All that the Father has is mine

Solemnity of the Most Blessed Trinity

Collect

God our Father, who by sending into the world the Word of truth and the Spirit of sanctification made known to the human race your wondrous mystery, grant us, we pray, that in professing the true faith, we may acknowledge the Trinity of eternal glory and adore your Unity, powerful in majesty. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prv 8:22–31

Before the earth was made, Wisdom was conceived.

A reading from the Book of Proverbs

Thus says the wisdom of God:
“The LORD possessed me, the beginning of his ways,
   the forerunner of his prodigies of long ago;
from of old I was poured forth,
   at the first, before the earth.
When there were no depths I was brought forth,
   when there were no fountains or springs of water;
before the mountains were settled into place,
   before the hills, I was brought forth;
while as yet the earth and fields were not made,
   nor the first clods of the world.

“When the LORD established the heavens I was there,
   when he marked out the vault over the face of the deep;
when he made firm the skies above,
   when he fixed fast the foundations of the earth;
when he set for the sea its limit,
   so that the waters should not transgress his command;
then was I beside him as his craftsman,
   and I was his delight day by day,
playing before him all the while,
   playing on the surface of his earth;
   and I found delight in the human race.”


The word of the Lord.

Ps 8:4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R. :

℟. (2a) O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!

When I behold your heavens, the work of your fingers,
   the moon and the stars which you set in place
What is man that you should be mindful of him,
   or the son of man that you should care for him?

℟. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!

You have made him little less than the angels,
   and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him rule over the works of your hands,
   putting all things under his feet:

℟. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!

All sheep and oxen,
   yes, and the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fishes of the sea,
   and whatever swims the paths of the seas.

℟. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!

Second Reading
Rom 5:1–5

To God, through Christ, in love poured out through the Holy Spirit.

A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans

Brothers and sisters:
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith,
   we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
   through whom we have gained access by faith
   to this grace in which we stand,
   and we boast in hope of the glory of God.
Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions,
   knowing that affliction produces endurance,
   and endurance, proven character,
   and proven character, hope,
   and hope does not disappoint,
   because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts
   through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

The word of the Lord.

Acclamation before the Gospel

cf. Rev 1:8

℟. Alleluia, alleluia.

Glory to the Father, the son, and the Holy Spirit;
to God who is, who was, and who is to come.


℟. Alleluia, alleluia.

Jn 16:12–15

Everything that the Father has is mine; the Spirit will take from what is mine and declare it to you.

✠ A reading from the holy Gospel according to John

Jesus said to his disciples:
   “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.”

At the end of the Gospel, the Deacon, or the Priest, acclaims:

The Gospel of the Lord.

All reply:

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Reflection

There are many things in people’s lives that cannot be understood, things that are beyond rational understanding. Who can explain suffering or the injustices that cause suffering? How can one understand the paradoxes, absurdities, and other situations that suddenly come upon many in life and change or end the lives and dreams of people? Mysteries! But when these mysteries are experienced, you will begin to understand not only with your mind, but also with your heart and soul, analysing with the eyes of faith and enhancing their clarity. This also applies to the mystery of the Trinity, God’s nature, which we celebrate today in the Church’s liturgy. How can we ever comprehend this mystery of three persons in one God, distinct from one another? If we had to ask St Augustine about this, he would surely smile when he remembers how God Himself confirmed this mystery through an angel who appeared as a small child trying to pour the whole ocean into a little hole in the sand.

Although the human mind cannot fathom the logic and the depth of this mystery, the heart and soul can experience this reality in various ways. In our loving relationships, in our longing for the transcendent and for what gives meaning to our lives, in our dreams for all that is good and brings healing, in our enthusiasm for all that is holy and oriented towards the good of others. In our deep desire for an intimacy that enriches the soul and an unquenchable thirst for peace and tranquillity of heart amongst men, we continually experience the impact of God’s nature on our lives. We long for all that exists in the unity of the Triune God. Through His power, this becomes possible for us: love, intimacy, purpose, and meaning in life; a sincere, open, and life-giving dialogue; and the courage to remain unafraid of vulnerability—so that we may be strengthened. In this openness, we become capable of receiving diverse forms of vitality from others, even as we offer the same through the fullness of who we are. All this becomes possible through every concrete action in our daily lives, because each and every one of us are created in the image and likeness of God. As St John writes in his First Letter: “For love is of God, and he who loves is born of God and knows God” (1 Jn 4:7).

Prayer

O Blessed Trinity, we praise and thank You for each holy desire that You have placed within us, and for the determination and courage to fulfil them, so that our lives may be enriched with intimate relationships that refine us, help us grow, and continually transform us into Your image. Amen.

 

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