Homily for Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity - Year A

The readings for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity may be found at:

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/053126.cfm

This week, 

on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity,

the Church invites us 

to reflect on the deepest mystery of our faith.

One God.

Three Divine Persons.

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

For many of us, 

the Trinity can seem abstract. 

Something scholars discuss in really thick books. 

But at its heart, the Trinity is not a math problem,

of how three can be one or one can be three.

The Trinity is the revelation that God is love.

Today, the evangelist St. John writes:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.”

Everything begins there.

In just one verse, 

Jesus reveals all three Persons of the Trinity, 

the Father who sends, 

the Son who is given, 

and the Holy Spirit 

who brings that saving love into our hearts.

The Father loves the world so completely 

that He gives His only Son.

The Son 

who gives His life on the Cross for our salvation.

And the Holy Spirit 

is poured into our hearts 

so that we can share in the very life of God.

That is the Trinity.

The Father loving,

the Son revealing that love, and

the Holy Spirit drawing us into that love.

And we learn about the Trinity best 

not from a book, but through Jesus.

Because Jesus does more than teach us about God. 

Jesus reveals God.

He says:

“Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.”

If we want to know what God is like, we look at Jesus.

We look at His compassion.

His mercy.

His forgiveness.

His humility.

His Cross.

Because ultimately, 

God is self-giving love.

And that matters -

because many of us sometimes wonder 

where God is in the world today.

Did He leave us?

Is He angry with us?

But Jesus reveals the Father, 

as the One who comes toward us, 

not to condemn, but to save.

As we hear clearly in today's Gospel:

“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

Now the Holy Spirit.

can often seem like the Person of the Trinity 

we know the least about.

Yet the Holy Spirit 

is God dwelling within us.

The Spirit is the reason 

faith comes alive in our hearts.

Through every prayer,

every conversion,

every desire for holiness,

the Holy Spirit is quietly at work.

Teaching,

strengthening, 

guiding, 

and slowly transforming us 

into the likeness of Christ.

So through this Solemnity, 

this week, 

the Church is inviting us through the Trinity 

to become a little more aware 

of God's presence in our daily lives.

When we make the Sign of the Cross, 

which we often do so quickly and automatically, 

maybe we can slow down this week

and really focus on what we are saying - 

In the name of the Father,

and of the Son,

and of the Holy Spirit.

Taking a moment 

to place our entire day into the life of the Trinity.

Remembering the Father's love,

trusting in the grace of Jesus, and

opening our hearts to the communion of the Holy Spirit.

Maybe then 

we can thank the Father 

for His love 

and speak honestly to Jesus 

about our struggles.

Perhaps before an important conversation, 

a difficult decision, 

or a moment of frustration, 

we can simply pray:

“Come, Holy Spirit.”

Because the Trinity, 

is not merely a mystery,

but a relationship to be lived.

Every time we make the Sign of the Cross, 

we are not simply beginning a prayer.

We are placing ourselves 

into the very life of God.

Into the love of the Father,

the grace of Jesus.

and the communion of the Holy Spirit.

For the God 

who so loved the world 

continues to draw us into His love today.

May the Most Holy Trinity 

help us live in that love this week, 

reflect that love to everyone we meet, 

and help others discover the God 

who first loved us.

In the name of the Father, 

and of the Son, 

and of the Holy Spirit. 

Amen.

Homily for Seventh Sunday of Easter - Year A

 The readings for the Seventh Sunday of Easter may be found at:

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/051726-Sunday

This week, the evangelist St. John 

invites us into one of the most intimate moments 

in all of Sacred Scripture.

Into the longest prayer of Jesus 

recorded in the Gospels.

What the Church traditionally calls 

His High Priestly Prayer.

And He prays it 

on Holy Thursday, 

at the very moment when His “hour” has come.

An hour 

that will mean His suffering and His death.

But in John’s Gospel, 

the Cross is also the place of glory.

Because on the Cross, 

Jesus shows us the depth of God’s love for us.

He says,

“Father, the hour has come. 

Glorify your Son, 

so that the Son may glorify you.”

Jesus is not asking for glory 

the way the world understands it.

He is not asking for recognition.

He is not asking for power.

He is not asking to escape the Cross.

He is asking 

to complete the mission His Father gave Him.

And then Jesus does something beautiful.

He prays for His disciples.

He says, 

“I pray for them - for the ones you have given me.”

Think about that.

On the night before He dies, 

knowing what is coming, 

Jesus is praying for His friends.

For Peter, who will deny Him.

For Thomas, who will doubt.

For the others, who will run away.

And still, 

He loves them.

Still, 

He prays for them.

Still, 

He entrusts them to the Father.

And that -

that should give us all hope.

Because Jesus knows our weakness, too.

He knows our fears.

He knows the ways we fall short.

He knows our doubts.

He knows how we drift.

And still - He prays for us.

The heart of this Gospel is not that we are perfect, 

not that we are deserving 

because of what we do or don’t do,

The heart of this Gospel is that we belong to Him.

Jesus says to the Father, 

“They belonged to you, and you gave them to me”

That is who we are.

Broken, sure.

Blessed, absolutely.

Just like the bread on this altar 

that will be transformed into the Eucharist in a few minutes time.

Broken and blessed.

We belong to the Father.

We belong to Jesus.

And because we belong to Him, 

we are never alone.

That is His prayer for us.

Not that life will be easy.

Not that we will never suffer.

But that the Father will protect us, 

keep us faithful, 

and hold us together as one.

So today, let us take this Gospel - personally.

Let us internalize its message.

Jesus is praying for His Church.

Jesus is praying for His disciples.

Jesus is praying for us.

So that we may live as people who truly belong to Him,

so that in our words,

in our choices,

in our love,

and in our unity,

the world may see the glory of God.

But how do we do this?

How do we actually live this Gospel 

after we leave this church today?

How do we do it this week?

To live this Gospel in a very simple way,

maybe we can start our days with a simple prayer, 

“Jesus, thank You for praying for me. 

Help me stay close to You today.”

During the day, maybe we try to do one thing that reflects God’s love,

• be patient, 

• forgive someone, 

• help someone quietly.

• pray before reacting in anger

• encourage someone who is struggling

Maybe spend a few minutes in prayer, even for just 5 minutes,

• before the Blessed Sacrament,

• after Mass,

• in silence at home or in the car

• speak to Jesus honestly, like a friend, about our fears, struggles, and hopes.

If we feel weak or things are just too hard, 

we can remember that

Jesus prayed for Peter 

even knowing Peter would fail.

So when we struggle this week, let us not give up.

Let us, turn back to Him.

Because the heart of today’s Gospel is simple -

Jesus is praying for us.

And because of that, 

No matter how hard life becomes,

we are never alone.

Because Christ 

is praying 

To His Father,

To Our Father,

for us.

Homily for Fourth Sunday of Easter - Year A

The readings for the Fourth Sunday of Easter may be found at:

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/042626.cfm

Every day, we follow voices.

Voices that tell us who we are.

That tell us what matters.

Voices that shape how we see ourselves, 

others, and even God.

And these voices, influence our choices,

our priorities, our peace and

even our identity.

In today’s gospel from the evangelist Saint John,

on what the Church recognizes 

as Good Shepherd Sunday,

Jesus asks us a very simple question -

Whose voice are we listening to?

Jesus tells us,

“I came so that they might have life 

and have it more abundantly.”

But He also speaks 

of sheep, a gate, a shepherd, and voices.

And if we’re honest, we might hear this and think,

what does this have to do with us?

Most of us are not shepherds.

We don’t live in fields. We don’t tend sheep.

But the people listening to Jesus that day?

They understood immediately.

Because sheep know the voice of their shepherd.

They follow the voice they trust.

And they run from voices they don’t recognize.

And that matters, because there are so many voices 

competing for our attention.

Voices that tell us we are not enough.

Voices that measure our worth by success, 

appearance, or achievement.

Voices rooted in fear, anxiety, comparison, and distraction.

And Jesus says clearly,

“The sheep follow him, because they recognize His voice...”

Our problem is not that Jesus isn’t speaking to us.

It’s that we too often listen to other voices.

Voices that are louder.

But not always true.

And Jesus does not simply offer advice.

He doesn’t say, “Find your own way.”

He says something far more radical,

“I am the gate.”

Not only the shepherd - but the gate.

Telling us, clearly, that

He is the way in. He is the way to life.

No other way to abundance - apart from Him.

The shepherd knows His sheep.

And the sheep know His voice.

Not distant, but intimate.

This is belonging.

We have a God who knows us by name.

Earlier this month, while visiting Rome,

My wife and I prayed at the tomb of Pope Francis 

in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major.

Above Francis’ simple tomb hangs the shepherd’s cross he wore.

On it, Jesus carries a sheep upon His shoulders.

Not distant. Not abstract.

But close. Personal. Carrying His sheep home.

And that struck me.

Because Jesus isn’t a shepherd who calls from far away.

He comes looking for us.

And when we are lost,

He doesn’t just point us in the right direction.

He lifts us up.

We wander.  We ignore His voice.

And yet - He comes after us.

The Good Shepherd never abandons His sheep.

He does the exact opposite.

He lays down His life.

He sacrifices Himself.

The Shepherd becomes the Lamb

who lays down His life for His sheep.

So that we can have life.

Not just to live, but to live abundantly.

Life - filled with grace,

Life - rooted in peace,

Life  - not dependent on circumstances, 

because it rests in Him.

Which means,

If we feel lost - He is calling us.

If we feel burdened - He is ready to carry us.

If we feel distant - He is closer than we think.

And the reality for us,

as with the Good Shepherd,

is that God is better at finding us 

than we are at finding him.

We must allow ourselves to be found.

Perhaps this week, 

we should ask ourselves one simple question each day.

What voice will I follow today?

Because the Good Shepherd is still calling.

In Scripture. In prayer. In silence. In the Eucharist.

And nowhere is that voice more present than here.

Every time we come to this altar,

we are not just remembering an event

from two thousand years ago.

Every time we come to this altar,

we encounter the Shepherd,

who feeds His sheep.

Who gives Himself to us.

Who leads us toward life.

Calling our name.

Personally. Individually. Lovingly.

And if we listen...

If we trust...

If we follow...

We will discover that His promise is true.

That life with Christ is not smaller - but fuller.

Not narrower - but freer.

Not empty - but abundant.

If only we choose to follow His voice.