A blessed Trinity Sunday. Also, Happy Father's Day. Bless you. Fatherhood is more than biology. I think St. Joseph may have something to say about that. There are good fathers and there are others. Even the best fathers have off days and need our prayers. At the end of Mass, we will have a blessing for fathers. I’d ask you to lift up in prayer our fathers, living and dead. Also, please include Fr. Kerry in your prayers as he celebrated 50 years of priesthood this past week.
The actions of a good father are available to every man. St Joseph taught us that. Every day, do the next right thing, right now. It is how we are made by our Father, the Creator, the first person of the Trinity.
Thomas Aquinas taught that the things of Heaven, like the Trinity, could be understood by observing the world around us with the eyes of faith. For example, seeing a father’s goodness tells us that God, who created us, also possesses this goodness, only more abundantly so.
What does life here in this parish tell us about a Triune God? The other night, we were driving home from dinner here, in Junction City. Mary looked out at the beautiful sky and farmland. “Oh, if it could only be June in Kansas forever.”
Here in this place, we can see our Father’s goodness. It is so easy to find God’s creation that we come to know it like an old friend. However, June does not stay forever. The cold wind will blow. Even the cold winds have majesty. They remind us of when we have been cold and uncaring in our lives.
Ash Wednesday comes, and we hope to again live up to Father’s glory. I am truly humbled by this parish on Ash Wednesday. The church is filled, and we process forward to receive ashes. I wish that every person could experience distributing ashes. You feel our parish’s hope for forgiveness. We need more than a Creator; we desire a Redeemer.
The Book of Proverbs was written several hundred years before Christ. Even then, people sensed another persona in the Godhead separate from the Father. They couldn’t fully describe it, but they named it Wisdom or Logos. The Logos or Word of God is another name for Christ, Jesus.
Easter proclaims the fullness of our redemption in Christ and his triumph over sin. With the joy of Easter, Jesus told his apostles that he would send the Advocate to sanctify them and bind them together in one voice, one people, one church. The Advocate came at Pentecost.
In Scripture, the Spirit descended upon the diverse peoples, and they spoke as one voice. Pentecost is remembered as the birth of the Church. The Spirit remains with the Church. We struggle to describe it, though. We have an image of the Spirit here in our church building, but it is difficult to find. If you can’t locate it, see me after Mass. You see, we are uncertain about what the Spirit is within the Church.
St. Paul, in his Letter to the Romans, writes that “the Love of God has been poured into us.” This love transfigures our sorrows into hope. God’s divine Love dwells among us and allows us to do God’s will. What does that look like here in our parish?
At the end of April, we surveyed the parish during Mass. In the survey, you wrote out comments and ratings for the parish and our parish school. We had over 400 comments. I read every one of your written comments. It is humbling. Most of the parish leadership and clergy have also read your comments. You shared your experiences, hopes, pains, and joys. These are the experiences that Paul tells us give us proven character.
I wrote a summary of the comments for the bulletin a few weeks ago. In July, we will present the survey results to the entire parish. Over the past six weeks, the Parish Council, Finance Council, and Education Commission have been collaborating to provide recommendations based on your comments.
Some recommendations we are already starting, because they are relatively easy. A good example is the continued ministry to the Spanish-speaking community. Some problems are more challenging, including the school curriculum, long-term finances, and parish buildings. They will require all of us working as one.
What does this have to do with the Holy Spirit? After the survey, I noticed a shift. The discussions in the three councils have become more focused and productive. We are engaging with your faith experiences, and it feels different. Thank you. This is the sensation of the Spirit that St. Paul was trying to explain in his Letter to the Romans.
Throughout the ages, the Church has continually returned to these three living experiences of God. God as Creator, God as Redeemer, and God as Living Spirit. These are distinct, yet somehow one God.
I have read stacks and stacks of theology and philosophy books on the Trinity. I had planned to share all of it with you today. Fortunately, Mary, my wife, suggested I rethink that approach.
So, I ask you, friends, this week, take a little time to write down how you have experienced God in your life, the Creator, the Sanctifier, and God the Spirit.
The Triune God is with us.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
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