FIRST READING
Before the beginning of the earth, wisdom was brought forth.
A reading from the Book of Proverbs (Proverbs 8:22-31)
Thus speaks the Wisdom of God: “The Lord created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old. Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth. When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water, Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth; before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world. When he established the heavens, I was there, when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep, when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth, then I was beside him, like a master workman; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always, rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the sons of men.”
The word of the Lord
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 8:4-5.6-7a.7b-9 (R. 2a)
R/. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name through all the earth!
When I see the heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars which you arranged,
what is man that you should keep him in mind,
the son of man that you care for him? R/.
Yet you have made him little lower than the angels;
with glory and honour you crowned him,
gave him power over the works of your hands. R/.
R/. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name through all the earth!
You put all things under his feet,
all of them, sheep and oxen,
yes, even the cattle of the fields,
birds of the air, and fish of the sea
that make their way through the waters. R/.
SECOND READING
To God through Christ in the love which is poured out through the Spirit.
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans (Romans 5:1-5)
Brethren: Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
The word of the Lord
ALLELUIA Revelation 1:8
Alleluia. Glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit: to God who is, who was, and who is to come. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
Whatever the Father has is mine. The Spirit will receive what I give and tell you about it.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (John 16:12-15)
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
TODAY’S REFLECTION
The solemnity of the Holy Trinity celebrates one of the fundamental beliefs of Christianity: we believe in one God, composed of three distinct persons – the father, the son and the Holy Spirit, united in love and generous self-giving, who work together for the salvation of humanity.
As human beings, we come from differing backgrounds and cultures, have different temperaments and opinions, and we belong to various groups by birth or affinity. These differences, in human considerations alone, give rise to rivalry, jealousy, competitiveness, discord and conflict.
But as Christians, we are called to take the Holy Trinity as the model for our interpersonal relationships. Our differences, instead of being a cause of division, become a richness to be accepted, encouraged and celebrated. Our varying gifts become charisms to be used in collaboration with others, for the good of all.
May our faith enable us to rise above petty human divisions to reflect God’s boundless love and generosity.