READINGS for 2008-05-18
Solemnity of the Holy trinity
SMILE #1
“For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life.” – John 3:16
“Gate 3 is now boarding,” the PA blared. I was on a business trip for the past seven days and was looking forward to going home to see my family.
In front of me was an OFW with a huge present. “Is it for your child?” I asked. “Yes, I’ve been working here for more than a year and I look forward to seeing my kid’s smile #2,” he replied. He must have noticed my confused look so he quickly added, “It’s the type of smile he has while he opens his gifts.”
At the x-ray machine, the security personnel asked him to unwrap the package. Left with no choice, he tore the wrapper to reveal its contents.
After checking out the item, they let him go. I tried to console him by saying, “I can help you wrap the gift again in NAIA once we land so you can still see smile #2.”
“No problem bro. I am sure I’ll still see smile #1,” he replied. Seeing my confused look again he added, “That’s his smile when he says to me ‘I love you, Dad.’” Alvin Fabella
REFLECTION:
God loves you so much that He gave His only Son to save you.
Do you say, “I love you Father” with smile #1 in your daily prayer and actions?
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1st READING
Today we celebrate Holy Trinity Sunday. There will always be an element of mystery in our trying to understand the Trinity. What is important for us to focus on here is that the Trinity provides for us an image of communion between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We must strive to have the same communion in our relationships here on earth.
Exodus 34:4b-6, 8-9
4 Early in the morning Moses went up Mount Sinai as the LORD had commanded him, taking along the two stone tablets. 5 Having come down in a cloud, the LORD stood with him there and proclaimed his name, “LORD.” 6 Thus the LORD passed before him and cried out, “The LORD, the LORD, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity, 7 continuing his kindness for a thousand generations, and forgiving wickedness and crime and sin; yet not declaring the guilty guiltless, but punishing children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation for their fathers’ wickedness!” 8 Moses at once bowed down to the ground in worship. 9 Then he said, “If I find favor with you, O Lord, do come along in our company. This is indeed a stiff-necked people; yet pardon our wickedness and sins, and receive us as your own.”
P S A L M
Daniel 3:52, 53, 54, 55 (52b)
R: Glory and praise for ever!
29 [Dan 3:52] “Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever; and blessed is your holy and glorious name, praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages. (R) 30 [Dan 3:53] Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory, praiseworthy and glorious above all forever. (R) 31 [Dan 3:54] Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever. (R) 32 [Dan 3:55] Blessed are you who look into the depths from your throne upon the cherubim, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever. (R)
2nd READING
The life of the Trinity is a life of communion where there is perfect love and the perfect sharing of all that one has with others. Jesus, You have given a witness here on earth as to the communion You have with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Let me draw wisdom from the way You have displayed this truth so that I can practice it in my own life. Help me to deepen my communion with You and also with others.
2 Corinthians 13:11-13
11 Brothers and sisters, rejoice. Mend your ways, encourage one another, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. 12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the holy ones greet you. 13 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.
G O S P E L
God’s love for us is indisputable. No one could sacrifice His own Son for another without having an extraordinary depth of love for the other person. Jesus could never have given His life in obedience to the Father without an extraordinary depth of love for us and His Father. The extraordinary love of the Father and Son is so great that it is embodied in the person of the Holy Spirit. There are many ways to describe the communion of the Trinity — the one above is just one way.
John 3:16-18
16 God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
my reflections
think:Am I living a life of communion with the Lord and others?
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God’s special verse/thought for me today________________ _________________________________________________________
T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________
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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR 1 Samuel 1-4
SABBATH PAUSE
My weekly time with God
THANK YOU LIST
Things to be grateful for from the past week
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SPECIAL NEEDS
Things to ask God for in the coming week
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HIDDEN TREASURE
Most important word God told me this week
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AN OUTGOING GOD In the early part of the history of the Church, the meetings of the Church leaders (known as Ecumenical Councils) focused on the clarification of various doctrines. Among these was the doctrine of God as “Three Persons-in-One Godhead.” Those involved in the discussions needed to be able to explain this doctrine of the Triune God in the language of logic and human reasoning. The discussions on the Trinity were then centered on dissecting the nature and the relationships within the unity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Differences in terms and prepositions which mirrored some subtle differences in nuance, in fact, contributed to the break between the Greek (Eastern) Catholics, and the Roman (Western) Catholics. The Eastern Christians sustain that the more precise expression is to say: “the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father through the Son.” The Western Christians, however, say that it is enough to say “the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.”
The language of the Gospel – however – invites us to see that the more important aspect of God as the unity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit is that it expresses the very nature of God as “love.” This love is “agape,” that is, self-giving. The self-giving love of Father, Son and Holy Spirit is one that involves not only their persons but one that overflows to us through the gift of salvation. While it is true that what makes God truly God is that God is Absolute, that is not needing anything or anybody else to be complete, the reality of the Trinity as a community also signifies that God’s nature is also to go out and to reach out. The Trinity is like a dam that in its fullness cannot but overflow its goodness and benefits to the world.
This Trinity is, for us, not just doctrine. This is the God of whom each of us is an image and likeness. Fr. Domie Guzman
Reflection Question:
Make the sign of the Cross on yourself as you say these words – “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Renew your commitment to be an image and likeness of God who is Love – amongst your family, friends, and community.
Triune God, teach me to live in unity with others.
St. Pope John I, martyr, pray for us.
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