They make me deeply aware.
But I must let go of everything.

I must let go of everything but God.
But God - May it not be
That God is in all the things to which I cling?
That may be the hidden reason for my clinging.
It is all very puzzling indeed. When I say
"I must let go of everything but God"

What is my meaning?
I must relax my hold on everything that dulls my sense of Him,
That comes between me and the inner awareness of His Presence
Pervading my life and glorifying
All the common ways with wonderful wonder.

"Teach me, O God, how to free myself of dearest possessions,
So that in my trust I shall find restored to me
All I need to walk in Thy path and to fulfill Thy will.
Let me know Thee for myself that I may not be satisfied
With aught that is less."

~Howard Thurman (1900-1981)
(Deep Is the Hunger)

The Visitation of Mary

Blessed are you among women! (Luke 1:42)

Don’t you find it remarkable that God chose to bring about his work of redemption through two human babies and their mothers? Jesus was still in Mary’s womb, yet in his presence, Elizabeth and her own unborn son, John, were filled with the Holy Spirit. This scene gives us a glimpse of the immense love of God, who simply can’t wait to share his life with his people. What a fore­shadowing this is of the glory of the risen Christ, who longs to pour out his Spirit on all people!

Elizabeth’s humble response to the work of God must have brought great comfort to Mary. In Elizabeth, she finally found someone with whom she could share her joy and wonder. Who else at this time could understand the song well­ing up within Mary’s heart? Who else would believe her story of an angelic visitation and a miraculous conception? Rather than being jeal­ous of her younger relative’s exalted position, Elizabeth rejoiced with Mary and embraced her own sup­portive role.

While this meeting between Mary and Elizabeth is unique, there is something here that we can all experience. Each of us is capable of bearing Christ to others. Our eyes have been opened to the glory of this truth, and that’s why we rejoice and are humbled in the presence of so holy a vessel as a sister or brother in Christ. Even nonbelievers can move us to great reverence because they too are created in God’s image and have just as much potential to be filled with the Holy Spirit. If God has so highly honored human beings this way, how can we fail to show them equal honor?

God used Jesus, even when he was just a fetus in the womb, to pour out divine life. Everyone, no matter how young or old, no matter how strong or weak, has been cre­ated as a dwelling place for God. So let’s long for God’s presence even more—just as we try to treat every­one around us with the dignity they deserve.


“Jesus, as you opened Elizabeth’s eyes in the presence of Mary, so open my eyes to those who also bear Christ. Help me to honor the potential of each person to be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Late have I loved you, Beauty so ancient and so new, late have I loved you!

All my hope lies in your great mercy

Where did I find you in order to make your acquaintance in the first place? You could not have been in my memory before I learned to know you. Where then could I have found you in order to learn of you, if not in yourself, far above me? “Place” has here no meaning: further away from you or toward you we may travel, but place there is none. O Truth, you hold sovereign sway over all who turn to you for counsel, and to all of them you respond at the same time, however diverse their pleas.

Clear is your response, but not all hear it clearly. They all appeal to you about what they want, but do not always hear what they want to hear. Your best servant is the one who is less intent on hearing from you what accords with his own will, and more on embracing with his will what he has heard from you.
Late have I loved you, Beauty so ancient and so new, late have I loved you!
Lo, you were within,
but I outside, seeking there for you,
and upon the shapely things you have made
I rushed headlong – I, misshapen.
You were with me, but I was not with you.
They held me back far from you,
those things which would have no being,
were they not in you.
You called, shouted, broke through my deafness;
you flared, blazed, banished my blindness;
you lavished your fragrance, I gasped; and now I pant for you;
I tasted you, and now I hunger and thirst;
you touched me, and I burned for your peace.

When at last I cling to you with my whole being there will be no more anguish or labour for me, and my life will be alive indeed, alive because filled with you. But now it is very different. Anyone whom you fill you also uplift; but I am not full of you, and so I am a burden to myself. Joys over which I ought to weep do battle with sorrows that should be matter for joy, and I do not know which will be victorious. But I also see griefs that are evil at war in me with joys that are good, and I do not know which will win the day. This is agony, Lord, have pity on me! It is agony! See, I do not hide my wounds; you are the physician and I am sick; you are merciful, I in need of mercy.

Is not human life on earth a time of testing? Who would choose troubles and hardships? You command us to endure them, but not to love them. No-one loves what he has to endure, even if he loves the endurance, for although he may rejoice in his power to endure, he would prefer to have nothing that demands endurance. In adverse circumstances I long for prosperity, and in times of prosperity I dread adversity. What middle ground is there, between these two, where human life might be free from trial? Woe betide worldly prosperity, and woe again, from fear of disaster and evanescent joy! But woe, woe, and woe again upon worldly adversity, from envy of better fortune, the hardship of adversity itself, and the fear that endurance may falter. Is not human life on earth a time of testing without respite?

On your exceedingly great mercy, and on that alone, rests all my hope.

The Confessions of St Augustine

Teacher... we want you to do us a favour (Mark 10:35)

“Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left.” (Mark 10:37)

It’s Friday night—family night at home, when everyone sits together to play a game or watch a movie on TV. As the mother sits on the sofa, two of her kids rush to join her, eager to have her arms around them as the movie starts. But the other three kids protest: “That’s not fair! They got to sit with you last week!” It may seem selfish of the two children to try to get the privileged spots again, but it is understandable. All the kids enjoy the affirmation and comfort of being close to their mother. In their minds, there’s no better place in the world than sitting right next to her!

Keep this scene in mind as you think about today’s Gospel reading, when James and John ask Jesus for special seats next to him when the kingdom of God comes. Of course, this is not the kind of behavior you would expect from grown men who had already been following Jesus for a few years, but it does give you some idea of why they made their request. It also helps explain the other disciples’ reaction. Who wouldn’t want to be as close to Jesus as possible?

Jesus pulls the rug out from under the disciples when he tells them that the most privileged posi­tion is the position of service, not of intimate comfort. Like the disciples, we all want the sense of intimacy and closeness to the Lord to go on forever. But part of growing up into Christ means learning to find him in the world as well as in our prayer. It means coming to the point where we discover him in the cry of the poor, in the fellowship of our broth­ers and sisters, and in the faithful living out of our vocations.

We should always keep seeking the Lord in personal prayer. But we should also remember how much he enjoys meeting us as we imitate him by pouring ourselves out for other people. How amazing that a life of service would bring us to such deep intimacy with the God of the universe!


“Jesus, I am amazed at all the ways you are with me. Open my eyes to see you today. Open my heart to feel your presence.”