Homily for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity "A" - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

The Holy Trinity

Dear Parishioners,

Whenever we look at the mystery of the Holy Trinity, we should realize that this is not something that we could figure out on our own without God revealing this to us through Jesus. If our explanation of the Trinity were merely one opinion among many of the inner make-up of God, then God could be just about anything that any one of us thinks or believes. One Person? Four persons? However, as Catholic Christians we believe that Jesus—the Son of God and one of the Persons of the Holy Trinity—revealed to us the mysterious inner-workings of God.

God exists as three Persons in relationship. Jesus often spoke of God as His Father. He taught us to pray the prayer we call the “Our Father.” He told us that “whoever has seen (Him) has seen the Father” (Jn. 14:9). He told us that “the Father and I are one” (Jn. 10:30). We begin to recognize this unique Father-Son relationship through Jesus.

But Jesus did not stop there.  He also began to speak of another—an “Advocate” (Jn. 15:26), “the Spirit of Truth”, (Jn. 15:26), the “Holy Spirit” (Jn. 14:26). With time the Church began to understand a little bit more about this third Person as “the Lord, the Giver of Life” who “has spoken through the prophets” (cf. the Nicene Creed).

It must have been very hard for many of the Jewish followers of Jesus who were strict monotheists to try to comprehend how God could be one, yet three at the same time. Why should this be surprising to us since we still fumble at various explanations to try to articulate this profound mystery?

As a teacher, the best analogy that I have used over the years that helps people comprehend this mystery of something being one and three at the same time is the analogy of ice, water and steam. All three have the same chemical composition (H₂O) and thus have a certain oneness, yet there can be a manifestation in different states (ice, water and steam) depending on temperature. While all analogies ultimately fall short of the reality, this analogy still gives us some insight into this profound mystery.

Then some insight might be given by the example of a human family where a relationship of two people in love with each other (in this case, husband and wife) can produce a third person (baby or child) who is both complete (a person) and entirely distinct from the other two. The family of this world may indeed reflect, in an analogous way, the mystery of the Holy Trinity—three unique and distinct Persons in one Godhead, eternally in love with each other.   

Trying to figure out God’s make-up is one thing. Having a personal relationship with each of the Persons of the Trinity is something else entirely. Jesus put a human face to God for us by taking on a human nature. And he also told us about the unique relationship that He has with the other Persons in the Godhead. Now we need to seek out each of these Persons of Holy Trinity in prayer and grow in our love for each of them—three Persons in one God.

On Trinity Sunday we rejoice in the fact that God (through Jesus) has revealed His inner make-up to us!

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Homily for Trinity Sunday "C" - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

An Eternal Exchange of Love

Dear Parishioners,

On this Trinity Sunday, I share some reflections on the Holy Trinity—a most profound mystery of our faith.

First, we should realize that Jesus opened up for us the inner life of God. He revealed that God was a Trinity of Persons. Recall, the Jewish people are strict monotheists—Hear O Israel!  The Lord is our God, the Lord alone! (Dt. 6: 4)—and they held on to this belief despite being surrounded, invaded and conquered by various polytheistic cultures (e.g., Rome). However, Jesus began to teach his disciples God is Father—His Father—and this must have caused significant concern for those around Him. He equated Himself with God, His Father:  The Father and I are one. (Jn. 10:30) What exactly does He mean? He also promised to send the Holy Spirit to His disciples once He was gone: But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you (Jn. 16: 7). There is no natural way that we could figure out on our own that God was a Trinity of Persons without Jesus revealing this mystery to us.

Next, we are told that God is love (1 Jn. 4:8) Therefore, the experience of love itself seems to indicate that there should be a lover and a beloved. Within the Trinity, the Father loves the Son from all eternity and the Son loves the Father from all eternity. The love between the two is also a Person: the Holy Spirit. 

God's very being is love. By sending his only Son and the Spirit of Love in the fullness of time, God has revealed his innermost secret: God himself is an eternal exchange of love, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and he has destined us to share in that exchange.  (Catechism of the Catholic Church, CCC # 221)

I contend that things in this world reflect and model for us certain eternal truths—albeit imperfectly—and help us to understand some mysteries of our faith better. Take the example of a family. A husband loves his wife and the wife loves her husband. Their love for each other can be manifest in a child who is the result of their love for each other. In essence, there is a type of a Trinitarian love involved here: the love between husband, wife and child. Again, the example is not perfect as God is uncreated, but it does shed some light on an otherwise complicated topic.

Another example from our life experience helps us with our understanding the Trinity. Take H₂O which can appear in nature as water, steam or ice. All three have the same chemical composition but can appear in different forms depending on temperature. This helps us to see how something can be three and one at the very same time. Our belief in the Holy Trinity teaches that there are Three Divine Persons in the One True God.

Every time you make the Sign of the Cross, think about how we acknowledge our belief in the Holy Trinity. By God’s immense love for us, we are invited to share in the life of the Trinity and to dwell one day within that eternal exchange of love. 

The whole idea can indeed be mind-boggling.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Homily for Trinity Sunday "B" - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Trinity Sunday, Corpus Christi and 40 Hours

 

The Holy Trinity

Dear Parishioners,

Trinity Sunday focuses on the mystery of the Triune Godhead as revealed to us by Jesus. Recall that the Jewish people were strict monotheists. It must have been quite a startling revelation for them that the One True God is a unity of three Divine Persons—Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus made known the mystery of the Trinity for us. The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of the Christian faith and of Christian life. God alone can make it known to us by revealing himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #261) This teaching is not something that we would be able to figure out for ourselves without God’s revelation.

Next week, we will celebrate Corpus Christi (which is celebrated in the universal Church on a Thursday—the day of the Last Supper —but moved to Sunday in the United States). This solemnity is all about the gift of the Holy Eucharist. How can the Son of God be truly present under the form of bread and wine? The Catechism instructs us:

It is highly fitting that Christ should have wanted to remain present to his Church in this unique way. Since Christ was about to take his departure from his own in his visible form, he wanted to give us his sacramental presence; since he was about to offer himself on the cross to save us, he wanted us to have the memorial of the love with which he loved us "to the end," even to the giving of his life. In his Eucharistic presence he remains mysteriously in our midst as the one who loved us and gave himself up for us, and he remains under signs that express and communicate this love. (CCC, #1380)

Volumes have been written and countless sermons preached over the centuries on both of these topics. From a pragmatic point of view, why not take time during the next few weeks to reflect on the wisdom of the Catechism as it tries to enlighten us about our Catholic faith? We should continually seek greater understanding and clarity as we try to delve more deeply into the precious mysteries of our faith that have been revealed to us.

I plan to have an outside Eucharistic Procession with Benediction around our grounds (weather permitting) at the end of the 4:30 PM Mass on Saturday, June 1^st. This will be an opportunity to give special honor to Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, especially during this time of Eucharistic Revival taking place in the United Sates.

Also in a few weeks (June 20 to 22), our parish will spend 40 Hours in adoration of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament. We will add two additional evening Masses at 7 PM on Thursday and Friday evenings (June 20-21) and close the 40 Hours at a Mass on Saturday (June 22) at a special 10 AM Mass. This day is fittingly the feast of the patron of our parish, St. Thomas More. Please take the time to sign-up with a commitment to spend an hour or more of your time in His divine presence. May we always realize Who we have before us on our altars and in our tabernacles and Who we are privileged to receive in Holy Communion: Jesus, the Son of God.

With the beautiful spiritual days ahead, may God grant the necessary graces to our parish to remain ever faithful to Him and to grow in the love of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the Most Holy Eucharist.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

The Most Blessed Sacrament

Homily for Trinity Sunday "A" - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

A Spiritual "Triple-Header"

Dear Parishioners,

During the next three weeks, the weekend Masses will celebrate some very significant mysteries of our faith:  Pentecost (the Holy Spirit), the Most Holy Trinity and Corpus Christi (the Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus Christ).

Pentecost Sunday recalls the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Jesus promised that when he left this world He would send His Spirit to strengthen and guide His disciples.  The Holy Spirit continues to direct the Church and to remind us of what Jesus taught. 

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) teaches us (#688) about the Holy Spirit and the Church:

The Church, a communion living in the faith of the apostles which she transmits, is the place where we know the Holy Spirit:
- in the Scriptures he inspired;
- in the Tradition, to which the Church Fathers are always timely witnesses;
- in the Church's Magisterium, which he assists;
- in the sacramental liturgy, through its words and symbols, in which the Holy Spirit puts us into communion with Christ;
- in prayer, wherein he intercedes for us;
- in the charisms and ministries by which the Church is built up;
- in the signs of apostolic and missionary life;
- in the witness of saints through whom he manifests his holiness and continues the work of salvation.

Trinity Sunday focuses on the mystery of the Triune Godhead as revealed to us by Jesus.  Recall that the Jewish people were strict monotheists. It must have been quite a startling revelation for them that the One True God is a unity of three Divine Persons—Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Jesus made known the mystery of the Trinity for us. The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of the Christian faith and of Christian life.  God alone can make it known to us by revealing himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (CCC, #261) This teaching is not something that we would be able to figure out for ourselves without God’s revelation.

 

Corpus Christi (which is celebrated in the universal Church on a Thursday—the day of the Last Supper —but moved to Sunday in the United States) is all about the gift of the Holy Eucharist. How can the Son of God be truly present under the form of bread and wine?  The Catechism instructs us:
 

It is highly fitting that Christ should have wanted to remain present to his Church in this unique way.  Since Christ was about to take his departure from his own in his visible form, he wanted to give us his sacramental presence; since he was about to offer himself on the cross to save us, he wanted us to have the memorial of the love with which he loved us "to the end," even to the giving of his life.  In his Eucharistic presence he remains mysteriously in our midst as the one who loved us and gave himself up for us, and he remains under signs that express and communicate this love. (CCC, #1380)

Volumes have been written and countless sermons preached over the centuries on each of these topics. From a pragmatic point of view, why not take time during the next few weeks to reflect on the wisdom of the Catechism as it tries to enlighten us about our Catholic faith? We should continually seek greater understanding and clarity as we try to delve more deeply into the precious mysteries of our faith that have been revealed to us.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Homily for Trinity Sunday "C" - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Homily for Trinity Sunday - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Homily for the 6th Sunday of Easter - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Homily for the Baptism of Our Lord - Fr. Edward Namiotka