Sunday Gospel Reflection: Loving The Trinity

 

Jesus said to his disciples: “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me.” John 14:23–24

The Father and the Son are One. Their unity is perfect in every way. They share one divine nature. Yet they are distinct Persons. They are not only perfectly united as One God, they are also able to be in a loving communion of unity with each other. The mystery of the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is a mystery so deep that we will never fully comprehend Them. They are the “unknowable God” Whom we seek to know. Thus, our relationship with God is an ongoing journey by which we plunge ourselves into this mystery more deeply every day and through eternity.

Today’s Gospel gives us a glimpse into the glorious unity of God, but it goes further. It also reveals the desire in the Heart of God to come and dwell within us. If we love God and keep His Word, the Trinity will come to us and dwell within us. “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.” This invitation given to us to share in the unity of God is also a mystery too deep for words.

As a child, perhaps you were taught about the mystery of the Trinity by being shown a three-leaf clover. Each petal represents one of the divine Persons, but the whole leaf represents Their unity. We benefit from this simplistic imagery to help us begin to understand Who God is. But in reality, there is only one thing that will help to fully reveal God’s very Self to us. What is that one thing? It is exactly what Jesus spoke about: Loving obedience to the Word of God.

Obedience to the Word of God is the best expression of love we can offer to God. This is because God’s Word is Truth in its fullness. When we understand this Truth and live by it, then this is love. Furthermore, this form of loving obedience will result in something that is unimaginable. It will result in the indwelling of the Most Holy Trinity in our souls: “…and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.”

Though this language is clouded and mysterious, when the Most Holy Trinity comes to dwell within a person, the cloud begins to be lifted and the mystery begins to become known. Therefore, the only way to begin to discover this incomprehensible mystery of the life of the Most Holy Trinity is to allow the Trinity to dwell within you. And the only way to invite God to do so is through love of Him. And the only way to love Him is through obedience to the Word of God. Jesus is the Word of God. We especially come to know Him as the Word of God through our reading of the Scriptures and by living the message it proclaims. 

Reflect, today, upon the most central calling you have been given. That mission is to become a dwelling place for God. And that is only accomplished by your love of God which is expressed through obedience to His Word. Ponder obedience. Tell God you will obey His every command of love. Look at your actions and consider any ways that you fail in obedience to all that our Lord has commanded. Where you see any deviation, know that correcting that deviation is the pathway not only to a deeper love but also the pathway to a fuller unity with the Triune God Who seeks to unite Himself to you from within.

Most Holy Trinity, Unity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, come dwell within me. I pray for the gift of love of You, expressed through my obedience to Your every command that is revealed through Your holy Word. May I become more fully aware of every way I delay in my obedience so that I may change my ways and open myself more fully to You. Jesus, I trust in You.

Sunday Gospel Reflection: Eternal Glory

When Judas had left them, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and God will glorify him at once.” John 13:31–32

If the life we live here and now is all we will ever have, then it makes sense to believe that death is our worst enemy. But as we know, this life is but a grain of sand in the ocean in comparison to eternity. For that reason, we must see death as our passing into the glories that await. The death of a loved one is difficult for sure. And when we face our own death, there are many temptations we might experience toward fear of the unknown. But if the Son of God chose to endure death itself, then we must work to see death differently.

Today’s Gospel passage speaks of Jesus’ coming death as His glorification. “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.” Jesus spoke these words right after Judas left the Last Supper to betray Him. From an earthly perspective, it is unlikely that anyone would consider their betrayal and brutal death as the moment when God is glorified. But from a heavenly and eternal perspective, Jesus’ death was the greatest glorification He could offer to the Father. This only makes sense when we put on the mind of God.

As we continue to celebrate our Easter Season, we look beyond the suffering of Christ to see the fruit of His suffering. We see that death was defeated and that Jesus will now forever live in His glorified and resurrected body in Heaven. He will forever carry the marks in His hands, feet and side, and those marks will forever glorify the Father. The Resurrection of Christ changes everything, including death. For that reason, we must continually work to put on the mind of God and see our human lives as He sees them.

What is it that you live for in this life? What are your goals and ambitions? If you find that you focus excessively upon immediate pleasures, material wealth, selfish objectives and passing ambitions, then it is time to ponder the lesson of Jesus’ glorification. By facing His own death as an opportunity to glorify the Father, Jesus made it possible for us to do the same. And though there will always be a healthy sorrow associated with the passing of a loved one, the hope of Heaven and eternal glory must become the lens through which we see all things in this life.

When you look at your life, it is essential to see the cross that God has given to you. That is because your cross is the gateway to this eternal glory. Each person’s cross will be different. A cross is not simply our suffering; it’s our call to live sacrificially. This is love. It’s the calling we are given to lay our lives down for others. To serve others. To forgive every wrong, to love every sinner, to show mercy and compassion toward those in need. And to do all of this in response to God’s perfect will. The crosses in our lives are opportunities for love in its purest form. This is how Jesus saw His Cross and this is how we must see ours.

Reflect, today, upon death, but try to look at it as a calling to give of yourself sacrificially out of love. The best way to prepare yourself for a glorious death is to live in the love of God here and now. To the extent that you can do that, God will be glorified as you share in the glory given to Christ.

My loving Lord, You transformed death itself into the perfect means by which You gave glory to Your Father and were glorified Yourself. Please help me to enter into Your mind so that I can see my life as You see it and to live for that eternal glory to which I am called. Jesus, I trust in You.

Sunday Gospel Reflection: One Hundred And Fifty-Three Large Fish

When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” They answered him, “No.” So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.” So they cast it and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish. John 21:4–6

Recall the first time there was a miraculous catch of fish in the Gospels. In Luke 5:1–7, Jesus was preaching to the people on the shore from where He sat in Peter’s boat just a short distance away. After preaching, Jesus told Peter, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Peter did so and there was such a large catch of fish that the Apostles needed help to haul it in.

In today’s Gospel, some three years later after the Resurrection, Jesus appeared to the disciples from the shore and instructed them to cast their nets “over the right side of the boat.” They did so and caught 153 large fish. In commenting on these two passages, Saint Augustine teaches that the first miraculous catch was a sign that the Gospel would be preached to all people, which is indicated by Jesus simply saying, “lower your nets.” But after the Resurrection, Jesus specifically tells the disciples to cast their nets “over the right side” to indicate that grace is now given to those who stand on His right side and are separated from the condemned who are on His left. Thus, this second miraculous catch symbolizes the end of the age when the good and the bad are judged.

Saint Augustine also notes that the 153 large fish, caught off the right side of the boat, are a symbolic representation of those who conform not only to the Ten Commandments but also receive the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit by grace. He explains that 10 + 7 = 17 and if you add all the numbers together between 1 and 17 you arrive at 153. Thus, these 153 fish represent everyone who receives His gift of grace and obtains salvation. The boat represents the Church, and the gift of salvation is offered by Christ through His Church.

One clear message we must take from Saint Augustine’s interpretation is that grace and mercy are offered to all but not received by all. At the end of our lives and at the end of the world, judgment will take place. Those who responded to the offer of grace and mercy, repented of their sins and gave their lives to Christ will eternally share in the Resurrection. But those who refused to follow His Commandments and closed themselves to the transforming power of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit will be separated from eternal joys.

Facing the reality of hell is not pleasant, but it is a message that must not be ignored. It is a message that is real and, therefore, hell is a possibility for us all. Therefore, it is important to remind ourselves from time to time of this spiritual truth. Are you among those 153 large fish found on the right side of the boat? Do you allow the ministers of Christ within the Church, represented by the disciples in the boat, to draw you to Christ through preaching and the Sacraments? Though all of us might quickly answer “Yes” to that question, we should never fail to be attentive to the fact that salvation requires action on our part. It requires that we accept Christ Jesus by following His Commandments and live by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit as it is dispensed by the Church.

Reflect, today, upon the symbolism found in this Resurrection account. Consider the fact that the Gospel has, indeed, been shared with you. Have you listened to the Word of God as it is preached by the Church? Do you immerse yourself in the grace given through the Sacraments? Do you follow the Ten Commandments faithfully? Do you continually open yourself to the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit? Seek to be among that catch of fish caught on the “right side.” Never doubt that hell is real and possible. For that reason, never waver from your fidelity to Christ, so that you will remain firmly grounded in His grace and share one day in His Resurrection.

My resurrected Lord, You have offered Your grace and mercy to all, but not all have responded. I pray that I will always be among those who continually respond to Your invitation. I repent of my sin, dear Lord. Please help me to stay faithful to Your commands of love and to be daily immersed in Your transforming Spirit. Jesus, I trust in You.

PENTECOST SUNDAY

READINGS AT MASS TODAY

Acts 2:1-11

Psalm 104

1 Cor. 12:3-7, 12-13

John 20:19-23

Theme: THE HOLY SPIRIT: THE RESTORER

Dear friends in Christ, N'wokafu YESU KRISTO...

The first two verses of the first chapter of Genesis tells us, "In the beginning,...the earth was formless and void, and darkness was on the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, 'let there be light; and there was light.'" The breath (the creative wind; the Spirit) of God created light, life, and order out of a dark and formless void. That was the beginning of all that is.

The Psalmist, in today's Responsorial Psalm, celebrates God as a creator par excellence and identifies His Spirit (the Holy Spirit) as the principal agent of creation and the Person behind all the beauty and the order that we see. For the Psalmist, the Holy Spirit is not just a creator but also a regenerator and restorer among us. "...when you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth (Psalm 104:30).

Beloved in Christ, the Holy Spirit is the regenerative and restorative power of God. He is the Third Person of the Holy Trinity and has the power to recreate and restore us to our original dignity. Wherever the wind of the Spirit blows, there is life and order (Ezekiel 37:1-14). He recreates what the evil one has destroyed and renews what our sins have corrupted.

The devil has stolen and destroyed a lot of beautiful and good things from us. We have also, through our actions and inactions, contributed to the corruption, emptiness, and chaos in our lives. We have lost our original dignity and have become like dry bones. We need a renewal! We need the Holy Spirit!

As we celebrate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit today, let us pray to God to send down His Spirit once again to renew the face of the earth; to recreate and restore our lost dignity.

PRAYER

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Amen.

May God bless you.

-Rev. Fr. Kenneth Debre 

Sunday, May 19,  2024.

Holy Rosary Parish, Hohoe.

THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT

READINGS AT MASS

Exodus 20:1-17

Psalm 19

1 Cor. 1:22-25

John 2:13-25

Theme: A TIME TO CRACK THE WHIP

Dear friends in Christ, N'wokafu YESU KRISTO...

On this Third Sunday of Lent, we read the text about the cleansing of the Temple as presented by John the Evangelist. Unlike the other evangelists, John placed this episode at the beginning of Jesus' public ministry. For Matthew, Mark, and Luke, this was the last straw that broke the Camel's back but for John, it was a necessary first step to pave the way.

Looking at the text carefully, there appeared to be a state of affairs that 'prevented' Jesus from entering the Temple; the activities of the traders. These deprived the Temple of its holy and serene atmosphere. This unacceptable condition in which the Temple environment was found was repulsive to Jesus Christ and He immediately set out to do something about it. Quite surprisingly, He took a rather violent and dramatic approach; the whip. He made a whip out of cords and drove the traders out with their merchandise. Thus, restoring the temple environment to its original purity.

Beloved, Lent is an opportune time to clean and restore our lives to their original purity. From the action of Jesus Christ in today's Gospel, we realize that the fight against sin and sinful conditions is sometimes not a smooth and comfortable one. This is a hard truth we must come to accept during this season. The process of restoration sometimes demands a radical approach. Sin and sinful conditions are not always something you just reject with word of mouth. Sometimes it is a dangerously comfortable state of life that needs to be whipped out with cords.

We are sometimes guilty of being too gentle with our sinful states of life. We try to gently sweet-talk them out of our lives. Unfortunately, the noisy, corrupt, and chaotic state of these situations, like that of the Temple environment in today's Gospel, continues to render our gentle approach ineffective. For an effective restorative season, a whip must be made against some conditions and lifestyles.

Like Jesus, we also have to make the effort to clean the Temple environment of our souls for Jesus Christ to have access to and feel comfortable within our hearts. We must identify and clean the conditions that are unpleasant and repulsive to our walk with Jesus and the grace of God within us.

PRAYER

Father, you have taught us to overcome our sins with prayer, fasting, and charity. Grant me the grace to fight the deep-rooted sins in me with these pillars. Amen.

May God bless you.

-Rev. Fr. Kenneth Debre

Sunday, March 3, 2024.

Holy Rosary Parish, Hohoe

SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (B)

READINGS AT MASS

Lev. 13:1-2, 44-46

Psalm 32

1cor.10:31-11:1

Mark 1:40-45

Theme: OUTSIDE THE CAMP

Dear friends in Christ, N'wokafu YESU KRISTO...

The readings of today, the sixth Sunday in ordinary time, call on us to reflect on the extent to which the leprosy of sin separates us from GOD (the camp of God) and deprives us of our humanity and dignity. 

The First Reading narrates the miserable condition of a leper under the Law of Moses. Such a leper was isolated from the community to live outside the camp. The law says "He shall dwell apart, making his abode outside the camp..." (Lev. 13:46).

Leprosy puts a full stop to the leper's life and business in the world. It cuts him off from socializing with friends and loved ones, and shuts him out from the sanctuary. In short, the said person loses his human dignity. 

In the Gospel, we hear the powerful prayer that a desperate leper addressed to Jesus Christ. "IF YOU WISH, YOU CAN MAKE ME WHOLE..." (Mark 1:40). This was a prayer of someone who was tired of living outside the camp of God. It is a fervent wish of Jesus Christ to bring all those condemned to life outside the camp of God back into the camp. "I DO WILL IT. BE MADE CLEAN" He says.

Beloved in Christ, The leprosy of sin shuts us out from the the camp of God and from His sanctuary. His glory goes far from us, life becomes empty and miserable. We must turn to Jesus Christ in humility so that he might make us whole and clean again. 

PRAYER

Almighty ever-loving Father, I stand outside the "camp of your grace" with the "leprosy" that keeps me away and prevents me from entering your presence. If you wish, Lord, you can make me whole again. Amen.

May God bless you.

-Rev. Fr. Kenneth Debre

Sunday, February 11, 2024.

Holy Rosary Parish, Hohoe