Trinity Sunday: Join Bishop Strickland for Sunday's Live Mass - 6.7.20

Trinity Sunday Mass in English is available here.

Trinity Sunday Mass in Spanish is available here.

Bishop Strickland during the Trinity Sunday Mass.

Highlights

By Deacon Keith Fournier
6/7/2020 (4 years ago)

Published in Living Faith

Keywords: Mass, Sunday Mass, Live Mass, Bishop Strickland, Deacon Keith

Dear Catholic Online Community and Catholic Online School students...

I AM TRULY HAPPY TO OFFER EACH OF YOU AN INVITATION TO TRINITY SUNDAY MASS WITH BISHOP JOSEPH STRICKLAND.

One of my brother Deacons from the Diocese of Tyler will assist. I have other assignments. However, I know you and many others, around the world, will be drawn closer to the Lord, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, through viewing this Beautiful Liturgy and hearing the Bishops Homily, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Tyler, Texas on Trinity Sunday.

This Sunday is Trinity Sunday. The Holy Trinity, the Catechism affirms, is the central mystery of Christian faith and life: 

"The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of Christian faith and life. It is the mystery of God in himself. It is therefore the source of all the other mysteries of faith, the light that enlightens them. It is the most fundamental and essential teaching in the "hierarchy of the truths of faith". The whole history of salvation is identical with the history of the way and the means by which the one true God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, reveals himself to men "and reconciles and unites with himself those who turn away from sin" (Par 234)

In our first reading, which is taken from the 34th chapter of the Book of Exodus, we will hear the great account of the Lord revealing Himself to Moses. He is "tender and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in faithful love." The context helps us to understand the depth of this beautiful revelation. The Lord had already given the ten words, the ten commandments, to Moses on Mount Sinai. But, when Moses came down from the encounter with the Lord on the mountain, he found the people of Israel worshipping a golden calf, an idol. In his anger, Moses smashed the tablets which contained the commandments. 

Now, Moses is again before the Lord, seeking forgiveness, for himself, and for the people. And, the Lord reveals Himself as full of mercy. He also gives them to Moses on two new tablets, giving the people another chance. Do we believe that God is rich in compassion? He is. He simply asks us to repent and turn to Him. He gives us chance after chance. He is rich in mercy.

The Psalm Response is taken from the Book of Daniel. It is an excerpt from the wonderful hymn of praise sung by the three young men who refused to worship the idol, the golden Image King Nebuchadnezzar commanded them to worship - and were thrown into the furnace to die. There, they sang songs of worship to the Lord. And, they were spared by the Lord. In fact, their witness won winning the pagan King over to acknowledge the true God whom they worshipped. 

And, in our second reading, the Apostle Paul, who is getting ready to leave Corinth, implores the Christians there to "grow perfect", by staying faithful, living fully the Gospel, supporting one another in the Lord.  And, by making right choices. What choices are we making in our own lives? Are we worshipping the true God, or are there idols which have taken His place?

And, our Gospel reading is taken from the fourth Gospel, the account of St John. We hear the words of Jesus spoken to Nicodemus "For this is how God loved the world: he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. For God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but so that through him the world might be saved. No one who believes in him will be judged; but whoever does not believe is judged already, because that person does not believe in the Name of God's only Son."

The Father fully revealed His compassion and Mercy in and through His Son, Jesus Christ. He was sent not to condemn but to save all who turn to Him, repent of their sin, and follow Him. That message is spoken to you and me, today. How are we responding? The Holy Spirit has been given to empower us to respond in an ever-deepening way - and to bring all men and women into the communion of the Church through Baptism. 

May the Lord bless you, your families, the Church, and the Nations of the world on this Trinity Sunday, in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
  
Deacon Keith Fournier

Dean of Catholic Online School

Chaplain of Your Catholic Voice Foundation