The Holy Trinity, May 26, 2013

Proverbs 8:22-31; Rom 5:1-5; John 16:12-15

The mystery of the Holy Trinity, whose solemnity we celebrate this weekend,  is one of the most important mysteries of our faith. It invites us to ponder the ways in which God lives and exists. The same God in whose image we are created.

However , whenever we talk about this mystery we should be reminding ourselves that it is not the mystery in a sense of a puzzle which some genius can solve someday. But the mystery of our faith in a sense of a deepest reality we may be encountering in our lives. The reality, which is always beyond anything, we can completely experience, understand or comprehend.

The mystery of the Holy Trinity calls us and invites us into a dialogue that lasts our whole lives. Whenever we are willing to enter into this dialogue, we are changed by it,  and we start relating to God and to one another in different ways.

So what is the church’s understanding of the mystery of the Holy Trinity?

These are some of the highlights:

1.    Our God is not a lonely, solitary God, but it stays in a relationship of three distinct entities whom we imperfectly and confusingly due to our human language limitations describe as persons. Since the Enlightment the word “person” has been understood by most of us as “individual conscious subject.” But this is not the meaning of the word the church relies on when it talks about the persons of the Holy Trinity. Whenever the church talks about the Holy Trinity it applies the ontological, philosophical understanding of this word describing God as a single divine subject possessing a single consciousness which exists in three different ways.

2.    In this relationship all God’s persons are equal. There is no discrimination among them. None of them is more important or greater than the other one. We just perceive them and experience them differently as:

-         God the Father who created the world, led his chosen people, sent us his beloved son;

-         God the Son who became human, shared with us his good news and was willing to die for us;

-         God the Holy Spirit who helped us to become one church, one community, who leads us and shares with us his strength and wisdom on our faith journey.

  

3. In their relationship the persons of the Holy Trinity are united with each other and in a way they create an interdependent community of persons. This is why we describe them on a base of their relationship to each other as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

The mystery of the Holy Trinity can help us to understand ourselves. For as the ones created in the God’s image we can easily recognize, as we ponder and meditate upon this mystery, that God does not create us:

-         To live lonely and solitary lives;

-         That although we have different talents, gifts and roles in this life we are still equal children of God. Each one of us is equally important in the eyes of God and unconditionally loved by Him;

-         That we need each other and we are dependent on one other;

-         That we can only understand each other in relationships with others and because of the community we are a part of.

          Whenever we make the sign of the cross in the name of The Holy Trinity: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, we remind ourselves that we are created in their image, in the image of our Triune God. That we are invited by God to live in the communion with Him and others.

          This is why when we are baptized we are baptized in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Pentacost, May 19, 2013

Acts 2:1-11; 1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13; John 14:15-16

          When you climb high in the mountains you need to keep in mind that higher you go less oxygen you have to breath. It means for example that if you are at 18.000” you have only 50% of the amount of oxygen in the air in comparison to sea level. At 25.000” you are entering so called “death zone”. It is called “death zone” for your body literally starves for oxygen and any further ascend causes serious deterioration to your health. No person can live or stay for more than several days above this elevation.

          Every mountain climber needs to keep this simple fact in his or her mind that lack of oxygen effects you physically and mentally. Simple tasks take longer. For example,

·       you can’t walk or run as fast as you could do at sea level. And if you do you usually end up with severe headache, nausea and very difficult time when trying to catch your breath. Believe me it is painful. I tried it.

·       Sometimes you also hear imaginary sounds and voices as you climb.

·       You have problems sleeping for in sleep your body stops breathing for extended period of times.

·       If you get yourself hurt wounds do not heal so well and fast as at sea level.

·       And if you move too fast to higher elevation without allowing yourself to acclimatize to changing condition of lack of oxygen in the air you are likely to suffer from altitude sickness. And altitude sickness might be a serious problem for a climber because it might cause his or her death.

          Lack of oxygen in the air effects climbers in dramatic ways on a mountain in spite of their age, physical condition and stamina.

          Lack of the presence of the Holly Spirit in a person or a community has a similar effect on their spiritual life. As we celebrate this weekend Pentecost Sunday we remind ourselves that without the presence of God’s Spirit in our midst we are in a big trouble. We need the Holly Spirit, as much as our body needs oxygen, in order to live lives of Christians.

The Holy Spirit:

-         Unites us together and demands that we support and journey on in this life with one another.

-         It gives us passion and courage to live out Jesus’ gospel.

So:

-         justice is not denied

-         dignity is not damaged

-         rights are not deprived

-         needs of the poor are met

-         life is preserved and respected.

         

Is St. Mary's filled with the God’s Spirit?

         

          The answer is given by us by the ways we are doing Christ's works and by keeping his commandments. And not just as individuals but as the whole community.

          This weekend we want to recognize different ministries of our church. They are included in this booklet which you are free to take it with you. I would like to ask you to stand up and remain standing when a name of the ministry you are involved in is read. We all want to recognize you and express our deepest gratitude for what you do to keep the Spirit of God present in the midst of our community.

6th Sunday of Easter, 2013

Acts 15:1-2, 22-29; Rev 22:1`2-14;16-17,20; John 17:20-26

If we paid a close attention to today's gospel reading we have easily noticed that Jesus prays for us. We are a community, the community of St. Mary's, for whom he prays.

He is entrusting us to God's protective care and loving kindness.

I am not sure about you but I feel overwhelmed hearing the words of today's gospel. It seems to me almost unbelievable that he is doing it.

At the time when he is about to suffer and to die a cruel death, a very cruel one he thinks about us. He commends us to his Father,  with all our weaknesses, imperfections, and shortcomings.

His prayer is bold, intimate and direct. He loves us. Each one of us. He says we are a gift to him. He want us to be one with him, with each one of us.

What can we say to that?

The truth is there is no much we can say, but to allow joy of Christ's care and love to fill our hearts.

And to try to live our lives the ways which make us one with him and his Father.

Hopefully, every time we gather here in prayer we find strength and courage to do that.

Hopefully, our celebration:

·        of the first communions this weekend; eagerness and joy to be one with Christ.

·        the baptisms; the hope of the future with God.

·        our regional healing mass this upcoming Saturday at St. Jude church; the yearning of being made whole in God.

will give us that courage and strength.

Once St. Francis of Assisi advised his "Franciscan brothers":

"Preach the gospel and, if necessary, use words."

May our gatherings here give us strength and courage to do that. May our lives be a witness to what we say and celebrate here. Jesus continues praying for us and with us that we are able to do that.