Saturday, June 18, 2011

Homily for the Trinity Sunday, Year A Exodus 34:4-6, 8-9/ Daniel 3:52-56/ 2 Corinthians 13:11-13/ John 3:16-18 THEME: GOD DELIGHTS IN YOU

Today, we celebrate one of the greatest mysteries of our faith namely the Holy Trinity. There is one creator of all, for there is one God the Father, from whom all things are. There is one only begotten Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom all things are. There is one Spirit, the gift, in all things. Love is the essence of the Trinity and the three readings all draw our attention to the love of God.
In the First reading, God revealed himself to Moses as a God who loves and forgives iniquity. At the same time he presents Himself as a God who can be loved. “ … The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for the thousand generation forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin” (Exodus 34:6-7a). Later in the Mass, during the Preface in honour of the Holy Trinity, let us listen carefully to these words: “We joyfully proclaim our faith in the mystery of your God head. You have revealed your glory as the glory also of your Son and of the Holy Spirit: three Persons equal in majesty, undivided in splendor, yet one Lord, one God, ever to be adored in your everlasting glory”
In the Second reading, we hear a wonderful greeting “ The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:13). This greeting is a true reflection of what the Trinity is all about; if you want, Trinity made simple.
The Holy Trinity bears witness to love, grace and fellowship. Paul admonished the Corinthian community in these words because there was apparent division among them. He told them “Finally brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss…” (2 Corinthians 13:11-12). If we practiced love and seek to be of one mind, divisions will cease, and we will enjoy peace in our Parish communities. To be of one mind does not mean that we all agree on everything, but that we agree to disagree over matters that are not essential.
In the Gospel reading, St. John reminds us about the love of God which is beyond human comprehension. His love is so wide that we cannot get around it; it is so high that we cannot get over it and it is so low that we cannot get under it.
Love is the essence of our creation. St. Teresa of the Child Jesus once said that “Love is the vocation of all.” For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). The emphasis for me is on “His one and only Son.” This means that love demands of us sacrifice; sacrifice of something that means so much to us. It is not just our material possession but our very lives. Indeed, God who created the world could have offered something other than His Son because he has the whole world in his hands. But he chose to offer his only Son.
That is why eternal life is for those who believe in Jesus. “There is now no condemnation for the one in Christ Jesus” the fact that God offered so precious a price, He cannot afford to condemn us. We are so precious in his sight. “God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world but to save the world through him” (John 3:17). This means that God does not condemn or pass judgment on us. Anyone who does not believe in Jesus condemns himself. Your conscience is that eternal judge who will condemn you.
Many of us find it easy to think of God as quickly offended and easy to punish. Yet that is not the God revealed to us in Jesus. By word and example, He introduced us to a God of love, compassion and great joy; to a Father who takes delight in all His children. Our sins, our failures, our crosses do not limit His capacity or desire to see us grow in His love and thus find perfect happiness. For God says, “ Because you are precious in my sight and honoured and I love you, I give people in return for you, nations in exchange for your life” (Isaiah 43: 4).
May the unconditional Love of God spur us on not to give up loving. This is because, love is our identity. Do not give up loving even if people around you show hostility towards you. God desires “steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God, rather than burnt offering” (Hosea 6:6). Though we are sinners, God does not treat us the way we should be or the way we deserve or the way that is just. God treats us with loving kindness and steadfast love; in fact, He tempers justice with mercy.
In sum, a person becomes cruel because of cruelty he had to endure and now he is healed fully when he experiences unconditional love. God delights in you that is why if you were the only person in this world, Jesus would have still died for you. Oh what great loving concern God had for our salvation in that he not only shed his blood for us but prayed for us too that we may be one just as the Father and the Son are one. God’s love for you is personal. His faithfulness never comes to an end; they are new every morning, great is His faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23).

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