Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

Here are the readings for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, June 3, 2012:

Deuteronomy 4: 32-34, 39-40

Psalm 33: 4-6, 9, 18-20, 22

Romans 8: 14-17

Matthew 28: 16-20

The dogma of the Trinity tells me that the very nature of divinity is dynamic love.  For any lover there must be a beloved, and love shared abounds in creative power.  Love gives love (Father to Son), shares love (Son and Father) and becomes a fountain of life (Holy Spirit). Love itself is triune.  ... We know the Trinity not by mental abstractions but by the experience of the Father's love for us, infused with the Spirit in intimacy with Jesus Christ. Trinity is a mystery for sure, but not meant for confusion.  Fundamentally, the dogma of the Trinity reveals profound truths about God's dynamic life and love. (Peter Feldmeir in America magazine, 5/28/12)

• Is there a particular person of the Trinity to whom you most often pray? 
• What are your images of each, Father, Son and Holy Spirit?
• If love has a creative power, where in your life are you loving?

The next Mystagogia session will be Sunday, June 10.

Feast of the Visitation

Today is the Feast of the Visitation, and I invite you to visit this post on our parish blog for parents for some background on the feast and simple ideas for making your own connection with it.

Solemnity of Pentecost

Here are the readings for the Solemnity of Pentecost, May 27, 2012:

Acts 2: 1-11

Psalm 104: 1, 24, 29-31, 34

1 Corinthians 12: 3b -7, 12-13

OR

Galatians 5: 16-25

John 20: 19-23

OR

John 15: 26-27; 16: 12-15

The reading to the Galatians provides us with the traditional listing of the fruits of the Holy Spirit- or what is evident in the life of a person who is guided by the Holy Spirit of God...

...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, generosity,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

• How fruitful is your life these days?
• In whom have you recently experienced one or more of these attributes? Do they know that you think this about them?

Our final weekly Mystagogia session will be this Sunday after the 9:30am Mass. After then, we will move to a monthly meeting schedule, which you have received in several emails.

Pentecost??

In preparation for mass this weekend, and our great feast of Pentecost, how about taking two minutes to watch this video?

Pentecost in Two Minutes - Busted Halo

And one way to celebrate the Holy Spirit is to wear red to mass this Sunday. See you there!

Ascension of the Lord

Here are the readings for the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, May 20, 2012:

Acts 1: 1-11

Psalm 47: 2-3, 6-9
Ephesians 1: 17-23

(or Ephesians 4: 1-13)

Mark 16: 15-20

Brief thoughts on each of the readings, to jump-start your reflections.

Acts of the Apostles, as the Gospel of Luke, is addressed to Theophilus, which is a Greek name meaning Beloved of God.  Now, whether this was an actual early Christian (a community leader or a patron of Luke's?) or a generalized name for the entire Church.... I don't know. But let me invite you to accept this as your name: Beloved of God, and to read the Scriptures within this context.

There are two options for the second reading this Sunday, both poetic passages from the letter to the Ephesians. One is a warm wish for the gifts of God offered to us through the power of Jesus Christ. The other is encouragement to use the gifts we have been given in order to make the Body of Christ evident and strengthened in this world, in anticipation of our fulfillment in Christ in heaven.

This passage at the end of Mark's Gospel is one of two or three additional endings, while earliest manuscripts abruptly end at verse 8, in silence and fear at the reality of the empty tomb. Probably written in the 2nd century, given the reality of persecutions and the rejection by the Jews of Jewish-Christians, the strength of these (to us, strange) signs to comfort and protect might serve as needed encouragement to remain strong in their faith, to remain true to their mission.

Beloved. Gifted for mission. Encouraged in the midst of trial. 
Which of these speaks to you at this point in your life? Why?

Sixth Sunday of Easter

Here are the readings for the Sixth Sunday of Easter, May 13, 2012:

 

Acts 10: 25-26, 34-35, 44-48

Psalm 98: 1-4
1 John 4: 7-10

John 15: 9-17

 

Peter says these words in the first reading:

 "In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him."

The passage from the first letter of John begins:

 Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God;
everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.

And Jesus speaks these words in today's Gospel:

This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.
No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command you.

• What do these words mean for you, deep into this Easter Season?
• What do they mean for you, as we celebrate Mother's Day?
• What do they mean for you, as a citizen of this state, nation, planet?

There is no Mystagogia meeting this Sunday; see you again on May 20!

Fifth Sunday of Easter

Here are the readings for the Fifth Sunday of Easter, May 6, 2012:

 

Acts 9:26-31

Psalm 22: 26-28, 30-32
1 John 3: 18-24

John 15: 1-8

 

 

The Gospel holds so many images, so many metaphors...

Jesus the vine,  God the Father as the vine grower, We the branches.

Pruning, producing, withering, glorifying, connecting and separating.

What do these images say to you of your experience of faith, of Church, of daily life?

Mystagogia continues this Sunday at 10:45am.